Annual
report 2020

Acting in an effective and responsible manner

Focus on efficiency

Our commitment KPI Performance
To be an agile and flexible company with proven ability to find efficiency savings
  • Constant transformation of indirect costs
  • Process optimisation and automation
  • IT spending optimisation as well as facilitation of
    commercial initiatives, especially in convergence
Indirect cost indirect cost in 2016-2020 (in PLN millions)

2016 = 4,102
2017 = 3,903
2018 = 3,567
2019 = 3,598
2020 = 3,446

Delivery on our commitments in 2020

The Orange.one strategy added a new dimension to our approach to efficiency at Orange Polska. All our business decisions and actions are now driven by value creation. Our ambition is to be an agile company, digital and flexible, with a strong online presence and highly automated processes, as well as a proven ability to cut costs and find efficiency savings. This approach is reflected in both our commercial activity and our financial results.

In 2020 we continued with our redefined commercial approach: to become more selective and more balanced between volume and value. In 2018, we took a major step by introducing the first luer tariff increases on the consumer market according to a ‘more for more’ formula. This followed a number of value-accretive moves in the prior years: reduction of handset subsidies, simplification of tariff structure, cancellation of value-dilutive promotions and bonuses, and changes in tariff features encouraging customers to migrate to more expensive tariffs. In 2020 we also continued to optimise the distribution channel mix and make savings on advertising and promotion costs.

Direct margin (the difference between revenues and costs directly linked to revenues) was down PLN 72 million year-on-year as positive impact of strong performance of core service revenue lines was more than offset by pandemic-related lower roaming revenues and additional provisions as well as ongoing pressure from legacy fixed voice.

In line with our strategic priorities, we continued to push forward with our comprehensive transformation programme to simplify, and where possible to automate and digitise our business processes. We cut our indirect costs by a further 4% in 2020. These savings on top of results of continued optimisation initiatives in many areas (labour, CRM, general expenses) were significantly supported by exceptional measures taken by the management to offset negative impact of the pandemic. These included mainly curtailment of jubilee awards scheme (resulting in PLN 64 million reversal of provisions for employee benefits) and renegotiation of certain terms of Social Agreement with trade unions. The social plan currently in force, signed in December 2019 and covering the years 2020-2021, enables us to continue with employment optimisation at a significant pace. According to the plan up to 2,100 employees may opt for voluntary departures in these two years, which constitutes 17% of the total workforce at the end of 2019. In 2020 labour costs decreased by 9 % (year-on-year).

Management of our impact on the environment

Our commitment KPI Performance

To implement business goals with respect for the rules of ecology and in harmony with the environment: optimization of energy use in the following areas: real estate, infrastructure and network, data centres, supervision over Orange Polska’s impact on the environment; increase in number of recycled, re-used and refurbished devices

 

Energy consumption Electricity consumption (GWh)

2017: 581
2018: 564
2019: 552
2020: 541

CO2 emission Total CO₂ emissions ( ‘000 tones)

2017: 468
2018: 451
2019: 426
2020: 405

Number of recycled and refurbished devices Collected and recycled phones

2017: 42,869
2018: 16,034
2019: 36,671
2020: 33,609

Refurbished and relaunched phones

2017: 8,138
2018: 5,600
2019: 8,561
2020: 11,515

Refurbished and relaunched devices

2017: 465,994
2018: 491,125
2019: 410,774
2020: 503,045

Delivery on our commitments in 2020

Since 2020, the Orange Group has been operating in line with its new strategic plan, Engage 2025, which in addition to business targets defines also social and environmental objectives. The Group’s commitment to curbing global warming is reflected in tangible sustainable development goals and assumes the participation of our stakeholders in transforming its business.

