Social commitment

“New PZU” 2020 ambition
– financial commitment to social activity
> at the level of over PLN 50 million annualy

One of the more important aspects of the PZU Group’s operations in the corporate social responsibility area is the prevention area. The actions and activities undertaken contribute to rduction of the assumed risk.. Moreover, PZU is actively involved in the widely-understood sponsorship and charity activities (through the PZU Foundation).

Honesty is most important to us - “To us, honesty means more than just acting in compliance with the law. We are not afraid to admit any mistakes we’ve made and draw conclusions from them. But we also don’t hesitate to present our own opinions, we’re capable of meeting the obligations we’ve undertaken and we don’t waver when it comes to expressing appreciation or doubt.”

PZU Group preventive activities

The PZU Group’s management approach to social commitment was defined in the “Strategy for PZU’s social commitment 2017-2020”, published in 2016, whose implementation aimed at achieving business as well as social objectives. The strategic pillars of PZU’s social commitment were defined as: safety (including road safety, public safety, safety in local communities), health, culture, expertise.

The PZU Group is conducting its social activities via the Group companies according to the adopted “Policy for cooperation with local communities and charitable activities”. The Group is treating the following social areas as priority areas: security (including aid to accident victims, aid to disabled persons), social integration (e.g. encompassing education, youth, etc.) and the environment. Due to the fact that the Group companies are autonomous, the policies in this respect are individualized depending on the nature of the market on which the given entity conducts its operations.

In 2017, the Pekao Group did not have a formalized approach to social commitment. Each of the Group companies carried out its own activities.

The Bank is implementing the policies for sponsorship and charitable activities in accordance with the internal regulation. The charitable activities are carried out by dr. Marian Kanton Bank Pekao Foundation. The Foundation’s objectives stipulated in its articles of association include providing support in education and rearing of children and youth, scientific and research projects and educational projects of scientific institutions and schools, popularization of the knowledge of banking, helping the sick and disabled persons, popularization of physical education and sport, environmental protection, execution of projects and conducting the activities of charitable organizations, popularization of culture.

In addition to activities carried out through the Foundation, the bank collaborates directly with a few pro publico bono organizations. In 2017, one of the supported institutions was, among others, the Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity.

The Alior Bank Group does not have in place any formal policies related to the Group’s impact on the society, however, the Group’s operations have been oriented on corporate social responsibility since the beginning of the Group’s existence. The Group specializes in supporting the activities in the fine arts area. In the corporate social responsibility area, the bank is committed to supporting the initiatives that promote culture and counteract social exclusion, and it achieves such goals through facilitating access to cultural and sport activities.

Safety on the road

Due to nature and structure of its business, the most important aspect is safety on the road. Activities in that area are carried out through:

• educating and training road users: conferences, equipment purchases, sharing experience and providing expert’s support;
• remedying the consequences of accidents (support for the injured persons, i.e. providing counseling to children injured in traffic accidents in cooperation with non-governmental organizations – the Teddy Bears Rescue Children’s Lives (Misie Ratują Dzieci) Association, the Suddenly Alone (Nagle Sami) Foundation, the Aid to Disabled Drivers (SPiNKa) Association);
• social campaigns and prevention campaigns to enhance the level of road traffic safety: television programs regarding safety, nationwide projects promoting safe behavior on the road).

The aid programs in cooperation with non-governmental organizations:

Activities related to corporate social responsibility are also carried out in foreign branches. Lietuvos Draudimas, which conducts its operations in Lithuania and Estonia, has implemented the charitable and sponsorship policy which reflects the Group’s objectives related to safety. For the 18th time in a row the company participated in the “Secure me” initiative. Jointly with all the Lithuania’s townships, it seeks to turn the drivers’ attention to the children’s safe road to school. The campaign is carried out annually in September because that month – despite decline of the number of traffic accidents by one-half during the last 10 years – continues to be the most hazardous month in the year. As part of this initiative, in September Lietuvos Draudimas provides insurance policy to every student free-of-charge for one month. At the same time, the participating townships are posting special yellow signs – the symbol of the initiative – on the most hazardous pedestrian crossings near the schools.

To turn the attention to the issue of children’s safety on the road, every year Lietuvos Draudimas is executing a new activity with a distinct innovative element. In 2017, a pioneering solution was implemented. Vilnius was the first European city to install the Talking Pedestrian Crossing. The pedestrians who are trying the cross the street on the red light are hearing the warning recorded by celebrities. Moreover, significantly greater attention was devoted to smaller towns which lack even the most basic safety infrastructure. The regional media campaign was carried out in more than 60 townships, and in 12 of them the events in schools were organized. As part of those activities, primary school students received more than 12 thousand safety vests.

Public safety

Activities related to enhancement of public safety are carried out through supporting the rescue services and collaboration with:

• Voluntary Mountain Rescue Service (GOPR),
• Voluntary Water Rescue Service (WOPR),
• Poland’s Special Divers Group (GSPRP),
• Voluntary Fire Service (OSP), State Fire Service (PSP) and Police.

