Editor-in-Chief of «Arctic 2035» Magazine Discusses Corporate Strategies Toward Urban Communities in St. Petersburg

Maria Lagutina, Editor-in-Chief of the magazine «Arctic 2035: Current Issues, Challenges, Solutions» and Professor at St. Petersburg State University (SPbGU), took part in the 3rd St. Petersburg Congress of International Relations Researchers «Global and Regional Challenges in a Changing World,» which was held from April 28 to 30, 2026, in St. Petersburg.

Section: «International Business Partnership and Sustainable Development in the Arctic: Between Competition and Cooperation»

Lagutina served as the moderator of the section «International Business Partnership and Sustainable Development in the Arctic: Between Competition and Cooperation,» organized on April 29 with the support of a grant from the Russian Science Foundation (No. 25–28–00975).

The section’s work was devoted to analyzing the transformation of corporate strategies, international cooperation, and sustainable development practices in the Arctic amid a changing political and economic environment. Participants examined a wide range of issues related to the interaction between business, the state, and local communities, as well as the development of international regulatory mechanisms and cooperation in the region.

Opening the session, Lagutina presented a report on corporate strategies toward urban communities in the Russian Arctic (AZRF), focusing on current models of company-community interaction and their impact on the sustainability of Arctic territories. The research results showed that corporate strategies in Arctic cities are characterized by a fairly high degree of company involvement in social infrastructure, the implementation of CSR programs, and partnerships with local authorities. At the same time, differences were identified in the models of business-urban community interaction, determined by the sectoral specifics of companies, the scale of their presence, and the institutional conditions of the regions.

Other participants in the section included SPbGU Professor A. A. Sergunin, SPbGU Associate Professor D. N. Veselova, Senior Researcher at the Institute of China and Contemporary Asia of the Russian Academy of Sciences and POR Expert I. A. Strelnikova, SPbGU Senior Lecturer A. V. Sboychakova, Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU) Associate Professor E. Dolzhenkova, Leading Researcher at the Karelian Research Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences (KarNTs RAN) M. A. Pitukhina, and HSE University – St. Petersburg Associate Professor M. M. Panikar. Many of the participating experts are regular authors of the magazine «Arctic 2035», published by the PORA Expert Center.

Based on the section’s outcomes, participants noted the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to studying the Arctic as a complex space where the interests of the state, business, international institutions, and local communities intersect. During the discussion, particular attention was paid to finding a balance between the region’s economic development, environmental responsibility, and social sustainability, as well as to the prospects for forming new forms of international cooperation in the Arctic.

Arctic Issues in Other Sections

The congress participants focused on issues related to the formation of a new world order, the increasing role of Global South countries, the technological transformation of world politics, and questions of international cooperation in the Arctic. Arctic issues held a special place in the program, becoming one of the key themes and generating significant interest from the academic community.

Several specialized sections were held as part of the event, dedicated to various aspects of international interaction in the Arctic, including: «The Arctic in the International Relations System During Periods of Turbulence: Challenges and Opportunities for Russia» (moderator – I. A. Strelnikova), «The Arctic Dimension of BRICS Cooperation: Identity, Potential, and Effectiveness of Interaction» (moderator – V. N. Konyshev), and «Creating a Trans-Arctic Transport Corridor: International Legal, Geo-economic, and Geopolitical Aspects» (moderator – A. A. Sergunin).

The wide range of topics addressed allowed for a comprehensive examination of the Arctic as a space where the strategic interests of states, businesses, and international institutions converge.