From industrial giants to small businesses: Human Capital Resilience Charter signed in Rome

The signing ceremony took place on the sidelines of the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC2025) in Italy’s Rome on July 11, 2025, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

As noted by Svyrydenko, the Human Capital Resilience Charter is more than just a set of principles. It is a tool for action, and has been developed for those who do not want to simply ‘survive’ the war, but are ambitious enough to rebuild a country that will be stronger, fairer, and more inclusive.

The development of the Charter lasted over 18 months and involved more than 75 organizations, from Ukrainian businesses and government agencies to international partners.

“We live in a time when the value of every person has increased exponentially. The war has changed everything: our business models, our economic plans, and most importantly, our understanding of what really holds a country together,” Svyrydenko said.

In her words, neither energy, nor infrastructure resilience, nor technology alone can ensure recovery. Only people, their dignity, work, resilience, and desire to develop form the true foundation of national security and the long-term strength of a state.

The Human Capital Resilience Charter is a framework document that sets “a new standard for responsible, people-centered leadership in Ukrainian business.” It unites employers around a common goal: to give everyone a chance, especially those most affected by the war, such as veterans, internally displaced persons, people with disabilities, those who returned from abroad, and women re-entering the labor market.

The Charter will include various engagement components and serve as a platform for sharing best practices. Each organization that joins will publicly commit to acting responsibly and becoming a role model for others.

The Ukrainian Economy Ministry launched this initiative amid a growing public demand for justice and a new quality of leadership.

“We want to create not just a ‘policy for business’, but a true partnership with business,” Svyrydenko stressed.

According to her, the Charter is not just a declaration but has a clear implementation logic: nine principles, dozens of practical indicators and key performance indicators, recommendations on policy adaptation, leadership training, support for vulnerable groups, work with veterans, and employer branding.

“The Charter is shaping a new architecture for human capital management: flexible, ethical, technologically savvy, and built on trust. It makes us recognize that we can no longer return to a ‘normal’ labor market. That reality is gone. But we can build something better: a modern, humanistic system that works for everyone and excludes no one,” Svyrydenko explained.

The strategic partners of the Charter include the EBRD, the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU), Metinvest, DTEK, Naftogaz of Ukraine, PrivatBank, and the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA). All companies, from industrial giants to small businesses, are invited to join the Charter.

A reminder that the Ukraine Recovery Conference (URC2025) is taking place in Italy’s Rome on July 10-11, 2025.

Photo: Olha Tanasiichuk, Ukrinform