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Annual Report 2016
Main page Responsible Business Sponsorship and charity activities

Sponsorship and charity activities

The Group treats its social responsibilities and cooperation with the communities in which operates as matters of strategic and long-term importance. Social, sponsorship, and charitable initiatives are key elements contributing to the implementation of the long-term development strategy of the Group. Through its engagement in such initiatives, the Group promotes its image of both financially strong and socially responsible business.

The multifaceted and advanced nature of these activities make the Group companies active participants of the local community life, providing support where it is most needed.

Social and sponsorship policy

The social and sponsorship activities are pursued in compliance with the “Group Policy and Rules of Social and Sponsorship Activities”, formulated and implemented in 2013, and charitable initiatives are governed by the “Group Donation Policy” and the “Grupa Azoty S.A. Donation Policy”, adopted in 2013.

Directions for the social and sponsorship activities:

Objectives of the social and sponsorship activities:

Social and sponsorship activities of Grupa Azoty PUŁAWY in 2016 were conducted in accordance with a plan adopted by the Company’s Management Board and approved by the Supervisory Board. The Company acted in line with the adopted rules on types and forms of assistance.

Grupa Azoty POLICE’s sponsorship activities include sponsoring agreements, agreements for promotional and advertising activities, and donations. Image building and product promotion are carried out through various cultural, educational, scientific, sports and other initiatives.

At Grupa Azoty SIARKOPOL, sponsorship activities form a material component of the company’s promotional efforts. The key projects involve brand promotion, building of positive image, support of the local community, and contribution to the development of the Province of Kielce.

Charitable giving policy

The Group-wide donation policy specifies the rules of granting donations. Through donations, the Group seeks to actively respond to the needs of foundations, associations, schools, non-profit organisations and individuals in difficult circumstances. In particular, the Group supports projects contributing to the enhancement of medical care, social and educational development of children and youth, as well as other initiatives benefiting local communities.

The Group builds its socially responsible image in the region by supporting:

The Group builds its business-like image by sponsoring:

All donations are granted in line with the Group-wide donation policy as well as individuals companies’ rules for granting donations.

In 2016, Grupa Azoty gave donations for initiatives related to: religious worship activities, maintaining and promoting national tradition, support for veterans and victims of repression, health protection and promotion, social welfare, support for the disabled, support for families, motherhood and parenthood, education, activities fostering development of local communities.

Projects supported with Grupa Azoty KĘDZIERZYN’s donations in 2016 involved: health protection and promotion, assistance in difficult situations, support of the World Youth Day, treatment and rehabilitation, support for the disabled, religious worship activities, protection of cultural property, etc.

Grupa Azoty PUŁAWY engages in projects contributing to better quality of medical care, promoting healthy lifestyles, fostering social and educational development of children and youth, as well as events designed to maintain and promote national tradition, cultivate the Polish national identity, and develop national, civic and cultural awareness. In 2016, organisations supported by the Company included:

Through donations, Grupa Azoty POLICE actively responds to the needs voiced by the employees, associations, foundations and other organisations in the region. In 2016, organisations supported by Grupa Azoty POLICE included:

Social and sponsorship initiatives for culture

Grupa Azoty S.A. supports a number of cultural events (such as the Grupa Azoty International Jazz Contest, the Tarnów Film Prize) and cultural institutions, including the Krzysztof Penderecki European Centre for Music in Lusławice, the Mościce Arts Centre, the Girls Cathedral Choir Puellae Orantes Association, the City Art Gallery Biuro Wystaw Artystycznych in Tarnów, and the Tarnów Fine Arts Association Zachęta.

Grupa Azoty PUŁAWY also engages in activities fostering development of the local community by helping to organise cultural events and supporting cultural initiatives. 2016 was another year of the Company’s partnership with the ‘Dom Chemika’ Puławy Cultural Centre, the Zamoyski Museum in Kozłówka, and the Vistula Museum in Kazimierz Dolny. The Company was again a sponsor of events held as part of the ‘All Directions of the World’ classical music festival as well as ‘The Cursed – the Unconquered of the Lublin Region’ cyclic TV programme.

Grupa Azoty POLICE sponsored local cultural institutions, including the Municipal Cultural Centre in Police, ‘Słowianin’ Cultural Centre in Szczecin, Baltic Neopolis Orchestra, and University of Szczecin Choir. The company also supports numerous cultural events, including the Police Day and the Chemists’ Day, a local event enjoying the greatest popularity in the County of Police.

Grupa Azoty KĘDZIERZYN sponsors the protection of local cultural heritage, in particular by supporting the activities of the Koźle Region Association, which protects the history and monuments of the Koźle Region and the City of Kędzierzyn-Koźle. The company also provides assistance to the Inland Navigation Youth Brass Orchestra, whose members perform on the most prominent European stages.

The cultural events sponsored by Grupa Azoty SIARKOPOL include: the Staszów Bread Day, Harvest Festivals in Osiek and Tuczępy, Szydłów Plum Festival, International Children’s Day, and Krystyna Jamroz International Musical Festival in Busko-Zdrój.

