Sonnenfeld’s list has been updated: which companies have chosen social responsibility over business in Russia

Sonnenfeld’s list, which shows in real time how many companies and to what extent have left the Russian market since the start of the full-scale war against Ukraine, is constantly updated. Another one was published yesterday renewal, which reported that more than 1,000 companies had voluntarily limited their operations in Russia to a level exceeding the minimum required under international sanctions. The latest companies to announce their withdrawal from the Russian market were the German manufacturer of electrical engineering and solutions for energy storage Sonnen and the French logistics company Geodis. Both companies have decided to completely cease their operations in Russia in August 2024, joining more than a thousand other firms that have left the Russian market since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine. Other companies also continue to reduce their presence in Russia, but do so gradually or with certain restrictions. Among them are such companies as the French cosmetics manufacturer L’Oréal and the American corporation Cargill.

However, some companies continue to work in Russia without any obstacles, and the founders of the list are trying to prevent this.

Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, a professor of management at Yale University, has spent four decades urging corporate CEOs to act for the good of society, not just to meet the expectations of shareholders. He developed and popularized the idea of ​​the importance of ethical and responsible leadership in business. A famous phrase belongs to him: “Business does not exist in a vacuum. Enterprises must act in the context of social values ​​and be active participants in issues related to social justice and moral norms. When companies ignore these obligations, they risk losing the trust and respect of society.”

But none of Sonnenfeld’s initiatives have garnered as much support from business leaders, the media and the public as his list of companies that cut ties with Russia.

At the beginning of the war, Sonnenfeld’s list was updated every hour. “What this list does is give bold CEOs the confidence to keep going, and those who are just trying to be bold, extra support to get through their boards. It allows them to look like responsible business leaders when they see that a large number of their colleagues are leaving Russia”, Sonnenfeld told the publication The Washington Post.

Currently, the list is not being replenished so actively, but nevertheless Sonnenfeld’s team is gradually achieving its goal.

The first list, immediately after the February 24 invasion of Ukraine, contained a dozen corporations, including oil giants BP, Shell, and ExxonMobil, consulting firms McKinsey, Bain, and BCG, as well as major technology companies IBM, Dell, Meta, Apple, and Alphabet.

Originally a simple list that labeled companies according to the “exit”/”remain” binary, it now contains five categories classified using the school’s AF letter scale to indicate the completeness of the exit. The full version of the Sonnenfeld List can be viewed at link In it, companies are divided into five categories.

They continue their activities in Russia without restrictions

Diesel continues its activities in Russia without stopping business in this country. Has not disclosed details of its policies or changes in business operations in Russia, keeping information about its actions unavailable for public release.

scepter continues to advertise its products in Russia. Continues to sell its products on the Russian market.

They continue their activities, but do not invest in development

Nestlé. Although the company continues to sell its products in Russia, it has announced a halt to new investments and limits on business development. Nestlé also stopped all advertising and all capital investments, not investing new funds in developing or modernizing the business in Russia.

Unilever continues to supply products to Russia, but has stopped new investments and expansion in this market.

Reduce activity

PepsiCo has suspended most of its business operations in Russia, but continues to supply essential products, which include basic necessities such as food and beverages. They maintain a minimal presence in the market to ensure access to critical goods while reducing their commercial activities.

Damage stopped the production of cars in Russia and stopped exporting to this country. Dealers continue to sell cars on the Russian market that were already imported to the country before the export deliveries stopped.

Activity is suspended

Microsoft suspended new sales of its products and services in Russia, preventing new customers from purchasing its products. Continues to support existing access for existing customers by keeping current contracts active and providing support for products and services already purchased.

Amazon has suspended all its business operations in Russia, including sales, supply and customer service in that country.

They are ceasing their activities in Russia

Tetra Pak completely withdrew from Russia, closing all its operations in the country.

UEFA banned Russian athletes from participating in their competitions. Banned teams and individual athletes from Russia from participating in tournaments and matches organized by UEFA.

This list continues to be updated, and its goal is to provide transparency and support to companies making decisions to exit Russia amid conflict and sanctions.

Infographic: IA “FACT”

The undisputed leader in exiting the Russian market is the USA, which has a clear and consistent position on the aggressor country. The American government has been actively implementing sanctions against Russia since the annexation of Crimea in 2014. Accordingly, these measures were greatly intensified after a full-scale invasion. American companies, especially those dependent on government contracts or support, are under significant pressure to comply with sanctions and avoid doing business with Russia.

Great Britain also actively supports sanctions against Russia and has one of the strongest positions in Europe regarding its isolation due to its aggression against Ukraine. The UK government is pressuring companies to stop operating in Russia, forcing them to comply with these demands. British companies, especially large international brands, are very sensitive to reputational risks. Continuing to do business in Russia during the war could damage their image and cause a backlash among customers and investors. This encourages companies to leave the Russian market in order to preserve their reputation.

The situation with German companies that left the Russian market was much more complicated due to the developed connections and dependencies with the aggressor country.

Germany had close economic ties with Russia, particularly in the energy sector. Many German companies depended on supplies of Russian gas and oil, which complicated the decision to exit the market. This applies, above all, to such giants as Siemens and BASF, which have long hesitated to leave Russia because of their long-term investments and contracts. As part of the European Union, Germany was forced to maintain sanctions against Russia, but domestic political pressure to exit the Russian market was less intense than in the UK or the US. This is explained by Germany’s historical inclination to economic cooperation with Russia and the desire for a diplomatic solution to conflicts.

However, the events in Ukraine caused a change of mood in German society. Companies that continued to operate in Russia began to face increasing pressure from the public and consumers, prompting many of them to withdraw from the Russian market despite economic losses.

As in other countries, German companies strive to adhere to corporate social responsibility. Pressure from public organizations, politicians and society in general has forced many companies to reconsider their operations in Russia from the point of view of ethics and morality. The exit of German companies from Russia was often gradual and took place in several stages. At first, many announced the suspension of new investments and projects, later stopped operations, and later completely withdrew from the market. For example, automobile concerns Volkswagen and Mercedes-Benz stopped production and supply of their products to Russia, but this process lasted for several months.

Thus, although German companies did not exit the Russian market as actively as their American or British counterparts, they nevertheless gradually curtailed their activities under the influence of internal and external pressures, as well as due to reputational risks.

Sonnenfeld and his team continue to work on developing alternative business models that can be used by companies that decide to exit Russia. This includes guidance on how best to manage assets, personnel and liabilities in the event of an exit.