Our overarching target is to achieve climate neutrality (i.e. become net zero carbon) by 2040. That’s ten years before both the deadline for EU climate targets and the recommendations by the GSMA (the global alliance of telecom operators). Meeting this target will involve avoiding and reducing greenhouse gas emissions and, in the final step, neutralisation of the unavoidable or irreducible emissions (in particular by planting sustainable, protected and biodiverse forests), so that ultimately Orange Polska’s climate balance will be zero. Neutrality will not only cover our own emissions, direct (Scope 1) and indirect (Scope 2), but also our value-chain emissions. The first crucial milestone is 2025, when we intend to achieve a significant reduction in our CO2 emissions from the baseline year of 2015. Climate responsibility is already becoming one of the pillars of our business strategy.

These goals are fully in accordance with the Orange Group’s global strategy.

Our approach, #OrangeGoesGreen, is integrated into our daily operations. We optimise electricity consumption and contract renewable energy directly with its producers, from facilities developed specifically for our needs in Poland. Furthermore, we constantly enhance our processes in order to consume energy more wisely and generate fewer CO2 emissions. We engage in dialogue with our customers, suppliers and partners in order to develop new solutions and to counter climate change.

In Orange Polska, we have the following ambitions by 2025:

  • Reducing CO2 emissions vs. 2015 by at least 65% (for Scope 1+22, according to the GHG Protocol, see GRI section below for definitions of Scopes 1, 2 and 3, and data methodology);
  • Increase the share of renewable energy in Orange Polska’s energy mix to at least 60% based on long-term Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) related to specific facilities, thus also stimulating green transformation of the Polish power industry.
  • Become the market leader in circular economy by using refurbished equipment in our networks and data centres, collecting old phones through repurchase/recycling, and offering refurbished handsets and user devices to our customers.
  • Become a partner to our customers in their green challenges thanks to our portfolio of commercial services.
  • Win a position among the green leaders of Polish business through distinctive consistency in our efforts and a reliable image as a green operator.

Environmental issues are a part of OrangenPolska’s CSR strategy. Clear, formally adopted climate targets will enable improved management in this area and the development of a comprehensive programme. The climate policy is supervised directly by the CEO, and the pursuit of objectives is subject to regular reviews by the Management Board and the Supervisory Board. The climate objectives will constitute an integral element of the Group’s new overall strategy to beadopted in 2021.

In 2020, as the first step of our climate impact management, we created the position of Climate Officer. The Officer’s role is to coordinate the development and implementation of our climate goals in close co-operation with the entire organisation. The Climate Officer reports directly to the Management Board Member in charge of Strategy and Corporate Affairs.

The Company has chosen the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as well as energy consumption and its mix as the key indicators to measure the progress towards its climate goals. We have reported them as part of our non-financial reporting for over a decade. Furthermore, Orange Group is working globally to expand the CO2 emissions indicator to include Scope 3. The environmental indicators and the relevant methodology are described in detail in the GRI section, Environmental Data below.

In our risk management framework, separate environmental risks have been identified in the social risks domain. These risks are subject to a standard review once a year, the results of which are reported to the Management Board and Supervisory Board. In the climate risk area, Orange Group has defined short-term risks with respect to its annual strategic plans, mid-term risks related to its Engage 2025 strategy for 2020–2025, and long-term risks in the 2050 perspective. Currently, Orange Polska’s environmental risks are identified in the short-term perspective. One of climate risks has been considered a key risk, which means that it is a subject to an additional monitoring procedure and may be covered by the annual internal audit plan and the Audit Committee’s assessment.

The most important climate risk, which has been included among our TOP risks, is related to failure to achieve the Company’s environmental commitments. Its detailed description is included in the Risk Management section below. The analysis of this risk has enabled us to plan strategic actions aimed to minimise it and to implement the relevant mitigation measures, particularly the energy optimisation programme and the renewable energy purchase plan.

Major climate risks include also the issue of business continuity in case of exposure of Orange Polska’s technical infrastructure to damage caused by natural disasters (the frequency of which is growing due to climate change) and the risk related to inefficient electronic waste management not taking into account the requirements of the circular economy.

