Recently, the event “Who Builds the Future? The Path of Veterans in Business” was held, organized by the UN Global Compact Network Ukraine with the support of UNDP in Ukraine and the Government of Japan.

Among the participants of the panel discussion was Mykhailo Onufer, Chief Veterans Officer at Aurora Multimarket, who shared the company’s practices in supporting veterans and facilitating their adaptation after military service.

During the discussion, Aurora Multimarket, together with DTEK Energy, Interpipe, and the Dobrobut medical network, presented their systematic approaches to veteran support within corporate teams.

Key takeaways for businesses:
🔹 Prepare teams for the return of veterans — colleagues, managers, and HR specialists should understand how to provide proper support.
🔹 Provide targeted, not formal support — create opportunities for growth rather than prescribing ready-made paths.
🔹 Talk openly about mental health — when leaders share their own experiences, it helps break stigma and build trust.
🔹 Engage veterans as mentors — those with combat experience best understand the needs of their peers.

The event also featured inspiring stories of successful veteran-led businesses — Oleg Khmelevsky (Association of ATO Veteran Entrepreneurs), Yevheniia Molchanova (Zelenyi Hai Cheese Factory), Oksana Farenik (Yes Straws), and Denys Malyshenko (TES Ceramic).

The event was part of the “Business & Human Rights Initiative: For a Sustainable and Responsible Future” project, implemented by the UN Global Compact Network Ukraine with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP Ukraine) and funded by the Government of Japan under the “Transformational Recovery for Human Security in Ukraine” project.