ENGAGING WITH THE SOCIETY

Gas exploration and production projects are an important topic addressed through dialogue with local communities. Cooperation with local communities is mutually beneficial. PGNiG is given the opportunity to understand the expectations of residents living near the planned project areas, whereas members of the local communities gain a deeper insight into the role and intended purpose of the project. In order to promote mutual understanding between the parties, the PGNiG Group works with its partners in a reliable and structured fashion, with due regard paid to stakeholder expectations. The social dialogue undertaken before and during project execution permits the project owner to adapt to the circumstances and stakeholder expectations. It also helps local communities better understand the intention and purpose of the project. Before any activities commence on the project site, discussions and consultations are undertaken with local authorities, NGO representatives, and local residents. The PGNiG Group runs awareness and education initiatives to promote the understanding of a project, its acceptance, and shared responsibility. This supports infrastructure development efforts, local community organisations, science, culture and sports.

The initiatives are carried out mainly through the PGNiG Ignacy Łukasiewicz Foundation. The Foundation’s main projects addressed to local communities in 2019 included the following:

• Skawina – a thermal insulation upgrade project – the donation was used by the Skawina municipality to modernise thermal insulation in 16 houses. The houses had doors, windows and gas boilers or external insulation replaced.
• Energy From Honey – on the premises of PGNiG, at ul. Kasprzaka 25 in Warsaw, an apiary with 25 hives was placed given the size of the area and close vicinity of green areas. In the 2019 season, it yielded approximately 100 kilograms of honey.
• A vehicle for carrying passengers with disabilities – since November 2018, the Foundation has used a car for carrying passengers with disabilities and senior citizens – present and former employees of the Group and veterans. The car’s drivers have been properly trained in the provision of first aid. The vehicle had been used to transport people and veterans for treatments, rehabilitation, medical visits, events, etc. In total, over 100 such trips were made.
• Construction of the Ignacy pre-school and nursery school complex in Warsaw, at PGNiG’s office complex ul. Kasprzaka 25 – in 2019, the Foundation continued the construction of a nursery school complex for PGNiG employees and local residents. Site protection works were completed. The building, completed, is yet to be commissioned.

The Foundation also supported many initiatives aligned with the objectives specified in its Articles of Association. An important one was a financial donation to the Ignacy Łukasiewicz Museum of Oil and Gas Industry Foundation in Bóbrka to support the museum's activities. Being one of its main sponsors, PGNiG supports the cradle of the oil industry − the oldest petroleum production site, as well as the heritage of the magnificent Polish inventor and philanthropist Ignacy Łukasiewicz.

Scholarships

Scholarships were paid to the children of employees who died tragically while in service for the PGNiG Group and to talented young people to honour their academic achievements in the ‘Hooked on Science’ programme created by PGNiG Termika. In 2019, as part of the scholarships the Foundation supported 14 pupils and students.

In addition to the projects carried out together with the Foundation, the PGNiG Group runs its own initiatives. Among many projects implemented by the PGNiG Group companies, in addition to the To Be Like Ignacy educational programme, being the title sponsor of Superliga and the ongoing support for Polish innovation projects under InnVento and other projects pursued by the Group are worth mentioning as well. Internship opportunities are provided as part of the PGNiG Youth Academy: GeoTalent and Deposits of Career. PGNiG is also committed to preserving and providing access to the historical heritage, which not only constitutes a vital part of the Company's history, but also gives testimony to the development of science and technology in Polish industry.

