RESPONSIBILITY TOWARDS SOCIETY

Furthermore, investment projects, current repairs and maintenance work performed by third party contractors  for the ORLEN Group add up to more than ten thousand jobs. ORLEN Group service stations in Poland, Germany, the Czech Republic, Lithuania and Slovakia employ more than 27,000 staff.

PKN ORLEN and other ORLEN Group companies put special focus on their role as socially responsible members of their respective communities. The ORLEN Group considers both direct and indirect impacts of its activities on theenvironment it operates in. It is an employer, a tax payer, sponsor, charity provider, and partner for numerous suppliers, institutions, and organisations.

The ORLEN Group companies are key local tax payers at their respective locations. For example, in 2020 the total revenue of the city of Płock related to the operations of PKN ORLEN and the ORLEN Group companies located in the city amounted to more than PLN 250m.

2020 saw the continued implementation of countrywide projects designed to reach local communities, such as the ‘My Place on Earth’ and ‘ORLEN for Firefighters’ grant programmes and a loyalty scheme for volunteer firefighters registered in the National Firefighting and Rescue System. The ORLEN Foundation delivered successive editions of its scholarship programmes, including ‘For Eagles’ dedicated to children of the employees of PKN ORLEN and ORLEN Group companies and the residents of Płock and the County of Płock, as well as ‘BONA FIDE’ for students.2020 also saw the first edition of the ‘Health for Płock’ grant programme, addressed to non-governmental and local government organisations active in Płock and the neighbouring Płock, Sierpc and Gostynin Counties.

In 2020, the Company increased its involvement in health promotion. Responding to the needs of Płock residents, PKN ORLEN continued cooperation with the National Institute for Oncology under an agreement concerning the Comprehensive Programme for the Prevention, Diagnostics and Treatment of Cancers and Respiratory System Diseases for Residents of the City and County of Płock. The partnership is the first project of this type in Poland. The Programme is run by the National Institute of Oncology Maria Skłodowska Curie, together with the National Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases Research Institute, under the patronage of the Ministry of Health. Its key objective is to undertake pro-health initiatives relating to respiratory system diseases and cancers, as well as the implementation of educational programmes on the causes of those diseases. One of its goals is to make the residents of Płock and surrounding areas aware of the need to change their lifestyles, as this may significantly reduce the risk of illness.

The following activities were also carried out as part of the fight against the pandemic:

• ‘Helping hospitals in the fight against the pandemic’ - a new award was launched in the VITAY loyalty program, it was introduced to the catalog on April 1, 2020 (it was the implementation of an idea of ​​one of VITAY's customers, who shared it on the PKN ORLEN profile on Facebook). The cash value of the points was donated to the ORLEN Foundation for the support of hospitals.
• ‘A Computer for a Foster Family Group Home’ grant programme – the ORLEN Foundation allocated more than PLN 500,000 to the purchase of electronic equipment supporting distance education. It provided funds to buy computers for foster family group homes to help the children learn at home while their schools are closed. Each foster family orphanage cooperating with the Foundation could apply for a grant of up to PLN 3,000. The support was received by nearly 200 homes. The funds were used, among other things, to purchase notebook and desktop computers, tablets or computer accessories.

In 2020, PKN ORLEN was also involved in community projects aimed at reducing inequalities. Their intended beneficiaries were young children under the care of foster family group homes and the Róża Czacka Centre for Blind Children in Laski, as well as senior citizens. At the beginning of 2020, free film screenings were organised as part of the ‘Cinema with ORLEN’ project launched in 2019. They were accompanied by special guests’ lectures on safety rules. Volunteers of the ORLEN Foundation were engaged in the events.

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Warsaw victory, also known as the Miracle of the Vistula, PKN ORLEN reinterpreted the history in a motor sport fashion, holding a spectacular competitive racing event in the centre of Warsaw between two ORLEN Team competitors, Robert Kubica and Bartek Marszałek, representing Formula 1 car and powerboat racing.

The ORLEN Sports Group, a group of individual competitors who receive financial support from PKN ORLEN, already comprises almost 30 successful athletes, including champions and medal winners of the most prominent events: the Olympic Games, and the indoor or outdoor World and European Championships - Anita Włodarczyk, Piotr Małachowski, and Paweł Fajdek. In 2020, despite the global pandemic, the competitors took part in athletic meetings and performed very well, with Justyna Święty-Ersetic breaking indoor Poland’s record in 400 metres.

Continuing the tradition of supporting running competitions, instead of holding its own marathon, PKN ORLEN became the title sponsor of the 42nd PZU ORLEN Warsaw Marathon, which turned out to be Poland’s largest running event in 2020.

