Dialogue with stakeholders

Government administration

Given the scale, scope and nature of our operations – we are heavily involved in cooperation with public authorities. PGE’s importance to the Polish economy makes us a natural dialogue partner for a wide range of government institutions.

Shareholders and investors

PGE’s investor relations team coordinates all the efforts necessary to initiate and foster good relations with our existing and potential shareholders and investors. This means comprehensive and timely communication with the market and the observance of the highest standards in reporting.

Regulators and market oversight

The Energy Regulatory Office (URE) is a central state administrative authority in Poland under the Energy Law and is responsible for regulating the energy sector as well as promoting competition. The President of the URE regulates the activities of energy companies seeking to balance the interests of energy companies and customers. The Group’s activities are also subject to other regulators, such as the Office of Competition and Consumer Protection, the Office of Technical Inspection and the Financial Supervision Authority.

Banks/financing institutions

We remain in an open dialogue with financial institutions, taking care of their communication needs and providing all the necessary information. As a borrower, PGE is a trusted business partner, paying its financial obligations within the set deadlines.

Employees

It is critical for us to create safe working conditions and stable employment for our employees. We nurture their professional development by providing them with interesting professional challenges and opportunities to implement unique projects. We treat open and regular social dialogue as an integral part of our business.

Customers

We ensure high standards of cooperation with our customers by meeting their needs. PGE’s diverse offering is tailored to the individual needs of end users. We reach out to customers through various forms of contact. In order to better understand our customers’ needs, we regularly carry out satisfaction surveys. This helps us to continuously improve the quality of our services and build positive customer relationships.

Insurers

PGE S.A.’s Risk and Insurance Department is a direct business partner for current and future insurers. We seek the most favourable solutions with the aim of providing the best possible financial cover for potential risks. Dialogue enables us to tailor insurance products precisely to our needs.

Media

This is one of our key channels of communication with stakeholders, one through which we communicate our plans, performance and achievements to the public. We place great emphasis on a careful and proactive approach to media relations, bearing in mind the importance of access to full and timely information about our company.

Local government

The scale and scope of our activities requires direct and regular dialogue with local administration units. We build our relations on mutual respect and cooperation for the development of local communities.

CSR/ESG analysts

As leader of green change, we are open to dialogue with CSR/ESG analysts – we communicate openly, respond to their needs and strive to incorporate sustainability rules into PGE Group’s business operations on a continuous basis. The ratings we receive in individual assessments or ESG reports serve us to further develop our organisation responsibly and with future generations in mind.

Energy industry organisations

As a member of the Polish Electricity Committee (PKEE), we are part of EURELECTRIC, where we represent the interests of the European energy industry. As part of the Polish Committee of the World Energy Council, we play a role in shaping the policy of this organisation and guiding its activities. Through our presence in industry organisations, we implement important strategic partnerships. On our initiative, the Polish Association of Combined Heat and Power Plants (PTEZ) has produced a handbook for calculating carbon footprint, which will allow comparison of data within the sector in Poland.

Environmental organisations

We are engaged in the activities of numerous national and international environmental organisations, learning from them how to manage environmental protection, often also supporting their statutory activities. Our Group companies actively cooperate with pro-environmental associations and organisations at local level.

Suppliers and subcontractors

What we buy and from whom we buy is of significance to us. PGE Group’s Procurement Policy as well as the Code of Conduct for Business Partners of PGE Group Companies emphasise the observance of high ethical, social and environmental standards by current and potential suppliers.

Local communities

PGE Group’s investment processes are preceded by dialogue with the local community in order to provide full information regarding our operations and to learn about and meet public expectations. We spare no effort to be a good neighbour to the communities living in the vicinity of our assets – developing them according to their needs and looking after their well-being.

Scientific community

As transition leader, PGE is responsible for investing in new technologies and co-developing new sectors of the economy, such as offshore wind energy. Cooperation with scientific institutions, including those educating potential future employees, is exceptionally important to us.

Competitors

We engage in dialogue with our competitors within the framework of the industry organisations that we are part of. In our dialogue, we are guided by respect for the rules of fair competition, in line with PGE Group’s Code.

Pro-social organisations

We actively engage in activities that have a positive impact on communities. We are a trusted partner.

Information on what our key stakeholders expect from the Group during cyclical meetings. The last stakeholder panel was held online on June 13 and 14, 2022. Around 80 people shared their opinions on the company’s activities, including:

• 50 people in the Polish-language session,
• almost 30 people in the English-language session, which was attended mainly by representatives of international institutions.

The dialogue sessions were conducted according to the AA 1000 corporate social responsibility standard, with the participation of independent external moderators from KPMG. The discussion among stakeholders, who were divided into smaller groups, was preceded by an anonymous survey.

The meetings were primarily intended to gather information on what the expectations of key stakeholders are towards our Group, including in the ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance) area, as well as collecting opinions on which of PGE Group’s activities are most valuable and what activities should be additionally initiated. The dialogue sessions also resulted in a list of the most important topics and issues identified by stakeholders that should be addressed in this 2021 integrated report. More information on the results of the sessions is available in the section „About the report”.