Mid-term risks will be defined in 2021 with reference to Orange Group’s Engage 2025 strategy, while long-term risks will be defined in the 2050 perspective. On the international level, Orange Group has carried out a climate risk assessment project aiming to determine the physical resistance of business entities under a scenario of global warming by more than 3°C. The project, initially conducted in France, has involved a review of potential effects of climate risks with respect to network elements (data centres, access nodes, cables, poles, antennas, etc.). This has led to the determination of their climate vulnerability thresholds with the focus on the most dangerous risks (heat waves, strong winds, intensive rainfall, lightning strikes, fires). Based on it, Orange Polska is now developing local climate scenarios, which will be used for the identification of mid-term and long-term risks.

Our climate policy and the heat map in this area are developed in conjunction with experts of international Orange Group and Carbone4. On the local level, Orange Polska collaborates with the AGH University of Science and Technology, Institute of Accountancy and Taxes, Bureau Veritas, social partners (UNEP GRID) and industry associations (Polish Chamber of Information Technology & Telecommunications and Polish Confederation Lewiatan) with respect to its environmental footprint.

Orange Polska responds to global challenges related to the natural environment and natural resources. We consider energy consumption with related greenhouse gas emissions to be the most important aspect of our environmental impact. As electricity consumption accounts for the vast majority of the Company’s greenhouse gas emissions, our primary responsibility lies in this area. Poland’s energy mix is based on coal, so the only reasonable way towards a sustainable reduction in our climate (carbon) footprint is gaining energy from new renewable sources, coupled by initiatives aiming to optimise consumption volume.

In 2020, we worked on the implementation of the Orange global strategy by setting our local environmental targets and incorporating them into Orange Polska’s business strategy, This ensures a more comprehensive approach to the Company’s environmental and climate impact, which is also reflected in our reporting of non-financial information (Directive 2014/95/EU), in line with the Supplement on reporting climate-related information (2019/C 209/01), as well as identifying climate-related opportunities and risks.

In 2020 we created the position of climate officer, who is to indicate and co-ordinate pro-climate initiatives within the Company. We also developed and launched the #OrangeGoesGreen approach, incorporated into our business activity, in order to accelerate our climate efforts.

Our priorities

Responsibility

Electricity consumption accounts for more than 90% of the greenhouse gas emissions reported by Orange Polska. Therefore, we have focused our environmental efforts on both saving energy and moving to renewable energy sources.

Greenhouse gas emission split CO2 emissions of Orange Polska in Scopes 1 and 2

All our energy-saving initiatives have been combined into the single Energy Optimisation Programme, covering networks, data centres, sales outlets and offices. Between 2015 and 2020, we completed almost 200 such initiatives, which involved replacement of older technical devices with modern energy-efficient ones, modernisation of cooling systems and introduction of energy-saving functionalities. Between 2015 and 2020 these solutions enabled us to generate total energy savings of 713 GWh, which corresponds to an overall reduction in carbon dioxide emissions of 530 thousand tonnes. Thanks to the Programme, our electricity consumption decreased by 10% between 2015 and 2020, despite our investments in new technologies and development of new services. Without it, our electricity consumption would have increased by 25% in that period.

Currently, the key challenge for Orange Polska is to gain energy from renewable sources. According to our forecasts, our total energy consumption will grow in subsequent years despite optimisation and efforts to improve the energy efficiency of our networks. This is due to our customers’ constantly growing data traffic.

Orange Polska’s approach is based on long-term contracting of green energy supply directly with producers (under Power Purchase Agreements – PPAs) from identifiable, renewable energy sources, especially those developed specifically for our needs. Thus, we support the development of new, renewable energy sources in Poland, increasing green power capacity and contributing to the transformation of the Polish power industry.

