Support to local communities

CSR and sponsorship initiatives based on the organisation’s Social and Sponsorship Policy are key elements contributing to the implementation of the long-term development strategy of the Grupa Azoty Group. Through its engagement in such initiatives, the Group promotes its image of both economically successful and socially responsible business. As an entity using natural resources, the Grupa Azoty Group undertakes social and sponsorship activities dedicated primarily to supporting local initiatives and needs. The Group is particularly committed to support the development of the regions in which its companies operate, but at the same time it seeks to ensure that the reach and impact of projects it chooses to sponsor are supra-regional. 

Through donations, governed by the Donation Policy, we want to respond to the needs of foundations, associations, schools, non-profit organisations and individuals in difficult circumstances. In particular, we support projects contributing to medical care improvement, social and educational development of children and youth, as well as other initiatives benefiting local communities.

Selected purposes of donations described in the Donation Policy:

• providing social assistance, mainly to families and individuals in difficult circumstances, and promoting equal opportunities for such families and individuals 
• supporting activities aimed at social and professional inclusion of individuals who are at risk of social exclusion
• charitable activities 
• cultivating and fostering Polish traditions and national identity, strengthening national, civic and cultural awareness 
• activities supporting national/ethnic minorities and regional languages 
• health protection and promotion 
• support for the disabled 
• support for equal rights of men and women
• support for the development of technology, inventions and innovation, as well as promotion and implementation of new technological solutions in business
• activities supporting the development of local groups and communities
• science, higher education, schooling, and education systems
• holidays for children and youth
• culture, arts, and protection of cultural property and national heritage
• support for European integration and fostering international contacts and cooperation

The objective of the CSR Policy is to define the principles to be followed in undertaking corporate social responsibility projects. We engage in CSR initiatives with a view to establishing a positive reputation of our brand and building respect and favourable attitude of the public. We want to reach entities and circles that are important to the Grupa Azoty Group, both in Poland and abroad.

Selected CSR Policy objectives:

• initiatives of importance to the local community 
• projects furthering and promoting the history and tradition of Poland’s chemical industry and supporting its development
• scientific and research programmes aimed at protecting the natural environment and preventing the degradation of natural resources
• building respect for Poland’s national and cultural identity 
• environmental protection
• promotion of knowledge, in particular by participating in conferences, seminars and congresses concerning broadly-defined chemical industry and agriculture
• amateur sport and recreation, including sports of individual sportsmen, children, youth and disabled persons 
• activities supporting economic development, including development of entrepreneurship

The principles of engaging with local communities are also incorporated into the Codes of Ethical Conduct of Grupa Azoty S.A., Grupa Azoty Puławy, Grupa Azoty Police and Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn, which stipulate that the companies should:

• Have an open approach and be ready to engage in dialogue with the local community;
• In dealings with representatives of local communities – respect their dignity and reputation;
• In a situation of conflict – always look for ways to protect the legitimate interests of each party;
• Be sensitive to the needs of the social environment;
• Not let themselves be guided by political views.

Selected examples of regional and social development support initiatives:

• Puellae Orantes Girls Cathedral Choir – co-financing of the ‘Puellae Orantes & Friends’ Jubilee Concert,
• Polish Tourist Society (PTTK) Branch at Grupa Azoty S.A. – regular support for activities of the Polish Tourist Society Branch at Grupa Azoty S.A., carried out mainly for Grupa Azoty S.A.’s employees, their families, and retired employees,
• KANON Association – support for activities of the ‘Przystań’ Day Care Centre, which supports the community of Mościce, in particular children and teenagers who need care and teaching aid,
• KANA Catholic Youth Education Centre, a meeting point for many generations fostering local community bonds. The Centre’s mission is targeted at children, youth and adults, including the elderly,
• Azoty Sports Association of Tarnów – support for activities of the Association established on the initiative of Grupa Azoty S.A. employees. The idea is to revive the tradition of organising sports events for employees and their families as a way of spending free time,
• To mark the Earth Day, Grupa Azoty S.A. invited children to join the ‘We Build Insect Houses’ competition. The purpose was to build houses that would provide insects with shelter through the winter. More than 100 works were sent in.
  
