Putin Urges Businesses to Encourage Employees to Have More Children - The Moscow Times
Moscow Times
February 19, 2026
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President Vladimir Putin has called on Russian businesses to take a more active role in addressing the country's declining birthrates by encouraging employees to have larger families. Speaking at a meeting of the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI), Putin emphasized that companies should prioritize policies that support multi-child families as part of Russia's broader demographic goals. He highlighted the Corporate Social Capital Standard (SOKB), a new metric that evaluates businesses based on their contribution to public well-being, including factors such as the number of children per employee and the promotion of traditional Russian values. Companies with higher scores under this standard are expected to receive greater government support.
The initiative comes amid growing concerns over Russia's demographic crisis, which has seen birthrates drop to record lows. In 2024, births reached their lowest level since 1999, and by the first quarter of 2025, they fell to the lowest quarterly total in over two centuries. The fertility rate dropped to 1.374 in 2025, the lowest since 2006, with third and subsequent children's fertility rate falling below pre-war levels. Rosstat, Russia's state statistics agency, has stopped publishing birth data, raising questions about the government's transparency on this issue.
Putin's push for businesses to incentivize larger families aligns with his broader efforts to stabilize Russia's population, which is projected to decline by 500,000 annually, dropping below 138.8 million by 2046. Despite calls for families to have eight to ten children, the fertility rate for third and subsequent children has continued to decline. This reflects a deeper societal challenge, as younger generations face economic uncertainty and limited social support, making larger families less feasible.
The initiative underscores the government's recognition of businesses as key players in addressing demographic challenges. By tying corporate support to family-friendly policies, Putin aims to create an ecosystem where companies are incentivized to promote family growth. However, critics argue that without significant improvements in economic stability and social welfare, such measures may fall short of their intended impact.
This issue matters globally, as it highlights the broader challenge many countries face in addressing aging populations and declining birthrates. Russia's approach, combining policy incentives with corporate responsibility, offers insights into potential
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Originally published on Moscow Times on 2/19/2026