Cherkizovo Group improves working conditions at Zdorovaya Ferma facilities

Cherkizovo Group, Russia’s largest meat producer, is committed to offering decent working conditions to all its employees wherever they work. As part of these efforts, the Company has announced a salary revision at Zdorovaya Ferma, a recently acquired agricultural holding company. On top of that, Zdorovaya Ferma personnel now have access to a wide range of social benefits.

Cherkizovo acquired Zdorovaya Ferma (Ural Meat Company LLC, Zdorovaya Ferma Group of Companies LLC, Zdorovaya Ferma Deli Meats LLC, Zdorovaya Ferma Trading House LLC, and JSC Uralbroiler) in late 2022. Immediately following the completion of the deal, Zdorovaya Ferma’s facilities saw a number of measures introduced to align their working conditions with Cherkizovo Group’s standards. In 2022, Cherkizovo ranked 42nd in the rating of Russian employers and second in agriculture and food (according to HeadHunter).

Zdorovaya Ferma’s sites currently provide employment to around 3,000 people in the Chelyabinsk Region. Cherkizovo looks to increase that number by 10% and create another 300 new jobs. The Company will cover accommodation costs for those relocating from other parts of Russia.

All Zdorovaya Ferma employees are provided with corporate transfers to the sites, hot meals, and high-quality workwear. Efforts to improve administration and amenity rooms are underway. The Company also plans to upgrade the production facilities and purchase new equipment.

Since early 2023, salary revision has been ongoing for employees working at the sites in the Chelyabinsk Region based on their performance and prevailing market rates. For those who have already received a pay rise, it is on par with the average market increase (at least 10–15%), with the salary of a production worker currently averaging RUB 50,000 to RUB 55,000.

Along with a regular pay increase, Cherkizovo’s employees can get monthly or quarterly performance-related bonuses of up to 25% of their salary, and there are also incentive programs with valuable prizes and gift certificates. On top of that, the Company offers additional social allowances such as payments to cover medical treatment, childbirth and work anniversary payments, etc.

Employees working at poultry rearing sites have access to mandatory and voluntary training. Heads of sites are provided with a range of professional development opportunities to enhance their leadership skills and develop management competencies. Internal expert training is given in key areas such as rearing, incubation and other processes, as well as biosafety.

The Company is introducing an apprenticeship program aligned with Cherkizovo’s standards for meat processing employees. Before starting their job, employees receive relevant training to successfully perform their duties. The training is delivered in various formats including lectures, on-site apprenticeship, and mentoring. After employees complete the program and before they can do their job on their own, their new skills are tested as part of an assessment procedure.

Cherkizovo pays great attention to the professional development of its management team and experts in various areas. For employees focused on career growth, the Company has special programs in place to help them unlock their potential, improve leadership skills, and navigate their professional development journey.

About Zdorovaya Ferma

Zdorovaya Ferma is a vertically integrated agricultural holding company based in the Chelyabinsk Region. It is the leading poultry producer in the Urals, with an established chain of supply to offer its products through national and regional retailers. Its assets have an annual production capacity of 120 thousand tonnes of live-weight poultry and cover a wide range of higher value-added products, such as ready-to-cook meat products, sausages, deli meats, and hot dogs. The facilities of Zdorovaya Ferma include a feed mill with an annual capacity of 240 thousand tonnes of feed.