  

Selected examples of initiatives for the protection of human health and life:

• Ich Lepsze Jutro (For Their Better Tomorrow) Association – supporting the Association’s activities to improve the quality of children’s life. The Association engages in the education, therapy and rehabilitation of disabled children, provides support and assistance to their parents through specialist consultations and classes, and organises recreational meetings for both children and their families,
• ‘Prometeusz’ Association for the Assistance to Disabled Children and Their Families – supporting the Association’s activities, including children’s participation in the 10th Nationwide Equestrian Meeting of the Special Olympics,
• START Sports Association for People with Disabilities of Tarnów – supporting the Association in projects dedicated to training of disabled children and teenagers in three sports sections: swimming, track and field, and weightlifting,
• Tytus Chałubiński PCK Blood Donors Club at Grupa Azoty S.A. – supporting the Blood Donors Club’s activities. Ever since its inception, members of the Club have donated more than 21,100 litres of blood,
• ‘Gift for the Needy’ Foundation – supporting the Foundation’s activities to help children, youth and adults. The Foundation’s key focus is on social assistance, especially on self-help and charity.

In addition, in an effort to help people in need, in 2021 the Company joined the Noble Gift (Szlachetna Paczka) campaign, providing support for three families from the Tarnów region.

Selected examples of support for local professional and amateur sports:

• Roleski Grupa Azoty PWSZ Tarnów Club (volleyball),
• Grupa Azoty Unia Tarnów (handball),
• ZKS Unia Tarnów Sports Club (football, futsal), 
• Unia Tarnów Żużlowa Sportowa Społka Akcyjna (speedway). 

Selected examples of support for national professional and amateur sports:

• sponsorship of some members of the Polish national ski jumping team (including Piotr Żyła, Jakub Wolny, Aleksander Zniszczoł)¹ ,
• main sponsor of the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup events in Wisła and Zakopane, 
• sponsorship of one of the stages of the Tour de Pologne cycling race, 
• patronage of the Polish Chess Championship, 
• sponsorship of Malwina Kopron, a female hammer thrower and bronze medallist of the 2021 Olympic Games. 

Selected examples of support for culture:

• day-to-day cooperation with the Paderewski Centre in Kąśna Dolna, which takes initiatives to promote classical music, cultural education, and knowledge of its Patron, Ignacy Jan Paderewski, an outstanding Polish pianist, composer, staunch patriot, and statesman. The Centre hosts cultural events that have long been a fixture in the calendar of music events in Poland,
• cooperation with the ArtContest Artistic Association of Tarnów in the organisation of the 13th Jazz Contest festival; 
• cooperation with the Mościce Arts Centre and in the ‘Mościce Is in My Heart’ open air exhibition located at Grupa Azoty’s main gate and at the Mościce Arts Centre building. The exhibition presents several hundreds of photographs spanning the period 1927–1996 that come from the chronicles of the Mościce Arts Centre, the archives of Grupa Azoty S.A., the archives of the Technical School Complex and family albums of various individuals,
• cooperation with Tadeusz Syka, a producer of the film entitled ‘Wyszyński – Revenge or Forgiveness’. 

The total amount of donations made by Grupa Azoty S.A. to social causes in 2021 was about PLN 332 thousand. The largest beneficiaries included: the Prometheus Association, START Sporting Association for People with Disabilities of Tarnów, Korczak Foundation of Gdańsk, Foundation of the Center for Research and Documentation of the Polish Struggle for Independence, Gift for the Needy Foundation, and Kraków Province Burn Treatment and Plastic Surgery and Replantation of Extremities Centre with the Hyperbaric Therapy Centre at the Ludwik Rydygier Speciality Hospital of Kraków.