Value

Second life of devices

We want to support residential and business customers with our commercial services in their climate challenges and initiatives. The digital technology sector has an important role to play in climate actions owing to the character of the products and services it offers. These can help customers to estimate, understand and eliminate or reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other negative environmental impacts. GSMA estimates that mobile telecommunications enabled a reduction of 2.1 billion tonnes in CO2 emissions in 2018, which is ten times greater than the sector’s own global carbon footprint.*

Circular economy is also a major aspect of Orange commitment to environmental protection and carbon footprint reduction. It has a positive impact on the rest of our value chain: suppliers and customers. As for products (i.e. network elements, user devices, smartphones, etc.), our planned initiatives are related to eco-design, reuse/repurchase, refurbishment, repairs and recycling. The overarching goal is to deliver goods and services while considerably reducing the consumption and waste of resources.

We try to reduce the amount of materials we use and we ensure that they are reused. We encourage our customers to recycle old mobile devices: they can drop off their old mobile phones or accessories in all Orange stores. A buy-back programme for unwanted mobile phones is one of our key initiatives to extend their life cycle. Our partner company repairs any minor damage, so that the returned handsets can be put back on the market.

We co-operate with licensed organisations only. The collected devices are stored in special containers, and then handed over to a company which is responsible for their recycling or neutralisation. Such companies document the subsequent stages of the process: collection, transport and recovery or disposal. In line with the WEEE Act, the equipment which can no longer be used is considered waste and handed over to waste neutralisers holding the relevant waste management licence granted by the Chief Inspectorate for Environmental Protection.

In 2020, Orange initiated the global “Give your phone a second life” campaign. In addition, we launched the orange.pl/razemdlaplanety [Together for the Planet] portal, where you can find information on Orange Polska’s environmental initiatives and practical tips on how to use technology in a more eco-friendly way.

Multimedia devices, such as modems and set-top boxes, are leased to customers for the term of provision of telecommunication services. Upon expiration of the agreement, the devices collected from customers are refurbished; then, operating and looking ‘as new’, they can be reassigned to other customers for further use.

In 2020, over 500,000 modems, multimedia and CPE devices were refurbished and returned to the market, which was approximately 60% of the total number in circulation in Poland. About 39 tonnes of plastics and over 1.1 million power supplies, cabling or other accessories were saved as a result of refurbishment and reuse.

Our ‘Refurbishment of Multimedia Devices’ project won the first prize in the third edition of the Stena Circular Economy Award competition in the Entrepreneurs – Practice category. And our phone repurchase offer was recognised in 2020 by an expert panel in the Climate Leadership Programme for tangibly reducing the negative environmental impact of products.

Smart digital solutions may contribute to the improved management of limited natural resources. Innovative IoT solutions, particularly in the Smart City domain, optimise consumption of resources (e.g. electricity or water) and reduce emissions and pollution thanks to smart management and monitoring systems for municipal services (e.g. utilities supply, city lighting, parking places, city bikes or waste collection). Over 80 cities in Poland already use Smart City solutions provided by Orange. Our Company is the Polish leader in the IoT (Internet of Things) and M2M (Machine to Machine) communications. We provide more than 2 million M2M cards, which is about 40% of the Polish market (data for Q4 2020). We operate nationwide fixed and mobile networks, and, as the first operator in Poland, provide open and safe API environment for the Internet of Things. This environment is used in our platform Live Objects, which makes integrated management of municipal services user-friendly and manageable from a smartphone or computer.

* GSMA, The Enablement Effect.

Impact

We want to be a reliable and credible partner in climate and environmental initiatives. Therefore, we engage our employees and business partners in seeking new environmentally-friendly solutions.

We are the largest operator in Poland with the most extensive mobile network, covering over 99% of Poland’s population in the 4G technology, and superfast fibre network, reaching up to 5 million houses, flats and businesses. We provide network access to one third of Polish internet users. Owing to the scale of operations, our impact is of paramount importance.

We are aware that while pursuing our business and developing new technologies, we need to monitor their environmental impact on a current basis, so as to reduce the negative impact of our activities and maximise the positive impact of digital technologies. We have been monitoring and reporting energy and other resources consumption as well as carbon dioxide emissions related to our operations for years. We strive to inform our stakeholders about the Company’s activity in a reliable and comprehensive manner. Therefore, in addition to financial results, we have been publishing also data in the social and environmental areas for over a decade.

