Rostelecom saves more than 100 million sheets of paper in one year with electronic document management

Rostelecom more than halved its paper consumption in 2022, from 213 million to 97 million sheets, saving more than 14,000 trees from being cut down. This success was celebrated at an event dedicated to improving Rostelecom’s production system through lean tools and methodologies.

Launched across Rostelecom in November 2021, the Paperless Office project aims to reduce paper document flow by seven times and increase the proportion of electronic documents to 90%. By 2022-end, the amount of paper used decreased by 55%, and the proportion of electronic documents was up 80% from 2021.

To reduce paper-based documentation, Rostelecom is redesigning its business processes by digitising document management and phasing out obsolete document types while increasing the proportion of electronic documents and promoting the adoption of modern information exchange tools. For example, in 2022, the Company switched to locally developed software that substantially improved the quality of printer analytics while significantly reducing print output. The Company has also adjusted its offer-and-acceptance process for agents, moved most-used documents online and launched a service to issue enhanced qualified electronic signatures for personnel records. Ongoing measures that are now in place reduce print output while increasing the proportion of electronic documents.

By reducing the amount of paper and consumables used in communications with counterparties and between units, Rostelecom boosts work efficiency and speed, facilitating document management processes, cutting general and administrative expenses, increasing the transparency of internal processes, mitigating financial risks arising from document loss, and promoting environmental awareness and care among employees. Paperless document management also contributes to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to the environment and forms part of the Company’s own ESG agenda.

To conclude the summit, Rostelecom’s top managers planted thuja trees, launching the Plant a Tree campaign. Company employees who have contributed the most to the Paperless Office project will carry on as the environmental campaign champions at their respective branches across the entire Russia.

Sergey Anokhin, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Rostelecom:

“Rostelecom takes a responsible approach to environmental conservation by consistently driving the ESG goals set in its strategy. Our commitment to the sustainable use of natural resources is an important contribution to the country’s overall sustainable development. The main goal is to keep the planet green for future generations by reducing the amount of paper documents used as much as possible, redesigning business processes and increasing the proportion of electronic documents. We are not just introducing efficient and eco-friendly solutions and agile processes, saving forests from being cut down and rivers from pollution, we are also maintaining the natural balance by offsetting our carbon footprint. I would like to thank my colleagues for their outstanding performance, which exceeded our initial expectations for the first year of the project, as well as for their commitment and contribution to environmental protection by saving the equivalent of 14,000 trees. This year, we expect to come very close to achieving the project goals.”