Selected examples of regional and social development support initiatives:

• financial and expert assistance in the preparation of scientific events and seminars organised by the Koźle Region Association, including the publication of the 22nd volume of the Kędzierzyn-Koźle Sketches, edited by Edward Nycz, and the 26th Kędzierzyn-Koźle Scientific Seminar ‘Everyday Life During the Silesian Uprisings from the Perspective of a Hundred Years Later’,
• assistance in the publication of a fire prevention calendar by the Opole Province Unit of the Voluntary Fire Brigades Association of Poland,
• assisting employee volunteers in organising the annual ‘10 Metres of Sweets’ charity drive; Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn purchased Christmas presents which, together with gifts prepared by employees, were donated to the following social welfare institutions looking after children from underprivileged backgrounds: The ‘Little Prince’ Association of Family and Friends of Autistic Persons, St. Charles Nursing Home, County Centre for Family Support, Children's Home in Kędzierzyn-Koźle, ‘Promyczek’ Communal Self-Help Centre, ‘Brzdąc’ Association for Assistance to Children, the ARKA Sociotherapy Centre and ‘Good Family’ Association of Foster Families. 

Selected examples of support for amateur sports:

• support for the Bartłomiej Mróz Foundation – Bartłomiej is a parabadminton player who takes part in competitions for people with upper extremity disabilities. He has also set up a foundation of his own name to promote and popularise badminton and parabadminton in Poland. In 2021, Bartłomiej Mróz represented Poland at the Tokyo Paralympic Games,
• patronage of the Chemik Kędzierzyn-Koźle Football Academy,
• support for Poland’s M Class Floating Models Championships,
• support for the 11th edition of ‘Koziołki Pływackie’, a swimming competition for children and youth,
• support for the Opole Region Summer Swimming Championships,
• assistance in organising a number of running events, including the Nysa Run, Remembrance Run to commemorate the Silesian Uprisings, and the 9th Santa Run,
• support for weightlifter Karolina Michałek during the ‘Nationwide Popular Sports Teams Games in Spała’ competition,
• assistance in the organisation of the 4th CROSS ‘Independent Poland’ cycling race for the Grupa Azoty ZAK S.A.’s CEO Cup in Kędzierzyn-Koźle,
• support for the Polish Chess Cup in Opole. 

BEST PRACTICE

For years now, Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn has supported the most successful Polish men’s volleyball club. Grupa Azoty ZAKSA Kędzierzyn-Koźle is a nine-times winner of the Polish Champion title and the Polish Cup, a two-times winner of the Polish Super Cup, and a two-times winner, including in 2021, of the CEV Champions League.  

Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn is also the main sponsor of Pogoń Prudnik, one of Poland’s oldest basketball clubs, which has played in the first league of men’s basketball since the 2014/2015 season.

Selected examples of support for cultural initiatives:

• support for the celebrations of the Dutchy of Koźle Days combined with the Cadet Day in Kędzierzyn-Koźle, organised by the Opolskie Orlęta Foundation,
• support in organising the 10th edition of the ‘Gitariada 40’ open-air music event in Kędzierzyn-Koźle, organised by the Municipal Cultural Centre,
• support for the ‘Wrzosowisko’ Nationwide Festival of Tourist Songs and Sung Poetry, 
• support in organising the Book Fair on the Oder and the ‘Fluent reading’ campaign organised by the Municipal Public Library,
• assisting in the preparation of the Patriotic Week in Kędzierzyn-Koźle, organised by the Museum of the Koźle Region,
• support for the 5th Gala of the Concert of Four Cultures in Kędzierzyn-Koźle, organised by the Association of Friends of the ‘Echo Kresów’ Choir,
• support for the 2nd ‘Patyk’ Sports Coverage Festival in Opole, organised by the Polish Television,
• assisting in the organisation of a star unveiling ceremony on the Polish Song Stars Walk of Fame as part of the 2021 National Polish Song Festival in Opole. 

Selected examples of support for educational initiatives:

• support in the organisation of the 9th ‘Chemistry Masterminds’ Interschool Chemical Competition at the Company’s patronage School Complex No. 3 in Kędzierzyn-Koźle,
• financing of the Marian Górny Prize for innovative technological and technical projects.

