Champions unite in building a new image of the Polish economy

17 largest Polish businesses appoint a Polish National Foundation whose duty will be to promote the Polish economy and also building a positive image of state-owned enterprises and investments implemented in Poland and abroad.

The founders of the Polish National Foundation are the leading concerns from core sectors of the economy: energy, transport, logistics, mining, metallurgy, fuels, insurance, chemistry, finance, real properties, and also games of chance.

The initiative of incorporating the foundation derives from a strong, yet unfulfilled, need to change knowledge and experiences and a widely understood cooperation of the largest state-owned enterprises in order to improve the image of the Polish economy – says Dawid Jackiewicz, minister of treasury.

The joint potential of the Polish enterprises guarantees the success of this honourable mission whose final purpose should be removing from the international public space  numerous false and unjust stereotypes about Poland and its economy. They have been hindering operations of Polish companies for years. The true image will allow to strengthen our credibility and will help gain more funds for the implementation of the investments whose purpose will be to drive the Polish economy – adds Dawid Jackiewicz.

In its operations, the foundation will pursue to refute the stereotypes related e.g. with perceiving the Polish economy. They e.g. include the one that the Polish power sector does not develop clean, renewable energy sources, and its energy mix, based on the domestic resources, pollutes the environment. Meanwhile, we are creating more sources of wind energy and generating more renewable energy of that type than e.g. Denmark which is deemed one of the leaders in this field. The power plants we are building belong to the most modern ones in the world. As no other country, Poland reduced CO₂ emissions by 30 per cent during 26 years, increasing the GDP by seven times at the same time.

The foundation, being the platform for cooperation among the largest state-owned enterprises will commence operations in Q3 2016 and will enable the realisation of the projects which were not earlier achieved in Poland, Europe and the world, guaranteeing concurrently generation of strong effects of synergy. 10 out of 17 founders of the Polish National Foundation are listed on the index of 20 largest companies of the Warsaw Stock Exchange, and other two are listed on WIG40.  

The list of companies incorporating the foundation includes four energy groups delivering electricity to over 90 per cent of recipients: PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna, Enea, Energa, Tauron, and also the largest generators and sellers of gas and fuels in Poland, i.e. Polskie Górnictwo Naftowe i Gazownictwo, PKN Orlen and Lotos Group. The founders include the leading suppliers of insurance and financial services as well, i.e. PZU, PKO BP and Warsaw Stock Exchange, and the leader on the market of games of chance, Totalizator Sportowy.

KGHM, another founder of the foundation, is the largest producer of silver and the leading generator of copper in the world, and Azoty Group is one of the leaders of the chemical industry in Europe. The group of founders includes also Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa, a leading producer of modern equipment for the army, Polska Wytwórnia Papierów Wartościowych, a producer of e.g. identity cards, Polski Holding Nieruchomości, one of the largest players on the commercial property market and Polskie Koleje Państwowe, which are among the largest European groups covering rail companies.  

The foundation’s task will be in particular the promotion and protection of the image of the Republic of Poland and the Polish economy, and also construing a positive social receipt of investments carried out by state-owned enterprises. The goals of the organisation include also the cooperation with the local communities and social and economic organisations, and also organisation and funding social initiatives.

Financial resources for the implementation of tasks fulfilling the mission of the foundation will be derived from the founders. The operations of the Polish National Foundation are calculated for the implementation of long-term goals, keeping the highest effectiveness and efficiency. To that end, the foundation will use the most modern tools, minimising at the same time own costs. Its operations will be open and transparent, and its governing bodies will be obliged to prepare annual financial statements presented to the foundation’s board.