Digital technology creates the potential for more innovative and sustainable solutions promoting energy conservation and pro-environmental attitudes.

Through services that replace traditional communications or written documents, such as tele- and video-conferences, electronic document flow, e-services, e-invoices and comprehensive ICT systems for business, public administration and local communities, we support others in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

80% of all Orange Polska’s customers use electronic invoices. We have also introduces an option to sign an agreement on a tablet in all our outlets. Thanks to e-services, Orange Polska with its customers save annually about 20,000 trees that would otherwise be used for paper production.

The world's urban population is expected to grow by a further 2.5 billion people within the next thirty years.

It means that we need both more efficient and sustainable cities. A remedy is new technologies, particularly the Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, as they help to reduce consumption of electricity, fuels and water or improve the quality of air.

In Poland, more than 80 cities and towns, both big and small, have already implemented IoT solutions provided by Orange.

Smart Water solutions from Orange are operational in over 30 municipalities in Poland. In particular, it is used in the right-bank districts of Szczecin, while in Krosno Odrzańskie it encompasses the entire water supply network (3372 main water meters). The system prevents water waste, generates savings and streamlines management. Smart Water automatically reads water meters on house service lines, and, via a telemetric module with a built-in SIM card, sends the current data to the water utility.

Moreover, current monitoring by Smart Water ensures effective failure identification, which reduces water waste by up to a dozen or so per cent and prevents costly repairs of streets and sidewalks. The system also reports fraud attempts, such as water meter removal or manipulation. Smart Water provides access to information on a 24-hour basis, while historical data enable analysis, future water consumption forecasts and planning of water supply network repairs and development. The system also makes life easier for residents, as they do not need to arrange visits by meter reading personnel and they are notified in case of increased water consumption.

Smart Lights ensures efficient and eco-friendly city lighting. Special LED fixtures with built-in GSM cards enable automatic control of illumination of streets, parks, residential districts and other open spaces according to pre-defined parameters. Consequently, lamps are turned only when it is dark and any pedestrian traffic is detected, and lighting intensity is adjusted to the season or the weather conditions. As a result, electricity consumption can be reduced by several dozen per cent compared to traditional lighting systems. In addition, LED fixtures are designed to minimise light pollution, which disrupts the natural circadian rhythm of people and animals. A total of eight cities, such as Bolesławiec, Lwówek Śląski and Lubomierz, have already appreciated the Smart Lights solution.

The fourth biking season with Smart Bike is over. So far, over 56,000 bikers from 21 cities have ridden almost 2.4 million kilometres, that is 60 times around the world. Had they covered that distance, 2.4 mln km, by car, about 288 tonnes of CO2 would have been emitted to the atmosphere. Smart Bike is a fourth generation public bike-sharing system. In particular, it means that you can leave your bike at any place within the designated zone. The operator tracks the location of each bike, used or free. The bike monitoring system is charged by a solar power supply, so it is possible to see what is happening with bikes all the time. Bikes are equipped with SIM cards and a system monitoring various parameters during ride. The collected data provide information how to plan the network and develop further active smart solutions, as well as how to design the cycle track grid and other cycling facilities. The Smart Bike solution not only facilitates city transport, but also reduces CO2 emissions and promotes healthy lifestyle.

Other Smart City solutions are Smart Energy and photovoltaics. Photovoltaic systems use the Internet of Things to communicate with the system that manages electricity flows. Thanks to proper monitoring and analytic tools it is possible to optimise the use of photovoltaic energy. The Smart Energy Controller developed by Orange experts in 2020 is the brain of the system. It monitors both the system and the equipment and circuits connected to it on a 24-hour basis, controlling dozens of power parameters in real time. In case of any irregularities, the system sends notifications or alerts. The built-in ‘power guard’ enables individual devices or circuits to be switched on and off remotely.