 In 2021, the total amount of financial support and donations made by Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn to social causes exceeded PLN 509 thousand. The largest beneficiaries included: the ‘Chemik’ Sporting Society, Healthcare Complex in Biała, Healthcare Complex in Nysa, St. Charles Nursing Home in Kędzierzyn-Koźle, Bartłomiej Mróz Foundation, and Capital City of Polish Song Foundation.

See Grupa Azoty Police’s sponsorship and social activities:

• cooperation with the ‘Useful Ones’ Social Cooperative, which supports people with disabilities. The cooperative runs two restaurants in which disabled persons can, for instance, raise their qualifications and socialise,
• support for professional inclusion of repatriated persons. In 2021, a relevant letter of intent was signed with representatives of the Police County. Repatriated persons will gain an opportunity to raise their professional qualifications and skills, which will help them find employment at the Grupa Azoty Group.

Selected examples of support for educational initiatives focused on the protection of human health and life:

• Polish Association of Voluntary Blood Donors – the Henri Dunant Voluntary Blood Donors Club of Police. In 2021, 136 volunteers donated more than 60 litres of blood in five blood donation drives hosted on the company’s premises. Since 2018, the Association has been operating again under the auspices of Grupa Azoty Police.

Selected examples of support for professional and amateur sports:

• partnership with the women’s Volleyball Club Chemik Police, which in the 2020/2021 season defended the Polish Champion title, won the 9th Polish Cup, and also ranked among the top eight teams in Europe in the Women’s Champions League,
• continued partnership with Marcin Lewandowski, a resident of Police, multiple European indoor champion and bronze medal winner of the 2019 World Championships in the 1,500-metre run, who competed in the Olympics in Tokyo in 2021,
• main partner of the West Pomeranian Fencing Association, which in 2021 organised the Polish Senior Cup in épée fencing, and the Northern Poland Cup for children and youth in foil and épée fencing,
• partnership with the Chemik Police Football Club, which plays in the 4th league. The club also runs the Police Youth Football Academy, training the youngest residents of Police, many of them children of Grupa Azoty Police employees. The Academy joined the elite football academies certified by the Polish Football Association, receiving the brown certificate. Support was also provided to the ‘Champion’ Students’ Sports Club whose members are table tennis players of various ages,
• partnership in sports events – ‘Wild Weekend’ running event and the Santa Run,
• title partner of a judo camp in Dźwirzyno – the Grupa Azoty Olympic Summer Camp,
• partner of the Polish Women’s Football Academic Championship,
• support for the Hulk Team Police Sports Club Association.

Selected examples of support for educational initiatives:

• continued cooperation with the Police County to establish a first degree vocational school. It will be set up within the Ignacy Łukasiewicz School Complex in Police starting from the 2022/2023 school year, 
• patronage of the chemical engineering class at the Ignacy Łukasiewicz School Complex in Police, the students are given the opportunity to complete work placements at the company and apply for scholarships,
• prizes for winners of the 2nd edition of the ‘Energy and Environment’ National Competition, as well as the 8th Chemistry Competition for primary school students of the Szczecin Province – both competitions were organised by the Władysław Orkan School Complex No. 2 in Szczecin, Grupa Azoty Police has also partnered with other schools in Szczecin, including the Electricity and Electronics School Complex and the Home Army School Complex No. 4, students of selected classes, like their peers of the Police school complex, can complete work placements at the company and receive scholarships.

Selected examples of support for activities that promote national traditions and patriotic attitudes:

• continued partnership with the Foundation for Polish Values, including through the Package for the Compatriot and Hero Living in the Eastern Borderlands campaign, aiming to donate Easter and Christmas gifts for Poles and their families living east of Poland.

