Pillars of corporate social responsibility included in PGE Capital Group Strategy for 2014-2020
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Security of supply
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Sustainable Development
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Corporate Social Responsability
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PGE Capital Group – the most important projects in the area of corporate social responsibility
PGE Foundation „Energy from Heart”
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The PGE Foundation “Energy from Heart” was established in 2011 at the initiative of PGE S.A. The Foundation is a common communication platform for pro-community activities designed
for all the companies belonging to the PGE Capital Group. Since 2013, the members of the Management Board of PGE Foundation “Energy from Heart” have participated in the project:
“Enhancing the quality of public tasks implemented by corporate foundations in Poland”, carried out by the Forum of Donors.
In 2014, the foundation pursued “SOS Filipiny – Podaruję dom” campaign (SOS Philippines – I will give a home) in co-operation with the Polish Humanitarian Action. The foundation donated funds for the rebuilding of 20 homes for Philippine families affected by the typhoon, while the employees of the PGE Capital Group raised funds for the construction of 22 successive homes. The PGE Foundation – Energy from the Heart – together with PGE S.A.’s Corporate Communications Department and with the participation of key companies within PGE Group, organised the first edition of PGE’s employee volunteer programme “We Help.” |
RESPECT Index
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Since 2011, PGE S.A. has belonged to the group of socially responsible companies which are listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange and form the RESPECT Index portfolio. Only the companies with the highest standards of management with respect to corporate governance, information governance and investor relations, as well as with a consideration for ecology, social and ethics factors, are included in the RESPECT Index. In 2014 PGE S.A. was among 24 companies, which were included in the eighth edition of the RESPECT Index. |
Global Compact
Since 2008, PGE S.A. and PGE Górnictwo i Energetyka Konwencjonalna S.A. have taken part in the initiative of the Secretary-General of the United Nations called “Global Compact”. The involvement in Global Compact obligates PGE to adopt 10 principles of Global Compact, including among others effective combating of employment discrimination, elimination of every case of human rights violation by the company, preventive approach to environmental protection, undertaking initiatives aiming at the promotion of environmental responsibility, the use of environmentally friendly technologies and counteracting corruption in all its forms. At the same time, PGE S.A. committed to prepare annual report on the progres of Global Compact principles compliance. Reports of PGE S.A. are available on the project website: https://www.unglobalcompact.org/.
PGE and work environment
PGE Group is diligent about the development of its employees and fosters a culture of continuous learning and knowledge sharing. In 2014, the Group’s employees raised their qualifications for business-related purposes by participating in specialist workshops, managerial competence development programmes, postgraduate studies and foreign language courses. At the same time, PGE Group is actively collaborating with universities by hosting internships and apprenticeships for students as well as scientific seminars and conferences aimed at exchanging know-how with the academia.
In 2014, a functional strategy was developed for PGE Group’s Human Capital Management (HCM) area for years 2015-2020. The main objective of the HCM strategy is supporting the business strategy goals through:
Enhancing the effectiveness of human resources management:
- HCM strategy’s key initiatives,
- new HR tools and solutions.
- separating transactional functions from strategic management
- maximising the benefits through operational scale and specialisation (integration of IT tools and systems for HR)
- employment cost control across PGE Group
- harmonised operating standards
- optimal use of resources
PGE and the natural environment
The Group undertakes numerous initiatives aimed at developing the relation between economic growth and care for the natural environment in a responsible and conscious manner. PGE Group runs numerous projects and investments with a view to minimise the impact on the environment and to foster the protection of natural ecosystems. The Group invests in the development of new sources of energy basing on renewable resources and upgrades the existing conventional systems in order to significantly reduce their negative impact on the environment. In recognition of their actions companies of the PGE Capital Group are awarded the titles of “Environment-Friendly Business,” “Business Fair Play,” “Patrons of the Environment” and “Leaders of the Polish Ecology”.
The PGE Capital Group takes the following efforts aimed at the protection of environment:
- settlement and balancing of CO2 emissions and allocated allowances for 2013; purchase of emission rights in order to balance the rights in 2013 and partly in 2014;
- modernisations, replacement or deployment of safety equipment (electrostatic precipitators, flue-gas desulphurisation and denitrogenation installations);
- modernisation of generating equipment and replacement of older, worn-down boilers with new high-efficiency units;
- power generation performance improvements and optimisation of combustion processes;
- activities aimed at limiting the volume of waste produced and maximisation of the economic use of post-combustion waste;
PGE and research and development
Research and development activities are directly tied to PGE Group’s strategy for years 2014-2020. They tackle the biggest challenges facing the Group – both at present and those relating to its planned growth. To this end, Strategic R&D Areas have been identified across each element of PGE Group’s value chain, which is where research and development projects are initiated and executed.