PGE Group’s stakeholder panels are mutually beneficial and include:

• the opportunity to directly convey expectations regarding the environmental and social responsibility of PGE Group;
• influence the future directions of PGE Group’s strategic development in the ESG area;
• co-create PGE Group’s plans and activities responding to the needs of a wide array of stakeholders;
• the opportunity to present one’s opinion on PGE Group’s activities, as well as to learn about PGE Group’s expectations and possibilities;
• identify ESG areas and topics relevant for presentation in PGE Group’s integrated report.

PGE Group operates in an exceptionally complex and volatile regulatory environment. On-going monitoring of legislative processes and active participation in dialogue with groups responsible for law-making are an essential element for conducting effective economic activity and fulfilling our stakeholders’ expectations. This activity directly translates into building the Group’s value.

PGE aims to raise public awareness of the problems and challenges of the power sector. We are a natural partner for discussions with legislators as well as central and local administration. PGE’s experts analyse the consequences of regulatory and political decisions in the energy area. PGE Group shares its observations and analyses within existing frameworks for dialogue with the administration and lawmakers. PGE also takes an active part in the work of institutions trying to draw attention to issues important to the company and the entire energy industry.

The basis for PGE Group’s sustainable development is the maintenance of partner relations with institutions supervising the functioning of the markets in which we operate on an on-going basis. We emphasise constructive and transparent dialogue with independent market regulators and market supervisory agencies. PGE is a member of a number of energy-industry organisations, which is another channel through which we present our opinions. This ensures that positions are balanced and take into account the viewpoints of all organisation members.

The issues of PGE Group companies’ membership in industry organisations are regulated by the „Good practices in cooperation with domestic and international industry organisations”, which are annexed to the internal General Procedure for Regulatory Management. Industry organisations are recognised as organisations, associations or chambers of commerce which have the energy sector in their scope of activity.

The main objectives of PGE’s information policy are transparency and cooperation based on mutual trust. Effective communication with investors and transparency are in the Company’s best interest and contribute to building value for its stockholders. The activities taken up by us in terms of investor relations are more than regulation requirements. These regulations oblige the Company to meet information duties in terms of periodical and on-going reporting with special consideration of inside information. In order to satisfy demanding stockholders and investors, we launched a series of additional tools, the aim of which is to eliminate the information asymmetry between the Company and the capital market. These tools are available on the Company’s website, in the Investor Relations’ section and include:

• presentation of “PGE Group’s strategy 2030 with 2050 perspective”, along with an one pager with summary of strategic objectives,
• dedicated investor presentations,
• quarterly files in xls format with operational and financial details for the reporting period,
• an editable xls-format file with financial and operational data, presented as a time series from the first quarter of 2011 until the last reporting period,
• preliminary estimated results, at dates prior to quarterly reporting. These publications contain the key financial values, operating volumes and information on significant one-off events,
• a summary of the quarter for capital market analysts,
• for investors sensitive to social and environmental issues, looking for the link between business, finance and PGE’s commitment to its environment, since 2015 PGE has been publishing PGE Group’s Integrated Report online.

In the area of dialogue with external stakeholders, PGE Group companies organise, inter alia, energy forums with representatives of local authorities and conduct social consultations accompanying investment projects. They also hold meetings with potential contractors or workshops for contractors from the power and energy sector.

1. Energy forums
   Local governments, i.e. municipalities and counties, are a natural partner for PGE Dystrybucja during investments or grid modernisations. Therefore, every two years energy forums for local governments are organised in each of the company’s branches. These meetings are often attended not only by representatives of communes, towns, districts, voivodeship offices or marshal offices, but also by other guests. In the Łódź branch, these are representatives of county and voivodeship crisis management centres or the local special economic zone. The meeting formula creates an opportunity for the company to dialogue with local authorities on topics important to both parties. In 2021, due to the epidemic situation, 14 meetings were held at PGE Dystrybucja’s branches and attended by nearly 800 representatives of local authorities. Discussed topics included cooperation between the company and local governments in planning investments, expansion and modernization of the grid, procedures to be followed in the event of mass grid failures (emphasising the role of close cooperation of power engineers with Provincial and County Crisis Management Centres) and issues related to renewable energy sources.
   In addition to the Energy Forums held every two years in all branches of PGE Dystrybucja and the central office, dialogue is conducted with representatives of local authorities and technical services of municipalities on current activities. Such discussions are held both at the branch level and in individual energy regions. They concern both planned and on-going works in the field. In 2021, over a thousand such meetings were held.
2. Cooperation between PGE Energia Ciepła and local authorities
   District heating has a major impact on the fight against low-scale emissions in Polish cities. For years, PGE Energia Ciepła’s CHPs have been supporting local governments in the fight for clean air. The company’s branches, together with local governments, engage in information and education campaigns on connecting to the district heating network.
   The Zielona Góra CHP supports the city in the fight against smog by implementing investments within the Integrated Territorial Investment Strategy – developed by the Mayor for the Urban Functioning Area of Zielona Góra. The CHP cooperates with the city on eco-friendly electric public transport.
   PGE Energia Ciepła’s Kraków branch is working with the city on the preparation of „Assumptions for the plan for supplying the municipality of Kraków with heat, electricity and gas fuels for 2023-2038.” The first Heat Map in Poland has been developed. This is a tool necessary both for the heat distributor (to plan necessary network investments) and for the heat producers (to plan investments and modernisations). PGE Energia Ciepła is also implementing the Energy Lab project, which allows to take a closer look at the energy needs of public utility buildings belonging to the Municipality of Kraków.
   In Siechnice, as part of preparations for the start of construction of a new gas-fired CHP, PGE Energia Ciepła has developed a communication plan for the project, including a survey among the residents and information meetings for both residents and councillors and village leaders.
   The Gorzów branch of PGE Energia Ciepła has been working with the local government for many years. In 2021, the company’s management board signed a letter of intent with the Mayor of Gorzów Wielkopolski on the construction of a waste-to-energy incinerator. Pursuant to this agreement, both parties undertake to cooperate and mutually support the implementation of the investment.

