The awards were presented by Paweł Poncyljusz, Secretary od State at
Ministry of Economy and David Thomas, BPCC chairman, who commented “It
gives me great pleasure to present these awards to our member
companies. In this our 15th anniversary year where the BPCC has won for
an historic third time the award for the Best British Chamber in
Continental Europe they have an even greater profile and meaning”
The event took place at Novotel Warszawa Centrum hotel.
The winners are:
Category: Best Direct Investor
(equal):
DCT Gdańsk SA for its development of the new deep sea
container terminal in Gdansk which will enable the City of Gdansk to
re-assert its leadership as a trade route into Continental Europe. The
value of DCT Gdansk SA's investment is Euro 180 million spent, spent
over a two year period and the majority (about 70 %) has been spent in
the period between March 2006 and February 2007. The company was
represented by Colin Chanter, President of the Board of Directors, DCT
Gdansk S.A. , associate director Investment Group Macquire
Bank, major shareholder of DCT Gdańsk S.A..
Cadbury Schweppes for the investment in its new highly
automated, state of the art manufacturing facility in the Silesia
Region. The investment, valued at Euro 100 million is located in
Skarbimierz, at an old military base which is now an extension of
Wałbrzych Special Economic Zone. The Cadbury Schweppes investment is
the largest foreign direct investment in food industry, channelled into
building a new factory.
Both these investments will contribute to making Poland a competitive
EU business destination and enable the country to assert its position
as a key player in Europe.
Category: Fastest Growing Company:
Euromost Polska Sp. z o.o. for its significant
contribution to the timely and well managed development of projects
contributing to the metamorphosis of Warsaw’s city centre skyline and
buildings. Jane Durrant, as she received the award commented: “I am
both honoured and delighted to win this prestigious award. Warsaw is
developing very fast as a major European Capital. Euromost intends to
support that rapid growth as a leading provider of construction and
project services.”
The company has recorded an almost 100% increase in turnover and almost
100% increase in employment in Poland over the period of 1 March 2006
to 28 February 2007 (from 36 people on 1 March 2006 to 63 people).
Turnover to end of 2006 is Euro 3.5 mln Euro and forecast for 2007 is
Euro 6.8 mln.
Distinctions: Creyf’s Polska, Delfarma, Hays Poland, Independent Technology Systems, RINF
Category: Best Corporate Citizen in the Local Community
Cadbury Wedel for its truly excellent programme
targeted at the local community. The company really stands out as a
leading example in the community and this is a well deserved award. “I am extremely pleased to receive this award on behalf of the entire company – we are a major player in peoples’ lives and it is our duty to support local communities” commented a delighted Peter Knauer.
Distinctions: Commercial Union Polska; Europa Distribution Center Sp. z o.o.; Glaxo SmithKline
Category: Company of the Year, Chairman’s Class (large firms)
Hochtief Polska Sp. z o.o for its significant contribution to leading
edge construction projects in Poland. “It is a great pleasure for us to
win this award. The BPCC is a leading voice of business - we are a
leading constructor and developer. We are proud to be be part of the
BPCC team and proud to contribute to the modernisation of Poland.”
Distinctions: Independent Technology Systems Ltd. (Intec Telecom Systems), Polkomtel S.A., Tesco Polska
Category: Company of the Year, Business Class (medium-sized firms)
MC Kontrakty Budowlane is a well-deserved winner in
the Business Class category. Based in Łódź it is a Polish construction
contractor. The company has worked on a number of high profile projects
in Łódź and applies real attention to professionalism and quality. One
of its highest priorities is looking after its people. “It is a
fantastic achievement for my company to receive this award. The BPCC is
a real supporter of both British and Polish business. It is a credit to
everyone in my company that I am here today receiving this prestigious
award”, said Piotr Grabowicz, Chairman, MCKB.
Distinctions: American Express, Atkins Polska, Euromost Polska, KontekstHR, Waterman International, Wardyński i Wspólnicy sp.k.
Category: Company of the Year, Enterprise Class (small firms)
One Money Mail as the best company in Enterprise Class and a real up
and coming star. Since May 2004, some more than 700,000 Poles have
migrated to the the UK in search of better economic prospects.
According to the Home Office, over 40,000 of them have set up
businesses there. The winner of this year's Enterprise Class award
symbolises that move. Four years ago, Paweł Mes was a student,
delivering Chinese takeaways to pay his fees. Today, he's running a
business with registered 14,000 clients, transferring money to 10,000
outlets in Poland. One Money Mail boasts a sophisticated and secure IT
platform, offering clients the ability to transfer money using SMSs and
Internet. The company has an HMRC money transfer licence, is registered
with banks in Poland and the UK, and takes active stance in combating
money laundering.
“The growth of One Money Mail is indicative of the energy, vision and
courage that Polish entrepreneurs can bring to the UK economy – it is
with great pleasure that I am able to receive this award this evening”
said Mr Mes, owner and CEO of the company.
