Yandex Uzbekistan Publishes First ESG Report Highlighting Social Impact and Technological Initiatives

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Yandex Uzbekistan has released its first sustainability (ESG) report, detailing contributions to social development, education, digital inclusion, and entrepreneurship support. The report emphasizes the company’s role in fostering sustainable economic growth and expanding opportunities for the Uzbek population.

Investments in Education and Talent Development

A core focus of Yandex Uzbekistan is education and preparing specialists for the future. The company offers free programming courses for schoolchildren, trains teachers in Python and neural networks, and organizes internships and hackathons.

In 2025, Yandex launched the country’s first AI school, Yandex ML School, in partnership with New Uzbekistan University, attracting nearly 3,000 applicants. Additionally, the company hosted the Coding and Math Contest with 87 finalists and supported the international Technovation Girls initiative, which saw 1,500 Uzbek girls submit 329 IT projects.

Support for Partners and Small Businesses

Yandex Uzbekistan actively develops platform solutions to support small businesses and employment. In summer 2025, it became the first company in the country to automate tax payments for self-employed drivers and couriers, reducing administrative burdens.

In the first half of 2025, Yandex service partners earned over $340 million — a 50% increase year-on-year. Entrepreneurs can leverage Yandex Ads, Yandex Maps, Yandex Go, and Yandex Cloud, which allows process automation and integration of voice assistants, including in Uzbek.

Promotion of Uzbek Language and Culture

The company emphasizes digitalization of the Uzbek language and promotion of national culture. In 2025, Yandex Search began operating on neural networks trained in Uzbek, making 11.6 million texts accessible to users.

Yandex Music supports local artists through the UCHQUN project and AI-driven personalized recommendations via My Wave, while Yandex Books offers over 900 Uzbek-language titles. Yandex Maps added 27 3D models of architectural landmarks across Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara, and Khiva.

Social Initiatives and Charity

Since 2023, Yandex has supported NGOs through free rides and deliveries via Yandex Go, completing over 25,000 trips and 1,400 deliveries. Through collaboration with UzAlert, the company aids in locating missing persons, reaching over 27,000 drivers and 2,000 couriers.

During the Generous November campaign, users and services raised 189 million UZS for charities including Dom Mamy, Teach for Uzbekistan, ONA, and Sharoit Plus. A special project provides transport for schoolchildren with disabilities in 14 cities, implemented with the National Social Protection Agency.

Safe and Sustainable Urban Environment

Yandex deploys technological solutions to improve urban safety and sustainability. Yandex Go monitors abrupt maneuvers and route deviations, and offers the “Electro” tariff with electric vehicles to reduce emissions and noise. Users can track public transport, traffic signals, and ambulance routes for more transparent and secure mobility.

Digital Accessibility and Inclusion

By mid-2025, nine Yandex services are adapted for visually impaired users, and Yandex Maps features 19,000 accessibility-enabled organization profiles. Yandex Go includes options for passengers and drivers with special needs, including wheelchair-accessible settings and an adapted Yandex Pro app with visual alerts for hearing-impaired drivers.

The report underscores Yandex Uzbekistan’s commitment to combining technology with social responsibility, fostering education, digital inclusion, and safe, sustainable urban environments.