OREANDA-NEWS. March 20, 2013. At the first ever Russian Gateway to the Future! Awards ceremony, PwC Russia was awarded a laureate in Economic Prosperity for its environmental, social and economic development projects in the preparations of the 2014 Sochi Olympic Games.

The Gateway to the Future Award was created to recognise achievements in economic development, as well as social and environmental contributions, in the staging of the XXII Winter Olympic Games and XI Paralympic Games of 2014 in Sochi, as well as extensive popularisation of principles for stable economic development.

The participants in the 2012 Awards were Sochi 2014 partners, city and territorial administrations, state company Olympstroy, and several non-commercial organisations. The “Gateway to the Future” jury which decided on the best of the best included Russian Member of the International Organizing Committee Vitaly Smirnov, Krasnodar Territory Governor Alexander Tkachev, Sochi Mayor Anatoly Pakhomov, State Duma Committee Chief Vladimir Lukin and Sochi 2014 Organizing Committee President Dmitry Chernyshenko, as well as representatives of Russian ministries and agencies, economic development experts, Sochi 2014 Ambassadors, and famous athletes and cultural leaders.

PwC was awarded for its efforts in raising efficiency in customs regulations, which has helped in the establishment of benefits and preferences for both customs and business development.

The Sochi 2014 Customs Project, led by PwC Russia Customs Director Marina Volkova, has effectively made it easier to import and export goods destined for use in the Sochi Games. As a result of the project, customs procedures have been streamlined to global standards.  It is now easier to import goods designated for the Sochi Games, which also improves the overall business climate for the Games and help project a positive image of Russia to the rest of the world.

PwC also produced a user-friendly Customs & Freight Forwarding (CFF) Guide that makes legislation easy to understand and ensures that new regulations are followed. The newly developed legislation and guide will benefit other major events in Russia and serve as a best practice model for the international community.

Evgeny Otnelchenko, PwC Russia Advisory Partner and Sochi 2014 Programme Leader, accepted the award on behalf of the entire project delivery team at PwC. “This award reflects the diverse and complex nature of the work we’re undertaking as the official professional services provider to the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee,” he said. “We’re pleased with how our work has contributed to the overall Sochi legacy and boosting economic prosperity for Russia,” he said, adding: “We’re also proud of the Sochi 2014 Organising Committee’s work and the significant results we’ve achieved together so far in sustainability.”

In addition to the Customs Project, a number of other PwC projects were recognised in other 2012 Award categories, including PwC’s Hiring Strategy for People with Disabilities, the Sochi 2014 Partners HR Club by PwC, the Venue Managers Training Programme, the PwC 'Junior Club' for university students and PwC Russia's corporate volunteer programme.