The CSR initiatives implemented in 2019 by the PGNiG Group included:

• Blood donation campaign – two blood donation sessions were held at the PGNiG Head Office in 2019. Starting from the autumn of 2019, people can also register as potential blood marrow donors. For this purpose, cooperation with Poltransplant was established. As a result, 75 donors gave blood in 2019. The initiative has been popular for over a decade now, attracting employees of the PGNiG Head Office and other PGNiG Group companies, including PGNiG Serwis, PGNiG TUW, and PGNiG OD. Blood donation sessions are also held at PGNiG Branches and PGNiG Group Companies. For example, a Gift of Blood event is organised in Zielona Góra on each St. Barbara’s Day or Children’s Day.
  • On October 24th 2019, PGNiG was awarded a certificate of recognition for its efforts promoting blood donation. Thus, PGNIG was appreciated for organising and promoting activities among its employees, as well as for supporting the socially beneficial idea of honorary blood donation, thus helping to save human life. The certificate was awarded by the Ministry of Health and the National Blood Centre.
• Health Day – the third edition of the prophylactic medical examination programme for PGNiG employees in Warsaw (Head Office, GHPB, OOH and CLPB). This edition included free-of-charge cardiological, anticancer and screening tests for diagnosing lyme disease. In 2019, the programme covered more than 330 people, who could undergo free medical examinations during working hours. The main goal was to provide free-of-charge medical check-ups at one place and time, since employees usually have no time for them due to busy daily schedules. The campaign also aimed to promote health and healthy lifestyles.
• In 2019, the Sanok Branch organised a similar campaign called the White Saturday for PGNiG employees in Sanok. Employees were given an opportunity to undergo abdominal, carotid artery, prostate, breast, thyroid and cardiac ultrasound scanning, as well as obtain medical and dietary advice. The examinations were carried out in a specialised hospital of Sanok, in cooperation with Stowarzyszenie Sanitas, an association devoted to preventive healthcare and cancer fighting. As part of the campaign, employees could also have their children examined by paediatricians, who performed abdominal and cardiac ultrasound scans. More than 187 such scans were performed in total.
• Christmas charity collection among employees – PGNiG actively supports charitable initiatives and encourages charitable behaviour and social involvement of its employees. In 2019, employees of the PGNiG Head Office provided support for the Teresa Strzembosz Single Mother Shelter in Chyliczki. Prior to that, the persons running the shelter were interviewed to identify the needs of the shelter. The donated items included more than a dozen boxes of long-term foods, milk, nutrients and meals for children, diapers, personal care and hygiene products, baby monitors, non-contact thermometers, blankets, bed linen, and clothes airers.
• The Be Eco-Friendly educational campaign started in the autumn of 2018 and ended in October 2019. The project was pursued in partnership with the PGNIG Environmental Protection Department and its objective was to reduce the consumption of energy, water, paper and plastic packaging and to instil good daily habits in employees with respect to the rational use of raw materials. The campaign was communicated internally (via the newsletter and Intranet) and was addressed mainly to Head Office and Branch employees working from the office complex at ul. Kasprzaka 25 in Warsaw. As part of the campaign, several internal ambassadors were appointed to promote pro-environmental attitudes among their colleagues. The campaign also featured competitions for employees encouraging involvement in environmentally-oriented initiatives. Packaging tax was another issue explained during the campaign. Eco workshops for employees, devoted to modern waste disposal methods, the concept of zero waste, and eco-bag and terrarium making, marked the end of the campaign.