Selected examples of donations:

• provision of funding to the Virgin Mary Roman Catholic Parish in Stargard to restore frescoes in the Collegiate Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of the World,
• support for the Witold Pilecki Patriotic Foundation in purchasing rehabilitation equipment for a war veteran,
• support for the World Union of the Home Army Veterans in purchasing a Banner for the 14th West Pomeranian Territorial Defence Brigade of Stanisław Jerzy Sędziak (nom de guerre: Warta),
• support for the treatment of a woman from the Police municipality suffering from spinal muscular atrophy,
• provision of funding for the treatment of an employee’s child,
• provision of funding to a company employee in rebuilding a house that burnt down,
• support for the Ostoja Teetotal Association,
• support for the Roman Catholic Parish at the John the Baptist basilica in the organisation of the premiere of ‘Alius Angelus’, a musical work composed for beatification of Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński,
• support for the Queen of Apostles Hospice in Tanów in creating recreational and therapeutic space for patients and their families,
• provision of funding to the ZHP Scout Troop in Police to cover the cost of transport of its members for trips scheduled for 2021.

The total amount of donations to social causes in 2021 was PLN 569 thousand. The largest beneficiaries included the Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin and the Roman Catholic Parish of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of the World in Stargard.

Selected examples of support for the development of local communities and the region:

• partnership with the PA-KT Foundation for the Disabled in Puławy, 
• partnership with the ‘Let’s Give Them a Chance’ Association for People with Disabilities,
• partnership with the ‘Bratek’ Catholic Association for People with Disabilities,
• partnership with the Municipal Social Welfare Centre in organising a Christmas gifts drive for families in need, 
• collecting plastic bottle caps at the request from the Puławy hospice; for several years, dedicated collection boxes have been placed on the company’s premises; the caps brought by the company’s staff are collected by hospice employees a few times a year.

BEST PRACTICE

In 2021, for the second time Grupa Azoty PUŁAWY employees decided to make the dreams of those who cannot afford a lavish Christmas party come true. Twelve large families under the Puławy Municipal Social Welfare Centre’s care submitted a dream list of Christmas gifts, and the leaders-volunteers coordinated a collection of those items among the company’s employees. The initiative was joined by about 100 employees, including all members of the Management Board.

Selected examples of safety support initiatives:

• co-financing the purchase of fire-fighting equipment for volunteer fire brigades in the company’s neighbourhood, 
• construction of a lighting system along the Aleja Tysiąclecia Państwa Polskiego street,
• construction of a bicycle path – the 300-metre long section connected the existing bicycle path with the bike entrance at the company’s gate No. 2. Not only did the project significantly improve the safety of employees commuting to work by bike, but also gave residents of Puławy a new route for bicycle trips. Before that, bikers were forced to share a very busy and narrow street with motorists, which created safety risks.

Selected examples of support for employees:

• implementing a flexible working time arrangement – office staff can now choose their work start and end times – with their line manager’s approval they can begin work between 6 and 9 am and finish between 2 and 5 pm;
• pilot project introducing a second additional free hour for office staff, which reduced the working week to 38 hours.

Selected examples of support for professional and amateur sports:

• partnership with the Azoty-Puławy Handball Sports Club, a successful handball team, currently playing in PGNiG Superliga, winners of five bronze medals in Polish championships; in 2021, the team came third in the ranking table,
• partnership with the Wisła Puławy Sports Club, a multi-sports club with a senior football team that was promoted to the second league in 2020/2021, in the autumn round of the 2021/2022 season, they came in tenth in the ranking table,
• partnership with the Speedway Motor Lublin speedway club, the team plays in PGE Ekstraliga and was the Polish vice-champion in 2021, 
• partnership with MKS Padwa Zamość, a handball club playing in the first central league, 
• partnership with Laura Bernat – a gifted 16-year old swimmer, member of the University Sports Association of Maria Curie-Skłodowska University (AZS UMCS Lublin), 2021 European junior champion in 200-metres backstroke,
• partnership with the LKPS Lublin – Friends of Volleyball Club of Lublin, in 2021, after play-offs, the club was promoted to the premier division of Plus Liga, 
• partnership with the Edach Budowlani Lublin Sports Club, which has a premier-league rugby section, 
• partnership with the Powiślak Końskowola sports club, a senior football team playing in Group 1 of the Lublin League, 
• partner of the Martial Sports Gala and KFN 2 Gala, 
• support for initiatives combining sports activities with the promotion of patriotic and civic attitudes – the Wolf’s Trail Run, Lublin July 1980 Solidarity Run, Lublin Province Marshal’s Cup Flag Run,
• assistance for sports clubs of the Puławy Sports Academy, 
• continuation of the Sports Academy programme for children playing football. The main idea behind the programme is to partner with sports clubs and teams from Grupa Azoty Puławy’s local community.