For nearly a decade, PKN ORLEN has been committed to supporting Polish volleyball. It sponsors the Polish indoor and beach volleyball national teams across all age categories and a volleyball training programme for the most talented youth, helping them succeed. In 2020, due to pandemic restrictions, major volleyball events around the globe were cancelled. However, the Polish national team remained active, for instance they held international friendly competitions called ‘We Love Volleyball’ with the participation of German, Czech and Swiss national teams.

PKN ORLEN continued its cooperation with Lang Team, organising professional and amateur cycling races. In 2020, the ORLEN National Race was held in Rzeszów – a competition for young cyclists sporting national colours – as well as the ORLEN Lang Team Race – two amateur cycling races.

As the pandemic forced numerous adjustments to sports event calendars, many events moved to the virtual world. PKN ORLEN supported the organisation of ORLEN e-Tour de Pologne Amateurs, where a number of ORLEN Team and ORLEN Sports Group members competed, including notably Robert Kubica. Furthermore, the Company organised the ORLEN Stay&Play project based on e-sport competition and numerous live chats with supported players.

PKN ORLEN builds its brand recognition through sports not only in Poland, but also abroad: it supports a hockey club in the Czech Republic, handball in Germany, and a basketball club in Lithuania.

As a national giant, PKN ORLEN also supports initiatives designed to protect Polish national heritage. In 2020, we continued our cooperation with the National Museum, the Grand Theatre – National Opera, and the Fryderyk Chopin Institute. Due to the pandemic, the Chopin Competition scheduled for autumn 2020 was postponed to 2021. The Group once again supported the Ludwik van Beethoven Easter Festival and continued its cooperation with the Płock Symphonic Orchestra.

In 2020, the ORLEN Foundation supported the Fryderyk Chopin Institute. Its donations enabled the purchase of priceless letters written by the composer and his portrait painted by Teofil Kwiatkowski. Support was also provided to a historic building complex in Frombork, which will use the donations to renovate and restore part of its cathedral complex. Additionally, as part of the project, the infrastructure will be adapted for people with disabilities.

PKN ORLEN was the Main Partner of the 12th Film Festival ‘The Rebellious, the Invincible, the Cursed’, a forum of dialogue between several generations of Poles, the event also has an international dimension providing an occasion to discuss and promote Polish history and culture.

PKN ORLEN was once again involved in the ‘HeroesON – Switch on History!’ project by sponsoring its 5th edition. The goals of the campaign were to commemorate and honour the participants of the Warsaw Uprising and to promote the 20th-century history of Poland. In addition, the company supported the ‘Protective Kit for Insurgent’ campaign, where a total of 1,400 packages with coronavirus protection products, containing sanitisers, masks and gloves, were distributed to senior citizens who had fought in the Warsaw Uprising.

2020 was marked by the 100th anniversary of the Polish-Soviet war. PKN ORLEN was involved in the preparation of several related events. In partnership with the Niepodległa Programme Office, the ‘Viktoria 1920’ film was shown.

‘Heroes 1920’ is a pioneering modern history lesson. With the use of holographic technology, studio films were made with actors playing the key figures of the Polish-Soviet war. The holoboxes were presented to the public in selected educational facilities in Masovia, the Zamość Region, at the National Stadium, in Łazienki Park and the Museum of Masovia in Płock. The project was designed to promote and disseminate historical knowledge to children and young people, and to strengthen patriotic attitudes in the society using state-of-the-art technology.

On August 15th, the National Stadium hosted the premiere of a historical show entitled ‘1920. Grateful to the Heroes’. PKN ORLEN was the Patron of the event. The goal of the project was to produce a multimedia performance about the Battle of Warsaw of 1920 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of this historical event, to honour the memory of the heroes, and to highlight Poland’s victory over the Soviet invasion. The show combined traditional non-digital stage solutions with advanced multimedia technologies, including mapping and visuals. The event was held under the auspices of Andrzej Duda, the President of the Republic of Poland.

Further to that, PKN ORLEN once again sponsored the ‘Eagle and Cross’ show, a multimedia performance depicting Poland’s history from the legends of the Piast kings until today. In collaboration with popular opinion weeklies (Gazeta Polska, Gość Niedzielny, Tygodnik SIECI), special inserts dedicated to important historical events were published, including the anniversary of the outbreak of Warsaw Uprising and the anniversary of the Battle of Warsaw.

The key actions taken by the Energa Group to protect the national heritage and foster patriotic attitude, on the other hand, included support for the project ‘Museum of Power Engineering (Centre of Tradition of Polish Power Engineers)’, organisation of the 5th Westerplatte Independence Concert and co-financing of metalwork for the Amber Altar of the St. Bridget’s Roman Catholic Parish in Gdańsk. As part of its cultural promotion efforts, the Energa Group continued its cooperation with the Polish Baltic Philharmonic, which hosts the EnergaCamerimage Festival and projects such as the Gdańsk Music Festival or the Christmas Carols Concert in the St. Bridget’s Parish.