Category: BPCC Hotel of the Year
Polonia Palace for the contribution it has made to re-establishing the
splendour of former times via its highly creative and exclusive
refurbishment of its facilities. The ambience and atmosphere created in
the hotel make the hotel stand out. In times where Warsaw is rapidly
modernising and the City is a 24/7/365 capital this hotel is a well
deserved winner of the best BPCC Hotel of the year.
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Martin Oxley, chief executive officer of the BPCC said: “Our
position as leading international business voice in Poland obliges us
to promote the best business solutions by awarding those among our
number who are most admired within our community of entrepreneurs and
top management ”.
Notes for Editors
For the first time in its 15-year history, the BPCC’s Executive
Committee added three new categories to the 2007 Company of the Year
Awards:
Best Direct Investor
The award was presented on the basis of information concerning the
value of corporate investments made in Poland between 1 March 2006 and
28 February 2007 (bearing in mind the total worth of the investments in
stages completed during that period).
Fastest Growing Firm
On the basis of information concerning the growth in turnover and
number of employees expressed in percentage terms during the period 1
March 2006 and 28 February 2007.
Best Corporate Citizen in the Local Community
On the basis of a list of Responsible Corporate Citizenship projects carried out between 1 March 2006 and 28 February 2007.
For the third time, the BPCC’s membership chose its companies of the
year from the Chamber’s 450 members, by nominations within three
categories:
* Small firm (Enterprise Class) – employing 1-10 people (full-time equivalent)
* Medium-sized firm (Business Class) - employing 11 - 250 people
* Large firm (Chairman Class) - employing 250 people
Members were asked to consider:
What they value in BPCC member companies?
What contributes to company’s competitiveness and leadership excellence?
What makes a company respected by all stakeholders?
The set of values which members have previously identified as contributing to ranking a company among the best are:
1. Sustainable growth in turnover and profits
2. Transparent principles of good corporate governance and citizenship
3. Dynamic growth in employment and well-implemented human resource development strategy
4. Well-conducted investment policy
5. Investment in research and development
6. Concern for the environment
About the BPCC:
British Polish Chamber of Commerce (BPCC)
Established in 1992 the BPCC for the last three years has won the award
for the Best British Chamber of Commerce in Continental Europe – 2005,
2006 and 2007. It has over 450 members drawn from the Polish, British
and international business communities in Poland and the UK. BPCC
Member companies directly employ over 156,000 people in Poland. BPCC
member companies represent over €12 billion invested capital in Poland
or 15% of the total since 1990.
The BPCC is an independent, not-for-profit organisation, which assists
in the development of British-Polish business links. The current
membership represents the broadest range of industrial and commercial
sectors. Any British, Polish or international company, which may
benefit from the services offered through membership, is welcome to
join.
We have a well-developed business network and a regular programme of
events both in the UK and Poland Events include conferences and
workshops, business mixers and breakfast briefings, where members can
meet senior politicians and officials of Polish, British and European
governments, as well as other opinion leaders.
We produce a quarterly magazine Contact International Business Voice,
which is a platform for the exchange of experiences in the area of
British-Polish trade and run the British-Polish business portal
www.bpcc.org.pl which is one the largest bilingual sources of
information about doing business in Poland and UK.
We are active in all major cities in Poland work closely with business
development organisations, including British Chambers of Commerce
across Europe, the British Embassy, UK Trade and Investment, the
Confederation of British Industry, Council of British Chambers of
Commerce in Continental Europe (COBCOE), local UK chambers of commerce
in the UK and the Polish Embassy in Great Britain.
Last year, the BPCC's Polish Exporters' Roadshow series of seminars
visited 16 Polish cities and attracted over 600 Polish SMEs interested
in exporting to the UK. This Roadshow continues in 2007 and will visit
at least 18 Polish cities this year. In the UK, the BPCC last year
organised 14 meetings with British entrepreneurs in the UK, covering
various topics concerning trade with and investment in Poland.
Recognised and respected as a leading voice of international business,
the Chamber has launched a series of sector and executive forums,
bringing together firms from specific parts of the economy. In
November, it organised an agri-food forum, at which major UK buyers met
Polish producers and food processors; recently it organised an
automotive sector forum aimed at introducing Polish manufacturers into
the UK industry's supply chain. During the remainder of 2007 a number
of high profile forums are planned on energy; innovation; climate
change; publisher and renewable energy; health and infrastructure
development.
For two years in a row (2003 and 2004) BPCC was nominated to COBCOE
'Chamber of the year award' and received the Award in the year 2005,
2006 and 2007.
For more information please contact:
Martin Oxley, BPCC CEO
e-mail:
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Tel: +48 (0) 22 320 01 00
Mobile: +48 (0) 608 608 409
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