BEST PRACTICE

In late October 2021, the Grupa Azoty Arena sports and entertainment hall in Puławy hosted the fourth Tournament of the Grupa Azoty PUŁAWY Sports Academy. More than 100 children from local football clubs took part in the event. Under the new rules of the Polish Football Association, the Sports Academy Tournament was designed to be fun for all the children. Accordingly, no scored goals were taken into account (except for the classification of scorers), and no winner of the tournament was announced.

Selected examples of support for cultural initiatives:

• partnership with the ‘Dom Chemika’ Puławy Culture Centre, 
• partnership with the Lublin Music Theatre, 
• partnership with the Vistula Museum in Kazimierz Dolny and St. John the Baptist and St. Bartholomew Roman Catholic Parish in Kazimierz Dolny in the organisation of summer organ concerts, 
• engaging in the production of ‘Unknown author’, a film documenting the introduction of martial law in Poland and the anniversary of the pacification of striking workers at the ‘Wujek’ coal mine, 
• strategic sponsorship of ‘Pasja’, an artistic performance on the occasion of Easter, 
• partnering in the organisation of Provincial Harvest Festival,
• supporting the renovation of a historical church in Kraśnik, 
• supporting the repairs of an 18th-century church altar in Dorohucza,
• sponsorship of the ‘Sounds of Words – Three Seas’ Music and Theatre Festival, 
• sponsorship of the Blacksmith Workshop and Blacksmith Arts Fair in Wojciechów.

Selected examples of support for educational initiatives:

• partnership with the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Technical School Complex in Puławy. In September 2021, a new patronage agreement was signed to extend collaboration between the two entities for the next three years. The company will support the school by funding scholarships and awards for students and specialist equipment for laboratories. Students (future chemical engineering technicians, analytical technicians, electrical technicians, mechanical technicians, IT technicians, ICT technicians, and programmer technicians) will take part in annual apprenticeships at the Group’s plants, and those who complete their education with very good grades can be hired.

Selected examples of support for activities that promote national traditions and patriotic attitudes:

• engaging in the organisation of celebrations on the occasion of: the 70th anniversary of death of lieutenant Edward Taraszkiewicz ‘Iron’,
• the National School Anthems Festival, 
• regional events commemorating the 40th anniversary of the introduction of martial law in Poland, 
• and the Christmas Wafer meeting for soldiers with the duty of guarding Polish borders. 

Selected examples of environmental protection initiatives:

• patronage of environmental campaigns for children, teenagers and senior citizens in local press,
• encouraging employees to bike rather than drive to work, 
• ‘Green Staff’, an employee volunteering programme in which employees carried out eight clean-up projects on green areas of their choice, 
• looking after a peregrine falcon’s nest located on the CHP plant flue gas stack – in 2021, another brood of peregrine falcon chicks hatched in the nest,
• popularisation of ornithology thanks to regular radio programmes on the company’s broadcasting system, presenting the bird species living on and around the company’s premises. 

The total amount of donations to social causes in 2021 was about PLN 900 thousand. The largest beneficiaries included: the Puławy Town Hall, Friends of Technical School Complex Chemik Association of Puławy, Hetman Sports Club Association of Zamość, Holy Spirit Church in Kraśnik, Art Salon Foundation of Lublin, and Tomaszów County Local Authorities Association.