News

The following companies from the energy sector joined the initiative:

• EDF Polska
• Enea
• GAZ-System
• GDF SUEZ Energia Polska
• PGNiG
• Tauron
• Vattenfall Poland

The signatories of the declaration recognise, among others, the need to strive for energy security and sustainable development through ensuring the efficient operation of markets. The key to these goals is both greater freedom and and openness in trade as well as safe and transparent rules for operation, investment, and good management of effective competition. 

The declaration also emphasises issues such as:

• the need to ensure the effective operation of companies and the entire sector, taking into account both energy security and environmental protection.
• the need for joint promotion of energy efficient solutions, development and implementation of cleaner and more efficient technologies, overcoming investment obstacles in the energy sector and taking into account environmental impact at each investment stage.   
• the need to build and open market, in which the rights given to energy suppliers and recipients are effectively utilised. 
• care for our clients, taking into account socially sensitive recipients by developing aid programmes that make it easier for them to have access to energy.
• participation in the development of renewable sources of energy and the taking into account of possibilities that create new scientific and technological achievments and consistent and stable regulations for renewable energy.
• improvement of occupational health and safety and the equalisation of development opportunities for men and women in the workplace. 

-"The energy sector faces challenges that on the one hand are related to the need to transform the highemission economy into a lowemission economy and the need for investments that serve the further economic development of Poland, on the other hand, the reaching of goals that have a social aspect, such as counteracting the exclusion of socially sensitive recipients or the restructuring of many existing companies" - said Michał Szubski, President of the Management Board of PGNIG SA. - "The further development of society and the economy, should take place while simultaneously maintaining the principles of environmental protection. The inclusion of sustainable development standards in economic activities should be an importanta aspect of developing the competetive position of Polish energy companies."

To be able to evaluate the effects, which after adoption of the declaration the Polish energy sector attained, the sector will successively present results in the form of publicly available social, economic, and environmental reports. The sector likewise recognises the importance of evaluating goals and challenges in the context of sustainable development and informing stakeholders about them, as well as conducting activities in a transparent, reliable, and open manner by making available both numerous and qualitative data about progress made in the context of sustainable development.

-"If we look at more advanced markets, the energy sector has always been one of the pioneers in the creation and implementation of sustainable development strategies. The strong pressure from a wide range of stakeholders and the need for effective risk management mechanisms were the things, that shaped the movement for sustainable development in the world energy sector. It comes as no surprise that such a strong call for the  joint action of the entire sector can be seen coming from the energy sector in our market - comments Prof. Witold Orłowski, main economic advisor of PricewaterhouseCoopers. -"Especially considering that the Polish electrical energy market is undergoing significant changes, which - in line with the progressing liberalisation of the market - unavoidably leads to energy companies becoming closer to their clients. Good relations between clients and their service providers are undoubtedly one of the key reasons for success on the free market."

The full text of the declaration can be found at http://www.odpowiedzialna-energia.pl/oenergia/

There, you will soon also be able to find a transcript of the most important discussion panels of today's conference, in which, among others, the Head of the Group of Strategic Advisors to Prime Minister Donald Tusk - Prof. Jerzy Hausner PhD, Dr. Stanisław Kluza - President of the Financial Oversight Commission, Dr. Jacek Socha - Vice-president and Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers, and Dr. Mariusz Swora - President of the Energy Regulatory Office participated.

Whereas Mr. Bogdan Pilch, Vice-president of the Management Board of Suez Gdf , Mr. Michał Szubski, President of PGNiG SA, Mr. Stanisław Tokarski, Vice-president of Tauron SA, and Mr. Philippe Castanet, President of EDF Polska participated in the discussion of companies from the energy sector.

The presidents of several dozen companies and many sustainable development and responsible business experts from outside the energy sector also participated in the conference.

Joanna Zakrzewska

Spokesperson for PGNiG SA