NACP adds Turkish Şişecam Group to list of int'l war sponsors

The National Agency for Corruption Prevention of Ukraine (NACP) has added Turkish Şişecam Group to the list of international sponsors of Russia's war. The company continues to do business with Russia and remains Russia's largest exporter in its industry.

Ukrinform reported this with reference to NACP.

"In Russia, Şişecam's consolidated production volumes of sheet glass, glass containers, and glassware exceed 1.5 million tonnes per year. Total investments exceed USD 1.25 billion. The company provides jobs for 3,414 employees at its factories in Russia, thereby creating jobs and supporting the economy of the terrorist state. The subsidiaries of Şişecam Group, which produce sheet glass, glassware, and glass containers, paid taxes in Russia for over USD 11.2 million in 2022," the NACP noted.

According to the NACP, the company's main business areas are glass and chemical production. It ranks second in the world in terms of glassware production, fifth among glass containers and sheet glass producers, and is the world leader in soda ash and chromium-based chemicals.

In 2022, Şişecam's revenue increased to USD 3.6 billion, while net profit increased to USD 740 million.

"Since the beginning of the Russian aggression in 2014, Sisecam Flat Glass has been producing architectural, construction and automotive glass in Russia at the Alabuga special economic zone in the Republic of Tatarstan. It also produces the Shaheds that Russians regularly use to attack Ukraine," the NACP added.

They also reminded that Russian laws require employers to cooperate with the authorities in the mobilization campaign, for example, by providing personal data of employees to the military enlistment office. While a foreign company may claim that the authorities did not ask it to do so, the longer the company stays in Russia, the harder it will be to explain that it managed to circumvent the requirements of these laws.

There were no attempts by the company's management to condemn Russia's war against Ukraine.

As reported, the NACP is the body responsible for developing a compliance system in the private sector. During compliance procedures, contractors are subject to integrity checks, including socially responsible business conduct in accordance with OECD standards.