In the course of the on-going dispute around the Turów mine, PGE has undertaken a range of activities aimed at resolving the situation and taking care to provide reliable information to stakeholder groups, which include:

• Development of a website dedicated to the Turów complex containing information on the on-going and planned activities there.
• On-going publication of information materials on the extraction and production activities of the Turów complex, including pro-environmental activities in terms of water, land, air as well as social responsibility initiatives.
• Conducting an opinion poll. Between July and August 2021, at PGE’s request, an opinion poll was conducted among the inhabitants of the Bogatynia municipality, the Czech region of Hradek nad Nisou and the German region of Olbersdorf. The survey showed that the residents of the region were very much interested in a quick end of the dispute and in a compromise. Tensions have a negative impact on the neighbourly balance of the tri-border area and thus on cross-border trade, which has for years been an important pillar of development in the region. This was the opinion of 76% of those surveyed.
• Organisation of a debate entitled „A common future for mining regions located in the PL-CZ-DE tri-border area. Economy, Society, Environment” aimed at defining the challenges facing local governments, the need for cross-border cooperation and the creation of a new vision for the region and its residents. Its participants – local government officials and energy experts – discussed the challenges and opportunities for the region, which is closely associated with the energy and mining industry, encompassing three neighbouring countries with a total of 10 lignite mines. Five on the Czech side, four on the German side and one on the Polish side in Turów. They provide jobs for 50 000 people. For the energy transition to be just, it must be carried out in a coordinated manner. It cannot be a wild transition. The process of modernising the energy sector and the climate policy should not be decoupled from the people, so long-term planning based on specific investment projects and social programs with financing provided by the Just Transition Fund is essential.
• Organisation of a visit of Polish state authorities to the Turów complex and meeting with employees of the Turów mine and power plant.
• Transparency of the on-going process related to the continuation of lignite mining at the Turów mine. PGE Group has made available the contents of the Decision on Environmental Conditions, which was issued in January 2020 after the completion of extensive cross-border consultations with the Czech Republic and Germany and after fulfilling a number of conditions stipulated by Polish and European law. The document confirms that the Turów mine engages in mining operations in accordance with the provisions of Polish and European law. The company has carried out all the necessary activities to continue the operations of the Turów complex and ensure that the processes run smoothly while providing energy security for millions of Polish families.
• Cooperation with local authorities.
• Dialogue with EU institutions.

Information workshops are another form of dialogue with external stakeholders. In 2021, PGE Polska Grupa Energetyczna organised two of these workshops for potential suppliers of products and services for the construction of offshore wind farms in the Baltic Sea. The first one, entitled „Offshore Workshop,” was held online on June 18, while a panel entitled „Let’s build Baltica 2+3 together: How to get involved in the PGE and Ørsted investment” was held on August 30 during the PWEA conference in Serock. The workshop was attended by representatives of PGE, PGE Baltica and Denmark-based Ørsted. During these meetings the participants could learn about the schedule of PGE’s investments in offshore wind farms, the scope of work in progress or plans for the development of port infrastructure. PGE’s procurement portal was also presented in order to facilitate the participation of potential contractors in tenders organised by PGE. There was also the possibility to register in PGE’s database of potential suppliers.

PGE Energia Ciepła organised a workshop for contractors from the energy industry and associated industries where it presented its planned investments and rules for the proper preparation of tender procedures based on the public procurement law. Close to 150 participants from all over Poland took part in the first of a series of PGE Obrót’s webinars for local governments and other entities purchasing electricity pursuant to the public procurement law. Participants included representatives of local government units, public administration entities, universities and hospitals. At the meeting, experts from PGE Obrót responded to questions related to the functioning of the electricity market. Most of these questions concerned renewable energy sources, with particular emphasis on photovoltaics, the possibility of using it and details on prosumer billing.

Similar online meetings were organised by PGE Energia Odnawialna. They were addressed to companies operating in the field of wind energy and to representatives of the photovoltaics sector. Workshop participants had the opportunity to learn about the company’s investment plans and areas of potential cooperation. Also presented at the meetings were the most important regulations and procedures defining the area of cooperation with contractors. Each of the webinars consisted of a series of expert panels and Q&A sessions.