• The Oil Miner at School and Kindergarten educational campaign is held as part of an employee volunteering programme. Miners wearing miners’ uniforms visit kindergartens and schools located mainly in the area of the PGNiG Zielona Góra Branch’s operations (five provinces of western and northern Poland). PGNiG employees describe how crude oil and natural gas were formed and explain how crude oil and natural gas are explored for and produced. Each miner has a kit which contains a multimedia presentation with general information about the Company’s business, as well as educational films about mining for children and teenagers. In addition, PGNiG Group companies support local kindergartens and schools by regularly organising and participating in Children’s Days, Santa Claus gift-giving events and series of educational meetings, such as the Gazuś Academy. PGNiG uses these opportunities to promote knowledge of the gas and mining industries among children and their parents.
• The Exalo Kids Camp workshop programme is intended for children of Exalo’s employees. It promotes the sense of responsibility and the awareness of interdependence between exploration and drilling operations and the natural environment. The programme also supports the Company’s growth vision and its role in the national economy.
• Maintenance and digitisation of artefacts from the PGNiG Gas Industry Museum and Library. The aim is to preserve and renovate archive materials representing the Company’s historical heritage and evidencing its rich history, and to adapt the Museum’s collections to better suit the needs of contemporary visitors. The list of the 138 items that were renovated and digitised in 2019 includes archive documents, charts and engineering drawings, layouts of street gas pipelines, books and photographs. Among them are unique archival materials, such as seven inventory ledgers of Warsaw’s Municipal Gas House, which date back to 1938 and contain a list of all its properties and movables, supplemented after World War II with a list of war losses. Another item of great historic value is the collection of photographs documenting the overhaul of gas tanks, carried out in the 1950s, containing unique photographs of their internal structure.
• The Exhibition Hall of PGNiG Zielona Góra Branch is where the Company interacts with various external stakeholder groups and Company employees through art and education. It is a venue for presenting achievements of the oil and gas industry and organising exhibitions of works of artists and young talents, charity campaigns and projects carried out by educational institutions, mainly from the Zielona Góra region. The initiatives are addressed to members of the local communities, employees and their families, and audiences of educational sessions. Ten exhibitions and meetings were held in 2019, including:
  • Arkadia Care Services Centre of the Occupational Therapy Centre in Zielona Góra – exhibition of geobotanic photography by Halina Ratyńska, and ‘Heralds of the Spring’ – watercolour paintings and jewellery by Izabela Berdowska
  • Oil Passions – a series of meetings with employees presenting their hobbies (exhibitions of employee paintings, travel photography, etc.)
  • A plein air painting event for those under the care of the Senior-Vigor Day Care Centre in Zielona Góra. Artwork created by senior citizens was shown at the Exhibition Hall on October 7th–11th 2019 during the Zielona Góra Seniors Week.
• Peregrine falcon protection project – PGNiG TERMIKA is actively involved in the efforts to protect the peregrine falcon. In June 2019, four peregrine falcons hatched in the nest box located on the Kawęczyn HP chimney stack. The event attracted attention of the media and local communities. The Company organised a nationwide competition to choose names for the nestlings. The winning names were: Termik, Ciepłek, Kawek and Kominek. Besides building the nest box, the Company provided support to organisations engaged in the protection of the peregrine falcon.
• The annual donation of liquid helium to the Institute of Molecular Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Poznań made by PGNiG Odolanów Branch.
• EXALO supports social responsibility projects geared towards helping employees’ families by financing layettes in the form of SMYK gift card.
• The ‘Connect, because every breath matters’ public awareness campaign run by PSG aimed to promote the fight for clean air and improve the quality of life for residents of Poland’s most air-polluted cities. As part of the project, PSG employees visited 20 cities and towns across Poland, and provided them with mobile air pollution measurement devices with external LED displays. It also conducted free spirometry tests.
• PGNiG Group companies support local employee and school sports clubs, as well as initiatives and events that promote sports and healthy lifestyle.