Analysis of data from various city systems gives municipal authorities the complete picture, enabling them to take the right actions. It is facilitated by the Live Objects platform. It is Orange’s in-house solution, that can be used by companies, cities and institutions. Live Objects integrates all city systems in a single place; then, they can be managed from virtually anywhere in the world as long as there is internet access. The operations of the platform are based on the analysis of huge amounts of data and M2M communications. The latter is possible thanks to special SIM cards (similar to those used in smartphones) installed in devices to make them automatically send information to the system. There are already over 2 million devices with such cards provided by Orange all over Poland, which is about 40% of the Polish M2M market. In the M2M technology, information is sent between devices via a mobile network without human involvement. The LTE-M network is used for these communications, as it can handle thousands of IoT devices per square kilometre. Importantly, this technology reaches also weak coverage sites, such as basements, and is energy-efficient, as devices can operate up to ten years on a single battery. The latter is achieved by ‘awakening’ devices only for brief moments when they need to send data.

We invest in modern technologies to increase the energy efficiency of our networks.

For example, we replace copper-based solutions with more energy-efficient fibre.

Orange Polska invests PLN 700–800 million annually in its fibre network. As a result, almost one third of Polish households are already within its reach. During the pandemic, our fibre network enabled data traffic higher by about 30% compared to older technologies.

Once at optimal usage rates, energy consumption in a fibre network is several times lower than in the case of copper wires, while transmission capacity per customer is higher.

Lower electricity consumption is a comparative advantage of fibre over copper-based solutions. Owing to the characteristics of optical lines, more customers can be connected to a single aggregate device without compromising on service quality. Moreover, as fibre develops, it becomes more effective. According to our analyses, energy consumption per FTTH customer is up to a dozen or so times lower than in networks based on copper technologies.

Fibre network is currently the most energy-efficient technology for the Internet access, and its efficiency increases as its capacity is filled. Fibre lines have virtually no physical limitations in terms of data transfer. Optical systems make it possible to achieve transmission range on an unparalleled scale and eliminate a considerable number of active network devices, which would otherwise consume energy.

Currently, we need four times less energy per customer to provide Orange fibre broadband then we did when this technology was introduced to the market in 2015. Thus, migration of our customers to a modern fibre network has a major impact on our green transformation and pursuit of climate neutrality by 2040. Owing to our customers increasingly choosing FTTH services, we are able to save 17 GWh of energy annually, which corresponds to 13,000 tonnes of CO2 less in the atmosphere.

We efficiently manage waste from dismantled copper lines. As much as three fourths of the elements of removed copper cables can be reused, e.g. to produce power cables or mobile phones. In terms of savings of raw materials, it is a valuable contribution to circular economy. Therefore, at Orange we ensure that the copper cables which are no longer needed are dismantled and recycled in a responsible manner.

As from 2021, Orange Polska intends to meet a portion of its energy needs from renewable sources.

Each year, Orange Group emits 1.5 million tonnes of CO2 globally. Orange Polska accounts for as much as one third of these emissions. This is a simple consequence of Poland’s energy mix which is based on coal. Therefore, the energy sources we use as a company are of key importance.

The first step in our response has been to conclude long-term contracts for electricity from two new wind farms built for Orange Polska by WPD in Greater Poland. They will become operational in mid-2021 and supply almost 50 GWh annually. This is about 9% of our annual energy needs. WPD could complete this project because Orange Polska guaranteed that it would purchase energy from it for many years. As a result, new renewable sources will be added to the market, improving Poland’s energy mix.

We will subsequently increase the use of renewable energy from facilities developed specifically for our needs, so as to increase their share to 60% of our annual energy consumption by 2025.

We have also decided to use the roofs and lands on our premises to produce green electricity for our own needs. We will follow the Solar-as-a-Service (SaaS) model. It means that our business partner will develop and maintain a photovoltaic (PV) system at its own expense, while we will lease an installation site and buy the solar energy produced. This benefits both parties and the environment. The first PV systems are scheduled for completion in the third quarter of 2021. They will supply a total of 900 kWp of energy, which accounts for almost 4% of the annual consumption by our two data centres.

