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CSR Policy
Being a responsible organisation
Although always involved in various CSR activities, 2008 was the first year the BPCC launched an official CSR policy and vastly increased its active support and participation in a number of initiatives both internally and externally. This was in part prompted by 'CSR - Good Company Ranking 2008' research, published in Manager Magazin and verified by PwC, in which eight of the top twenty companies were BPCC members.
Amongst the BPCC’s CSR activities last year, was an important agreement between the BPCC and Youth Business International which will become the leading programme in Poland to support disadvantaged people in starting their business.
BPCC CSR Strategy
The BPCC’s CSR strategy can be clearly divided into internal and external activities.
Internal
Many of the BPCC’s internal activities have been suggested by employees and then taken on formally as part of the BPCC’s CSR strategy. We have a number of internal activities which, although small individually, ensure the BPCC plays its part in the bigger picture of CSR.
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Auditing IT efficiency - reducing electric waste and excess heat emissions from electrical items
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Recycling paper
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Promoting cycling, walking or taking public transport to work
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Using public transport to go to meetings instead of taxis - compromising a slightly increased journey time in order to reduce carbon footprint
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Installing a new and more efficient air-conditioning unit
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Producing cotton bags to replace all plastic bags at Chamber events
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Switching off lights, printers, monitors etc when not in use
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Switching to printing in black and white and only when strictly necessary (colour for promotional materials only)
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Recycling printer cartridges
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Encouraging online readership of Contact, the BPCC magazine
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Collection of plastic bottle tops for donation to a charity which recycles the plastic to raise money for making wheelchairs. The BPCC is collecting on behalf of a 22 year old Polish boy with cerebral palsy who needs 7000 kg of plastic caps for a wheelchair.
External
BPCC Fundacja Inkubator Technologiczny (FIT)
The BPCC established FIT in 2005 to promote and support the development of business start ups. FIT has been engaged in a number of programmes including BPCC Academy, GrowEnterprise, Youth Business Poland, SEEDA International and AIP mentoring.
Please click here for more information on FIT.
Membership
The BPCC has over 200 SME's in its membership and in 2008 introduced a Business Start-Up programme which includes a heavily discounted membership rate for companies in their first year of business. A discounted rate is also offered to all educational institutions. A significant number of charities and foundations are BPCC members.
Please click here for details on BPCC membership application.
Foundation of Corporate Social Responsibility (FCSR)
In September 2008 the BPCC signed an agreement with the foremost CSR Organisation in Poland, the FCSR. FCSR and BPCC will promote their common interests and activities by sponsoring joint-activities such as CSR seminars, meetings and social events and the relationship will act as a valuable
CSR resource to the Polish Business Community.
More information…
Wracaj do Polski
Wracaj do Polski (Return to Poland) was created by the BPCC and Hays Poland to promote labour changes that have occurred in Poland since joining the EU in 2004. The project supports Polish civil society by aiming to reduce the current lack of a skilled labour force in Poland.
Visit Wracaj do Polski website
Charitable donations
Every year the BPCC raises money at its Annual Ball for a charity. This year a superb total of just under €1,500 went to the HOPE foundation which promotes an entrepreneurial attitude amongst unemployed people in Poland.
Enterprise Poland
The BPCC is partnering Poland's AIP, one of the largest student business incubator networks in Europe, to promote young enterprise. Martin Oxley, BPCC CEO is vice chairman of the Advisory Board to AIP - Enterprise Poland. Participation in debates and promotion of best practice In September, the BPCC participated in two panel discussions at the XVIII Economic Forum in Krynica, an event which is referred to as CEE's equivalent of the annual World Economic Forum at Davos. The BPCC also initiates debates of this kind via its Policy Groups.
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Climate Change
On 20 November the BPCC organised The Climate Change Seminar at the Polonia Palace Hotel in Warsaw. The BPCC is a partner of the Ministry of Environment's "Partnership for Climate" programme, run in relation to the United Nation’s COP 14 conference in Poznań.
The event was designed to promote alternative energy sources and a reduction in energy consumption, recycling and corporate social responsibility via a presentation of best British practice and the environmental policies of BPCC member companies. WS Atkins, Tesco and Waterman International were
partners of the conference.