Awards for social initiatives

• The PGNiG Zielona Góra Branch was awarded in the ‘Socially Sensitive Business’ competition in the area of community engagement and local community development for its long-standing ‘Oil Miner at School and Kindergarten’ initiative.
• The ‘Złoty BohaterON 2019’ award for PGNiG for its ‘Debt of Gratitude’ initiative, under which veterans can apply for co-financing of their gas bills.

The PGNiG Group’s commitment to corporate social responsibility is multifaceted and pursued on many levels. The Group acts to deliver tangible and intangible benefits to the public, supporting vital areas of social life. One of the largest companies assigned the task of ensuring energy security for the nation, the Group engages in activities that are aligned with its core business. Numerous investment projects are carried out every year that rely on innovative solutions to achieve faster and more sustainable outcomes. These include various infrastructure projects helping to ensure equal access to gas for all. 

In addition to projects designed to meet the basic needs of society, the Group contributes to social growth through its nationwide non-business initiatives designed to improve the intellectual quality of life and support the satisfaction of higher-order needs. They include initiatives aimed at cultivating and fostering national traditions, building cultural awareness and national identity. The Group contributes to shaping moral values and life passions in society. Its projects in the fields of culture, sports and science contribute to the development of younger generations that will be responsible for social and economic decision making in the future. With this front of mind, PGNiG engages in projects commemorating historical and patriotic events, supporting refurbishments and extensions of museum facilities. Other important projects helping to cultivate and promote equal access to cultural heritage is sponsorship of the Polish Television Theatre and other similar projects. PGNiG also supports sport events that bring Polish people together and foster personal development by promoting values such as responsibility, determination and perseverance. 

The Group’s impact on local communities is driven by its charitable initiatives, carried out mainly through the PGNiG Ignacy Łukasiewicz Foundation. The Foundation’s mission is to support projects designed to preserve and develop national heritage and culture and promote knowledge and education in the field of fundamental and technical sciences and sports. The Foundation also seeks to promote the history of Poland, build national identity and commemorate Polish heroes.

The Foundation’s activity is based on cooperation with programme partners and implementation of its own projects, which helps it effectively use its potential and reach those who most need support, irrespective of where they are in Poland.

The key projects run by the Foundation in 2019 that benefitted the general public were:

• PGNIG’s Debt of Gratitude – support for the Warsaw Uprising insurgents and the participants of the 1981 strike at Wujek coal mine by paying gas bills of up to PLN 900 a year. In November 2019, the programme was extended to include another group of veterans, i.e. participants in the Defensive War in 1939. The project was implemented in partnership with PGNiG OD. By the end of 2019, the Debt of Gratitude support programme benefited almost 1,200 people.
• To Be Like Ignacy (3rd edition) – an educational programme that involves a competition for primary schools which can apply for the title of the Ignacy School of Science and win attractive prizes. Over 20,000 students from nearly 1,300 schools took part in the third edition of the nationwide educational programme To Be Like Ignacy.
• The Spark of Heritage – a patriotic event commemorating Polish citizens, including officers, non-commissioned officers and privates of the Polish Army, whose blood was shed in the Katyń Forest Massacre in 1940. During the event, over 20,000 candles were lit on the Piłsudski Square in Warsaw and on the Grand Market Square in Zamość.
• Refurbishment and extension of the Gas Industry Museum in Warsaw at PGNiG’s Head Office – in 2019, work on the conversion and modernisation of the Museum’s building was continued. The production and assembly of a part of the exhibition at the Museum was completed in late 2019, The remaining work is scheduled for completion in mid 2020.

Culture and patriotic projects

In 2019, PGNiG continued its cooperation with the TVP Television Theatre, launched in 2016. One of the key cultural events sponsored by the Company was the concert in memory of the legendary Polish composer and musician Przemysław Gintrowski, entitled “Gintrowski – We will leave something to this world, after all”. 

In addition to sponsoring high culture, PGNiG supports a number of patriotic initiatives. Together with the PGNiG Ignacy Łukasiewicz Foundation, the Company runs the programme “We Warm Up Polish Hearts”. The PGNiG Group companies also support cultural events in their respective local communities. The main projects included:

• Sponsorship of the Polish Television Theatre (Teatr Telewizji) - PGNiG’s sponsorship of the Polish Television Theatre (a new agreement has been signed, for the period November 2019 – June 2021) is a very good example of cooperation with Telewizja Polska S.A. It is the Company’s important initiative designed to support Polish culture and arts.
• 23rd International Gospel Music Festival – Camp Meeting Gniew 2019 – an international event organised for 23 years. Each of the five days of the festival is filled, from morning until late night, with numerous workshops (singing, conducting), with separate activities organised for children. The event attracts considerable interest. The concerts are attended by an audience of tens of thousands.
• “Gintrowski – We will leave something to this world, after all”, the fourth edition, a concert in homage to Przemysław Gintrowski, an artist who used to say that art should address issues related to basic moral values. By sponsoring the initiative, the Company pays homage to victims of the martial law period in Poland.
• The 14th International Pianistic Forum “Bieszczady without Borders” – The event is held periodically in Sanok or Warsaw. The concerts provide an opportunity to present the works created by outstanding composers throughout history. In 2019, the central theme of the concerts was “200 years of Polish music history”. PGNiG has for a number of years supported the organisation of this event.
• Cursed Soldiers Memorial Run – Wolf’s Trail is a sports event with historical education themes, aimed at promoting knowledge of the Cursed Soldiers and encouraging active spending of free time outdoors. The event is held simultaneously in many regions of Poland.
• Production and distribution of the fictionalised documentary “Łukasiewicz – A Romantic Oilman” - The film was produced as part of the ‘Historical Landscape of the Rzeszów Region’ series commemorating the famous people and events of the region. The on-screen depiction of Ignacy Łukasiewicz’s life is designed to restore among Poles the memory of that outstanding man, who made a significant contribution to the development of the oil industry in Poland and globally.
• The 15th Żarnowiec Festival 2019 - The 15th jubilee opera and operetta music festival in Żarnowiec near Krosno, which also promoted Polish culture, national tradition and patriotic values, including the work of Polish writer and poet Maria Konopnicka, and the Maria Konopnicka Museum. The Festival plays a huge educational role in promoting classical music in the region and serves to preserve the vocal tradition of the Rzeszów region and support young talent.
• Partial modernisation of the ‘Germans in Warsaw’ exhibition at the Warsaw Uprising Museum of Warsaw - PGNiG provided financial support for maintenance and restoration of the exhibition ‘Germans in Warsaw’, showing the German system of power and terror, as well as the daily life of the people of Warsaw under occupation.

Sports sponsorship 

Sports sponsorship of is an important part of PGNiG’s marketing efforts. For many years, in addition to supporting local sporting initiatives, the organisation’s comprehensive support has focused on one professional sports discipline – handball, which is based on strategic thinking, unlocking the players’ potential and dynamic action, which perfectly reflects the Company’s nature.

The level of national and international tournaments, the players’ engagement and unique atmosphere in the stands translate into growing interest in handball among Poles, creating an excellent opportunity for PGNiG to further promote itself as a modern and dynamic brand. In 2019, PGNiG supported the following initiatives:

• The Polish Handball Association – PGNiG has been the strategic sponsor of Polish handball since 2010. Currently, support is provided to senior and junior national women’s and men’s teams. Numerous major handball events were held in 2019 with PGNiG acting as the strategic sponsor of the Polish Handball Association. The most important ones included:
  • Men’s Senior National Team qualification to the 2020 European Championship to be held in January, where the Polish team will be playing Sweden, Slovenia and Switzerland;
  • the Women’s Senior National Team made a brilliant start to EHF EURO 2020 by winning the first qualifier matches against the Faroe Islands and Ukraine;
  • in 2019, Poland played host to the European Beach Handball Championship. the Senior Team secured the 7th place (the best on record);
  • the Women’s Team came third in the European Championship U17 B Women, held in Italy.
• Superliga sp. z o.o. – the Company is also a title sponsor of the men’s league. PGNiG Superliga is the operator of Poland’s top-class handball league. The name PGNiG Superliga stands for league games among 16 clubs, which compete for the title of the Polish Champion. The tournament is also an opportunity to organise a number of CSR events for fans and local communities. The most important ones included:
  • Trophy Tour 2019 (April 16th–30th 2019), held under a completely new formula, was the only opportunity for the fans to see the Superliga trophy before and during the quarter-finals. In each arena where the trophy was displayed, a special Trophy Tour zone was arranged and a professional photographer was hired to take photos of the fans posing against the trophy.
  • The ‘We Play Fair’ Anti-Doping Campaign – April 15th marked the launch of a nationwide ‘WE PLAY FAIR’ anti-doping information and education campaign, initiated by PGNiG Superliga. The campaign is addressed to professional and amateur athletes and youths. Its goal is to raise awareness and promote the ideas of fair play and zero tolerance for doping in sports. The most accomplished athletes, medallists the Olympic Games and the World and European Championships, such as Arkadiusz Moryto and Michał Daszek, were appointed the campaign’s Ambassadors.  The campaign was organised under the auspices of the Ministry of Sports and Tourism.
  • Kick-off of the professional Women's League, a turning point in the league’s development, professionalisation and dynamic expansion;
  • Agreement with TVP for broadcasting matches on TVP Sport channel, starting from the 2019/2020 season, which translated into a more than 1,000% rise in the number of viewers of PGNiG Superliga;
  • For the first time ever, the rights to broadcast PGNiG Superliga competitions were sold abroad – from February, the matches can be watched in the United States;
  • The Independence Day Match (November 11th 2019) – the birth of handball in Poland is closely linked to the date of Poland’s regained independence. To commemorate this special anniversary, PGNiG Superliga organised a special match – the handball players were wearing outfits with the image of Józef Piłsudski. An exceptional white and red setting was created for the event itself;
  • Movember (November 2019) – as in previous years, Superliga joined the Movember campaign. Each team selected their ambassador, who – by growing a moustache – will provoke debate on health issues and encourage men to take preventive tests to detect cancer.
• PGNiG Summer Superliga – PGNiG is also involved in supporting a new, promising sports discipline, that is beach handball, which is increasingly gaining in popularity. It is an excellent alternative to indoor handball as no indoor handball league tournaments are organised during summer holidays. 2019 finals of PGNiG Summer Superliga were held in early August in Darłowo, preceded by a series of tournaments organised in other towns and cities.
• PGNiG Challenge Charity Regatta – charity regatta with proceeds donated to a Children’s Hospice. 16 crews took part in the race. The regatta base was Gdynia Marina. The list of participants included representatives of Enea, Polski Gaz TUW, EuRoPol GAZ S.A., PGNiG Termika, TGE, LGE and LOTOS.
• PGNiG TERMIKA extended, as of December 1st 2019, its sponsorship contract with Legia Warszawa football club, whereby it became an ‘official heat supplier for Legia Warszawa’ for Legia Warszawa’s first team for the next football season (until the end of June 2021).
• The handball section of the AZS (University Sports Association) of the AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków – the Company is the sponsor of the AZS AGH team.  The sponsorship is geared towards strengthening collaboration between the PGNiG Group and the AGH University of Science and Technology in Kraków and to promote PGNiG as a reliable partner among the students – prospective employees of the Group.
• The 17th Polish Oil and Gas Industry All-Terrain Bicycle Championship and the 4th Polish Oil and Gas Industry Cross-Country Run Championship – a regular event aimed to promote an active and healthy lifestyle. The Championship is the opportunity to integrate employees of the energy sector. The participants compete for the PGNiG CEO’s Cup.
• PGNiG Group companies support local employee and school sports clubs, as well as initiatives and events that promote sports and healthy lifestyle.

Science and education 

The PGNiG  Group makes every effort to ensure that its support to initiatives in science and education contributes to the overall promotion of science in Poland. The Group also responsibly treats its cooperation with local communities, especially in the areas where its operations are located. As part of those initiatives, festivals of science are organised independently in many Polish cities, in partnership with local universities and other parties. 

In addition, the Company supported the Safety and Defence Knowledge Olympiad, addressed to secondary school students. The awards include guaranteed enrolment to higher education institutions (national/internal security studies). The aim of the Olympiad is to promote knowledge of security science, including energy security, and defence science, as well as to create patriotic attitudes and promote understanding and tolerance for other people. The event was initiated by the Faculty of Political Science and International Studies of the University of Warsaw.