Social and sponsorship initiatives for education of children and the youth

Grupa Azoty S.A. partners with schools and universities not only as part of research programmes, but also in such areas as internships, work placement opportunities and workshops for students; it also works with several other entities to support the education of children and the youth, which include SIEMACHA Association, KANA Catholic Youth Education Centre, I KROPKA Culture and Arts Foundation, General Education School Complex No. 1 of Tarnów- Mościce, Technical School Complex, Sports School Complex.

Grupa Azoty PUŁAWY continued the ‘Safety is Our Common Goal’ campaign, run jointly with the County Police Headquarters and the County Fire Service of Puławy since 2013, and designed to prepare children and youth to safely spend their time. In partnership with the Puławy Science and Technology Park, Grupa Azoty PUŁAWY organised fairs promoting science among children and youth as part of the Young Chemist’s Day, Lublin Science Festival, and Santa Claus Science Show.

Grupa Azoty KĘDZIERZYN ran another edition of environmental protection workshops for pupils of Kędzierzyn-Koźle elementary schools. The motto of the workshops was ‘How to live in harmony with Nature’. The company was also involved in the ‘A Young All-Chemist’ project for junior high school students in Kędzierzyn-Koźle. The participating students are asked to prepare an interesting chemical experiment. Since 2006, Grupa Azoty KĘDZIERZYN has organised the nationwide ‘Catch the Hare’ photo competition as part of the Responsible Care Programme.

In cooperation with schools and higher education institutions, Grupa Azoty POLICE has for a number years arranged training placements and internships for students. The company’s cooperation with local communities involves supporting educational initiatives and institutions at various levels, as well as scholarship programmes.

For a few years now, Grupa Azoty SIARKOPOL has sponsored research scholarships for participants of the ‘Artystoteles’ contest, initiated and organised by the Staszów Chamber of Commerce. Regular financial support is also provided to Kindergarten No. 8 with integrated groups in Staszów.

Social and sponsorship initiatives for sports

Social and sponsorship initiatives for regional promotion and development

Social and sponsorship initiatives to promote protection of human life and health

Grupa Azoty S.A. supports the Centre for Children with Special Educational Needs in Zbylitowska Góra and the Ich Lepsze Jutro Association.

The Grupa Azoty Group engages in projects which contribute to improving the quality of medical care or promote healthy lifestyles. For instance, it offered assistance to the Tanowo Children’s Home, the Medical Institute in Szczecin, the Hospital Medical Centre in Goleniów, the Fundacja Dzieciom ‘Zdążyć z pomocą’ children’s foundation, and the St John the Evangelist Hospice Foundation.

Grupa Azoty SIARKOPOL regularly provides substantial financial aid to a health care centre in Staszów (Samodzielny Publiczny Zespół Zakładów Opieki Zdrowotnej), supporting it in its efforts to replace medical equipment with new, modern devices. The company also participated in a charity campaign to raise funds to finance the treatment in the US of Staś Patrzałek from Staszów, a baby suffering from cancer of both eyeballs.

Social responsibility and sponsorship programmes for the chemical industry

Grupa Azoty joined a dozen or so Poland’s largest companies that founded the Polish National Foundation, whose mission is to promote and protect the image of Poland and the Polish economy, and to foster positive social reception of investment projects implemented by state-owned companies. The new organisation is to work with local communities, social and business institutions, and to undertake and finance social initiatives.

Grupa Azoty supports the Federation of Engineering Associations FSNT–NOT, the FSNT–NOT Tarnów Council, and the Tarnów Branch of the Polish Association of Chemical Engineers SITPChem.

Grupa Azoty PUŁAWY provided financial assistance to help with the organisation of the International Technological Seminar together with the Polish Association of Chemical Engineers SITPChem.

Grupa Azoty KĘDZIERZYN supports the operations of the Kędzierzyn-Koźle Branch of the Polish Association of Chemical Engineers SITPChem, as well as selected events aimed at promoting entrepreneurship, carried out or organised by the Kędzierzyn-Koźle Industrial Park.

Corporate social responsibility

The Group’s CSR initiatives are related to:

Scholarship programme at Grupa Azoty S.A.

The initiative launched in 2014 is addressed to students of the master’s programme of the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology of the Cracow University of Technology. It provides for two scholarships of PLN 1,000 per month each. The scholarships will be awarded until the grantees complete the master’s programme and obtain a master’s degree in engineering, up to the age of 26.

Scholarships are awarded in accordance with the ‘Group Scholarship Policy’ as well as scholarship programmes and rules separately approved by management boards of individual Group companies. The competition winners receive scholarships of PLN 1,000 a month, are guaranteed employment at the Group, and are offered the opportunity to participate in joined projects conducted by scientific institutions and industrial organisations.

Scholarship programme at Grupa Azoty Kędzierzyn

In 2016, Grupa Azoty KĘDZIERZYN granted 27 scholarships to the most talented students of School Complex No. 3 of Kędzierzyn-Koźle.