Neil Lewis’ (Waterman International) presentation focused on sustainable architectural engineering design, current trends and concepts within building design, specific to the needs of sustainable development. “Whatever decisions and choices we make today must be made confidently in the knowledge that the decision will not adversely affect the planet and society in the future,” said Mr
Lewis. The Russia Tower in Moscow, Workplace6 in Sydney and Civil Justice Centre in Manchester are great examples of newly-built “green” constructions but the real challenge will be the refurbishment and delivery of new sustainable systems to old buildings, which by 2020 will be still 70% of the total number of buildings in Europe.
“Atkins works with clients around the world to develop sustainable solutions to the environmental challenges they face. Our carbon calculators and other tools we offer provide customers with the data they need to understand the impact of carbon in their projects,” said Jadwiga Ronikier, head of environment and industry department at Atkins Polska.
Tesco has been promoting alternative energy sources and its green policy by overcoming barriers of price and incentivising customers to buy greener products. “To turn Tesco green and reduce our carbon footprint we are saving energy by hanging curtains on freezer doors, using better insulation, low-energy lighting and new refrigeration systems. We have launched three environment stores in Poland so far, in Garwolin, Zdzieszowice and Lubartów,” said Czesław Grzesiak, deputy chairman of Tesco Polska.
One of the topics at the conference was the British government’s co-operation with business and industry sector on environmental issues. Michael Halpin, head of the Climate Change and Energy Unit underlined that climate change is a top priority issue for the British government. One of the key things for Mr Halpin’s team for the next 12 months will be raising awareness of the climate problem
within Polish society, politicians and media which, in his opinion, do not portray climate change issues in a good light. “An information campaign, run by the government in cooperation with businesses, is crucial and it is important that when COP 14 is finished our efforts don’t stop,” stressed Mr Halpin.
The conference concluded with a panel discussion on the role of government and the scope of opportunities for the private sector in the context of climate change. “If climate change is to be tackled successfully, we need a new framework in which governments, businesses and consumers each play their part,” said Mr Oxley who moderated the discussion. “Promoting best practice and setting internal environmental policies by the companies is important, however there is a great role for the Polish Government who should not only implement the EU environment and energy law but also try to find its own, domestic path,” said Mr Ronikier. Mr Grzesiak added that Tesco Polska has overcome numerous legal obstacles when trying to install renewable energy systems in its stores. “Let business go ahead and do not wait for the government,” concluded Mr Halpin.
The next meeting in the Environment and Energy Group took place on 20th January 2009 and was focused on Renewable Energy. On 12th February the BPCC is holding the British Polish Renewable Energy Forum.
Youth Business Poland
In Poland over 48% of young people want to start up in business. The development of sustainable small to medium businesses is critical for the development of Poland’s economies however, the support mechanisms for startups in Poland is questionable.
In 2008, the BPCC's Fundacja Inkubator Technologiczny (FIT) signed an agreement with the Prince's Youth Business International Network to expand youth enterprise in Poland, making it easier for Poland’s young people to start up in business and enable them to be successful via an innovative framework of business support.
Youth Business International (YBI) is a global initiative supported by the Prince of Wales to support youth enterprise. Its mission is to “Provide effective support to entrepreneurial youth who are lacking the means to start and grow their own business, thereby generating employment, alleviating poverty and contributing to the growth of successful local economies. Youth Business Poland (YBP) is the Polish national branch of YBI.
The key goals of the YBI Network are to:
- Increase the number of young entrepreneurs able to start their own businesses
- Ensure the sustainability of new business start ups
- Increase the number of jobs created by business start ups
- Create an enabling environment for youth entrepreneurship
Since its establishment in 2005, FIT has been engaged in a number of projects to support business start ups. This has focused on seminars, training, mentoring and providing a framework for business development. This agreement creates the opportunity for a superb synergy between the BPCC and YBP to support business start ups, provide a framework for mentoring and enable access to
financing. The BPCC has also worked in parallel with YBP on a pilot project to provide mentoring to Poland's largest business incubator network AIP. The agreement with YBI broadens the opportunity for Poland’s young people to set up in business and successfully grow.
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