Starting from 2015, PGE plans to commit at least 1.5% of its annual consolidated net profit to research and development activities, at the same time relying on public assistance – both Polish and EU. To improve the effects of its R&D projects, PGE Group collaborates with external partners from Poland and abroad, whose know-how and experience are complementary to PGE’s competences.
Moreover, in order to use the synergies between the main entities of Poland’s power sector, competences of R&D centres and state financing, PGE Group together with Enea, Energa and Tauron worked out an arrangement in the area of R&D projects under the auspices of the Polish Electricity Association (PKEE). A joint plan (Feasibility Study) for the Power Sector Programme has been developed.
To effectively manage R&D activities at group-level, PGE has developed the principles for a harmonised approach to identifying, selecting and carrying out projects, and the relevant structures responsible for R&D have been appointed at PGE S.A. and across specific business lines.
PGE and education
The companies of the PGE Capital Group pursue proprietary educational programmes aimed at children and youth PGE Group is involved in the social campaign “Safer with Electricity” – a project aimed at promoting knowledge about the safe use of electricity.
Initiated several years ago by the Warsaw branch of PGE Dystrybucja S.A., the programme “Electricity – My Safe Friend” was continued in 2014, together with a series of lectures and educational meetings under the name “Safe Energy,” an initiative that has been on-going since 2000 at PGE Dystrybucja’s Łódź-Miasto branch. Both of the projects are addressed to kids and youth from primary and middle schools and promote safe and conscious use of electrical equipment.
In August 2014, PGE Obrót S.A. together with the Subcarpathian Foundation for the Development of Culture in Sanok organised “Energetic Vacations,” an educational campaign for kids aged 5-11. The “Energy Dude,” the “Eco Dude” and the “Experimenting Professor” are three virtual characters who conduct activities in the form of learning games, experiences, experiments and educational movies.
PGE GiEK S.A. is a naming rights sponsor of the “PGE - Giants of Power” exhibition prepared in Bełchatów. Its primary aim is to familiarize visitors with the process of electric power generation from lignite. It is a unique undertaking on a national scale, it is state-of-the-art, multimedia, interactive and promotes knowledge of exact sciences for everyone.
As part of the Open Days, individual companies within the PGE Capital Group organise tours for members of local communities. The branches of PGE GiEK S.A., such as The KWB Bełchatów, KWB Turów lignite mines, or Bełchatów or Turów power plants, can be visited by organised groups or individuals throughout the year. Tour participants can learn about the specifics of operation, the process of lignite extraction in mines and generation of electricity in power plants using lignite.
PGE Group companies also undertake local educational and informational initiatives. During the summer season, PGE EJ 1 was involved in a series of outdoor and sporting events within the Nuclear Awareness programme. Residents of the potential-site municipalities: Choczewo, Gniewino and Krokowa, as well as tourists visiting the region, were presented not only with knowledge about nuclear energy but also about the nuclear power station investment itself.
In 2014, PGE also carried out two educational film projects: “Mr Thunder” for kids from classes I-III and “Experiments” for middle-school children. The goal of both of these projects is raising the kids’ awareness of the dangers stemming from incorrectly using electrical equipment and the transfer of knowledge about how to easily prevent any potential accidents. The projects are expected to be continued in the 2014/2015 school year.
PGE has also continued to develop cooperation with universities. PGE GiEK S.A. works with: AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków, University of Łódź and Universities of Technology: Łódź, Warsaw, Wrocław, Gdańsk, Opole, Rzeszów, Silesia and Kielce. Co-operation agreements were signed with West Pomeranian University of Technology and Maritime University in Szczecin. Examples of jointly executed projects include among others: designing of an innovative method for power unit monitoring in Elektrownia Turów – a project implemented with Wrocław University of Technology, the execution of the third stage of the mercury programme with the Łódź University of Technology aimed at reducing mercury emissions to the atmosphere or the organisation of the Pro – Energia competition in collaboration with Łódź University of Technology as part of which four one-time research grants were awarded. Closely cooperating with Opole University of Technology, the company was involved in a series of meetings under the name of “Akademia Rozwoju Przedsiębiorczości – Wykłady Otwarte prowadzone przez praktyków” (Academy for Enterprise Development – Open Lectures by practitioners).