PZU is committed to, among other things, purchasing state- of-the-art equipment for the aforementioned services. Those efforts are supported by national drives and prevention campaigns such as Safe Summer with PZU or Safe Winter with PZU. PZU’s extensive activity in that area results directly in risk reduction through increased effectiveness of rescue campaigns.

Training

Supporting the activities of the rescue services stipulated in their articles of association is only a small slice of PZU’s activities. Another important element includes organizing educational campaigns and training in cooperation with those services. 

Many years of cooperation with the Voluntary Mountain Rescue Service (GOPR) translated itself into, among others, better identification of actual issues related to winter mountain hiking. A hiker can significantly increase his/her chances of survival if he/she follows the so-called avalanche ABC (avalanche transceiver, probe, avalanche shovel). However, in Poland, such devices are still not commonly used. To increase the hikers’ awareness and skills in using such equipment, PZU got involved in avalanche training organized by the Polish Freeskiing Association and TOPR. The training provides knowledge on how to plan the mountain hiking trips, how to avoid the avalanche hazard and how to behave after the avalanche. The training participants take part in mock rescue operations with use of transceivers where some of them act as rescuers and some as victims, and later they change. They also learn how to find a person caught in avalanche and how to administer first aid in to avalanche victims. In addition, in cooperation with the Tatra Mountains National Park (TPN), the PZU Avalanche Training Center was established in Kalatówki, which serves as the training center for hikers.

The hikers who prefer summer mountain hiking trips may take part in the PZU Mountain Academy. The idea behind the project is to promote safety in the mountains, and the project’s objective is to organize practical workshops with mountain rescue experts, including TOPR rescuers, instructors from the Polish High Mountain Climbing Association (Polski Związek Alpinizmu, PZA) and hiking guides from the Polish Association of High Mountain Climbing Guides (Polskie Stowarzyszenie Przewodników Wysokogórskich). The Academy is open to everyone who is interested in summertime activities in the mountains such as hiking or climbing.

The identification of the issues of the mountain hiking and climbing environment contributed to establishment of a new insurance product named Safe Return (Bezpieczny Powrót) which was created in cooperation with the Polish High Mountain Climbing Association (PZA). This niche product has become an alternative to the only insurance program which has been so far offered to mountain hikers and climbers, i.e. the program offered to the members of Alpenverein. PZU has been effectively acquiring the Alpenverein clients through promoting an offer not only on the largest market but also the niche markets such as insurance for high mountain climbers, sport climbers or ski mountaineers.

PZU jointly with the State Fire Service is carrying out an educational project entitled Safe Home which is aimed at children and youth. The purpose of the project is to educate on safe behavior in case of occurrence of fire. The training program consist of the theoretical part and the practical part. As part of theoretical part, information is provided on the causes of fire and how one should behave in the event of occurrence of fire. Next, the students may experience the simulation of fire in safe conditions. After entering the specially adapted room and experiencing the simulation of fire, the training participants may practically use the previously acquired theoretical knowledge, e.g. use the phone to call for professional help, used a fire extinguisher or safely evacuate.

AAS Balta is carrying out the project entitled “Play safely” whose purpose is to provide education on how to safely spend the leisure time at the waterfront. As part of the project, information posters with safety instructions were placed in public swimming facilities. The project was carried out in cooperation with local administration. The Company is also participating in the Latvian State Police’s campaign entitled “Superheroes don’t get lost” whose purpose is to promote safety among children.

Another dimension of activities related to promotion of safety include local activities. On one hand, these include the activities that focus on building the relationships as part of civic society through involving local residents and entrepreneurs in the following activities aiming at improving safety in the region:

• providing financial support to enhance the level of safety in work establishments;
• education about occupational safety and health, first aid and preventing other threats;
• activities aiming at increasing the anti-theft safety as well as fire safety.

Such activities also include social campaigns for children and youth which are aimed at providing education on safety on the road, and they are conducted on the local level with participation of local cultural institutions as well as educational and cultural establishments.

Promoting health

Another area of social involvement is Health. PZU’s objective in that area includes promoting an active and healthy lifestyle. The most recognizable element of the activities in that area includes supporting mass running events, including, among others, PZU Warsaw Marathon, PZU Warsaw Half- Marathon, PZU Cracovia Marathon, PZU Cracovia Half- Marathon. It also includes care for life and health of the Polish people, i.e. supporting the pro-health organizations (aid to hospitals and healthcare facilities, hospices, foundations and other entities that help save life and health).

In 2017, PZU Zdrowie undertook several activities inside and outside of the PZU Group, which promoted pro-health habits. It was present, among others, during the Second Health Challenges Congress (March 2017), in the Health Zone at PZU Tower (March 2017), during the Sixth Forum of Oncology Patients which was held under the claim “Challenges of Oncology”, during the Sixth HR Listed Companies Congress organized by the Polish Association of Listed Companies, where PZU Zdrowie showed how healthcare reinforces the employer’s image on the labor market. PZU Mobile Health Zone also visited more than ten primary schools – pupils were able to benefit from free preventive examinations, including consultation with physiotherapist, ophthalmologist and dietician.