Rescue organisations which save the lives and health of the Poles on a daily basis are an extremely important focus area for community sponsorships. For many years, PKN ORLEN has been supporting the activities of the Volunteer Mountain Rescue Service, Volunteer Masuria Rescue Service and Volunteer Water Rescue Service in Płock and Legionowo, to name just some.

The Company is actively pursuing its efforts to improve road safety also by supporting rescue services. For example, it runs a loyalty scheme for volunteer firefighters registered in the National Firefighting and Rescue System, who can buy fuel at ORLEN service stations at discounted prices.

At the beginning of 2020, a partnership was also initiated with the Territorial Defence Force, under which soldiers-volunteers were offered loyalty cards entitling them to fuel discounts at PKN ORLEN service stations. The Territorial Defence Force (WOT) is a separate type of Poland’s armed forces, established at the beginning of 2017. Today, WOT counts nearly 25,000 soldiers, building its potential on volunteer service. As training takes place mainly on days off work, WOT soldiers are able to maintain a healthy balance between family and professional life on the one hand, and the service in WOT on the other. The mission of WOT is to defend and support local communities. In time of peace, WOT forces engage in, among other activities, preventing and combating the effects of natural disasters, and carrying out emergency rescue missions. During the COVID-19 epidemic, the Territorial Defence Force changed its mode of operation, moving from training to crisis prevention. The loyalty card scheme was launched on May 1st 2020.

In 2020, PKN ORLEN implemented the first edition of the Inventor Tech Day project, addresses to inventors associated with scientific and research institutions and startups from Poland, other European countries and Asia. The purpose is to acquire innovative and environmentally friendly technologies. The initiative is consistent with PKN ORLEN’s plan to gradually achieve carbon neutrality and step up its own R&D activity, announced in 2020. The Company intends to acquire innovative solutions that will be applied in around a dozen of research areas, including CO₂ capture technologies, next-generation biofuels, new types of catalysts, biopetrochemicals, hydrogen technologies and green energy. The originators of the most promising solutions gainedthe opportunity to collaborate with the Company, and negotiations started to further develop relations with the authors of 10 out of the 15 technologies presented. The next edition will be held in 2021.

PKN ORLEN also joins in initiatives to drive innovation, including those developed by tech startups. 2020 saw the roll-out of acceleration programmes under the Smart Growth Operational Programme 2014–2020, designed toacquire innovative solutions offered by startups and carry out pilot implementations on PKN ORLEN's infrastructure.

Launching the Research and Development Centre in Płock in 2021 is a pivotal moment for the Company's R&D activities. The Centre will enable PKN ORLEN to develop and implement its own technologies, and will also serve as a modern platform for cooperation between PKN ORLEN and the world of science and business.

One of the priorities of the ORLEN Group’s CSR strategy across all areas: Society, Environment, Employees, Customers, and Business Partners, is to inspire a sense of responsibility by sharing best practices. In 2020, PKN ORLEN presented its activities in reports drawn up by its partners, at national conferences, such as the Development Vision Forum and the Economic Forum in Karpacz and during stakeholder meetings.

In 2020, the Company was also involved in the European Sustainable Development Week, as part of which it carried out the following initiatives:

• ORLEN Foundation Volunteering Week – as part of the Volunteering Week held in Płock and Warsaw from September 18th to September 25th, a series of meetings with volunteers and community organisations were held in a dedicated studio dobroMOCni.tv to share ideas, inspire and listen. The studio became the place of extraordinary meetings with people who shared their volunteering experience;
• Tree for a Bottle – a waste collection event was held from September 23rd to September 25th, where employees could drop off certain types of waste, like used batteries, expired drugs and electronic waste, in exchange for a tree seedling as the symbol of the campaign, carried out under the Responsible Care Programme;
• #runwithzosia employee charity fair– the #runwithzosia online charity fair opened on September 18th. All money raised by the event will go to Zosia, a girl suffering from type 1 SMA;
• Mr Carp Restocks the Vistula – a competition held with a slogan ‘The Flowing, Winding Vistula’. The competition is intended for pre-school and school children in three age groups, living in towns on the Vistula river (ANWIL);
• Safe on the Way Home – a meeting with children in Municipal Kindergarten No. 10 in Płock devoted to road safety was held in late September and early October (ORLEN Serwis);
• A library for ORLEN Centrum Usług Korporacyjnych employees – an employee library opened at ORLEN Centrum Usług Korporacyjnych at the end of September 2020. It has been made as a simple book exchange, which is a perfect solution for those who want to swap books they have read for books they want to read.