As the school’s chemical patron, Grupa Azoty KĘDZIERZYN also donated the third piece of equipment to the school’s laboratory – this year it was the spectrophotometer VIS, which will be used for laboratory work during vocational classes on Chemical Analysis.

Scholarships are granted on the basis of the Grupa Azoty Group’s scholarship policy as well as scholarship programmes and Rules for Scholarship Granting, a separate document approved by the Company’s Management Board. Students of the school’s chemical forms are guaranteed the possibility of completing their work placements and learning one of their vocational subjects at Grupa Azoty KĘDZIERZYN facilities.

Collaboration with educational institutions

Grupa Azoty S.A. actively supports its local community through partnership with educational institutions. The parent also works with scientific and research centres on joint educational initiatives. For several years now, it has been partnering with the Cracow University of Technology, particularly in running internship programmes, assisting in bachelor’s and master’s theses, student and doctoral placements and, more generally, in getting some of the greatest minds in the industry to educate students.

The partnership with the Cracow University of Technology involves the ‘Technology as a carrier of business’ seminar dedicated to students in the last semester of their master’s programmes at the Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology of the Cracow University of Technology. After the seminar conducted by practitioners employed with Grupa Azoty S.A. in Tarnów, all attendees receive a certificate.

Cooperation with the State Higher Vocational School in Tarnów includes organisation of student internships, diploma internships, workshops and laboratories at the Group’s business units, educational field-trips for students, and lectures given by Group experts.

Cooperation with the Technical School Complex of Tarnów includes: employment of ten school leavers each year, granting scholarships for best-performing students, sponsoring awards for olympiad, contest, and competition winners, organisation of work placements, preparation of dedicated instruction classes conducted by Grupa Azoty experts, organisation of educational field trips, organisation of teacher training in cutting-edge technologies, and co-financing purchases of teaching aids. The initiatives are implemented in partnership with the Ignacy Mościcki Foundation.

The Group was also a partner of the ‘We build the value of Polish Economy. Work for us!’ contest, organised by the Ministry of State Treasury, whose winner completed a three-month internship at Grupa Azoty KĘDZIERZYN.

Grupa Azoty PUŁAWY continued to support the Technical School Complex of Puławy, the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin (its branch campus in Puławy) with respect to its Technical Chemistry programme, and the Warsaw University of Life Sciences with respect to a post-graduate course in trading in fertilizers and crop protection chemicals in sustainable agriculture. The company also sponsored scientific conferences, including the ‘Biodiversity in Areas Affected by Industrial Pollutants − Innovative Protection Methods’ conference organised by the Cardinal Wyszyński University in Warsaw.

Moreover, Grupa Azoty KĘDZIERZYN partners with the Opole University of Technology and the University of Opole, offering help in organising work placements at the Company’s facilities and writing academic papers. As part of the cooperation, in 2016 an educational visit was organised for students of the Wrocław University of Technology’s Chemical Faculty who also take an engineering course in Chemical Technology.

Grupa Azoty SIARKOPOL sponsored state-of-the-art equipment for the chemical laboratory at the Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński General Secondary School in Staszów, which enables the school to conduct university-level classes.

Grupa Azoty POLICE and the West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin signed an agreement on workforce education, which is directly linked to the construction of a unit for propylene production based on propane dehydrogenation (PDH). The agreement will make it possible to train future employees for the project. Furthermore, as part of the cooperation, a laboratory was created to address the need to educate students in the field of olefin production processes. It will also be used to improve employee qualifications, mainly for the personnel of PDH Polska S.A., a special purpose vehicle of Grupa Azoty POLICE established to construct a propane dehydrogenation (PDH) unit.

Competitions and programmes

The Group launched the second edition of the ‘Grounded in knowledge’ programme. The aim of this three-year scheme is to promote optimum farm management, with particular focus on fertilizer application technologies. The programme envisages testing of 6,300 soil samples.

To showcase the importance of chemistry in our lives, in February 2016 the Group organised the ‘Chemistry is all around us’ arts competition, and thus invited children and teenagers to take part in an exciting and creative fun activity. The winners went on a trip to the Copernicus Science Centre in Warsaw.

The competition was addressed to primary and junior schools of those towns and cities where strategic Group companies, i.e. Grupa Azoty S.A., Grupa Azoty PUŁAWY, Grupa Azoty KĘDZIERZYN, Grupa Azoty POLICE, and Grupa Azoty SIARKOPOL are located. Its purpose was to enhance the participants’ knowledge of the chemical sector, the role chemistry plays in everyday life.

Grupa Azoty PUŁAWY also participated in the activities of the Secretariat of the international Responsible Care Programme. In 2016, on the initiative of chemical companies, the twelfth ‘Tree for a Bottle’ campaign was held, addressed to children of the Puławy region.

Once again, the nationwide ‘Catch the Hare’ photo competition was organised for employees and children of employees of the companies participating in the Responsible Care Programme.

In 2016, Grupa Azoty POLICE celebrated 20 years of its participation in the Responsible Care programme, focusing on health protection, process safety, and environmental protection.

Notes to the consolidated financial statements Environmental performance
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