In 2017 actions were initiated to bring about permanent changes of attitudes and behaviours, a perfect example of which is the “Share the kilometre” action. Anyone who chooses to run in the special sports zone not only spends his or her time in an active and healthy way but also helps those in the care of various non-governmental organizations to which funds are transferred: PLN 10 for 1 kilometre run.

As part of the PZU Mobile Health Zone, children from the regions on Pomerania affected by the August storms benefited from free preventive examinations. Specially imported truck from Czech, which turned into a medical clinic on wheels, within a month visited 17 locations in Pomerania. In the PZU Mobile Health Zone, students of primary schools could use free consultations: dietetics, ophthalmologist, specialist in the field of physiotherapy.

After the tests, the doctors passed on to the parents or guardians information on the health of children in the form a specially prepared health book, which the child took it home. This information was an indication for parents how they can take care of their child’s health.

Actions to support health promotion are also carried out by TUW PZUW. Last year these included the support for the program (under the patronage of the Ministry of Health) aimed at improvement of health care quality and reduction of the medical risk for hospitalized patients (training on interpersonal communication (medical personnel -patient), adverse health events, nosocomial infections and correct keeping of hospital documentation). The company also helped to buy an ultrasound scanner for the Delivery Room at the University Health Centre for Women and Infants in Warsaw, as part of the prevention project “Improvement of childbirth security”.

Also the companies in Ukraine were engaged in the promotion of healthy lifestyle. Our activities included the organization of the international football championship for young people with disabilities SENI CUP, semi-marathon Run Ukraine in Kiev, Freedom Run in Kharkov, Marathon to celebrate the Day of the City of Krematorsk.

Bank Pekao is a long-standing partner to the biggest men’s tennis tournament in Poland – Pekao Szczecin Open. The cooperation included the continuation of the training „Road too Pekao Szczecin Open”, which promotes sport among children and their parents. Additionally, the program discovers new tennis talents who in the future may become winners of the Szczecin challenger.

Culture

The PZU Group is also intensely active in the area of culture, conducting activities oriented at the protection of national heritage and modern patriotism. Above all, that means the patronage over the most eminent institutions of culture in Poland. This also means involvement in nationwide actions linked to the promotion of national art and culture. Another dimension of the activity concerns the support for modern patriotism and building of national identity. In practice this means inter alia the facilitating of access to the national cultural resources, a good example of which is the readiness to support financially the purchase of works of arts that were once lost from Polish collections. This means also the involvement in the work of expert and opinion-making communities. In its support for culture, through the activities conducted by PZU Litwa Życie, the Group promotes Polish culture in

Lithuania through its cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Poland in Vilnius. The Company also participated in the organization of the conference „Lithuania and Poland: what we still do not know?”. The conference was a discussion forum for distinguished Lithuanian and Polish business people about opportunities for cooperation.

In 2017 PZU Ukraina and PZU Ukraina Życie were involved in approx. 20 projects of social impact, incl. ones related to the patronage of culture (Etno Rock Festival Kozak Fest 2017 in Żółte Wody, ART-Jazz Festival in the town of Równe, Polish Film Festival “At the High Castle” in Lviv).

Bank Pekao has for years supported cultural initiatives at two levels: nationwide – where it sponsors strategic events with major impact on Polish culture, and local - where it supports initiatives dedicated to local communities.

In 2017 the bank supported inter alia: Bank Pekao Project Room at the Modern Art Centre, Ujazdowski Castle in Warsaw, Film and Art Festival Dwa Brzegi (Two Shores), Gdańsk Shakespearean Festival, Łódź Balet Meetings, Teatr Polski in Wrocław, Polish Composers Festival in Bielsko-Biała, Jan Kochanowski Theatre in Opole, Teatr Wielki in Poznań, Winobraniowe Spotkania Teatralne (Vine Harvesting Theatrical Meetings) in Zielona Góra, Theatrical Meetings in Gorzów and Philharmonic Hall in Lublin.

In 2017 the Alior Bank Group supported a series of cultural and sports events. A few selected initiatives of their number are presented below:

• as part of cooperation with the Polish Football Association, as the official sponsor, Alior Bank supports the Polish National Football Team. Many tickets were given to people who have limited access to direct participation in football matches and for whom financial issues constitute a major barrier to this access. The cooperation with the Polish Football Association also resulted in handing over of a range of football gadgets which constitute the bank’s contribution to charitable actions;
• nationwide patronage of the 13th Cavalcade of Magi – the bank financed inter alia the printing of song books and elements of outdoor identification given away for free throughout the country;
• Alior Bank’s patronage of the 3rd edition of the “Capital of the Polish Language” Festival in Szczebrzeszyn. The event popularizing Polish classical and contemporary literature as an important element of social and national identity became one of the major literary festivals in Poland.