Our Warsaw Data Hub, which is currently under construction, will also be equipped with a PV system of the initial capacity of 500 kWp (which can be subsequently expanded). No data centre operating in Poland has a similar solution at such scale. Furthermore, charging stations for electric cars will be developed on a parking lot in front of the Warsaw Data Hub, and ‘grey water’ (recycled waste water) will be used to irrigate the greens around the facility. Thanks to the technological solutions implemented in the Warsaw Data Hub, we will prevent CO2 emissions of about 5,000 tonnes annually, which corresponds to the annual emissions of 1,300 cars.

Impact on society

Our commitment KPI Performance
To expand access to new technologies for residents of small towns – digital development of local communities Number of participants (residents of small towns and villages) in educational activities 81 Orange Studios in villages and small town for 729,000 residents
To develop digital competencies among children and schools Number of participants (schools, children) in educational programmes 150 schools and 3,000 children in MegaMission Programme 140 schools and 2,866 children in #SuperCoders programme
To provide and support education on children’s online safety in schools and kindergartens all around Poland with the Safety on the internet programme Number of participants (children) in Safety on the internet programme 984 029 children using education materials

9.0 bn PLN

of Poland’s GDP generated by our services

99.9 %

of Poland’s population covered by our 4G network

5 million

households connectable with our fibre network (offering speeds of 300 Mbps or more)

154

cities connectable with our fibre network

11,3 million PLN

spent on social programmes and support to NGOs

41,000

jobs generated in other companies as a result of their co-operation with Orange Polska

7,2 million PLN

raised for NGOs from charity SMSs sent by our customers

4,600

educational institutions ran social programmes supported by Orange Polska

Orange Polska plays a special role in stimulating economic development. The telecommunication services and technologies that we provide are the lifeblood of a modern, effective and competitive knowledge-based economy. The Company’s infrastructure is used not only by individual users but also by other companies. The role of Orange Polska as a provider of ICT infrastructure is particularly important outside big cities, in rural and semi-rural areas that are less digitally connected.

The availability of new technologies influences whether we are willing and able to live in a particular location; it also determines whether our businesses can compete with others, choose the best offers, find appropriate employees or ensure smooth collaboration. As an ICT infrastructure provider, we have the power to enhance the investment attractiveness of particular regions and locations.

Digital technology has become a critical factor in the pursuit of a good life; as a result, social exclusion is now a digital issue. By providing telecommunications services we facilitate communication between people; we strive to ensure that everyone, regardless of their place of residence, income, age or ability, has access to the opportunities offered by new technologies.

During the pandemic, we were able to see how important a role new technologies play in our work, science, public hearing and social life.

Support for relief and health services

One of the key activities of Orange Polska as a mobile operator is to ensure efficient communication in hospitals served by the network. We have expanded network capacity at sites servicing sensitive locations and have secured portable sites, enabling quick reaction if necessary by providing additional network capacity at selected locations.

We have implemented priority FIX service procedures for infectious-disease hospitals, and established direct contact with network administrators in hospitals to be able to react as quickly as possible in case of a failure. We have launched an SMS service (24/7) providing information about the coronavirus risk in Poland for customers returning to the country and for foreigners logging on. The mechanism is managed by a custom-built service.

We provided technological support (telephones and SIM cards) for the Neonatology Clinic of the Polish Mother’s Memorial Hospital Research Institute in Łódź. The Neonatology Ward was closed to visitors, even parents of premature babies. Telephones are needed to take photos and videos of children and send them to their parents. Orange Polska also joined the Coalition of Companies supporting the fight against the coronavirus, providing Warsaw Genomics with financial support to perform additional virus tests. The Orange Foundation helped the Children’s Memorial Health Institute by purchasing a computer that facilitates remote consultations.

Support for remote education

A week after schools closed, the Orange Foundation invited teachers to webinars about methods of teaching on the Internet. As part of the MegaMission programme, a total of 1,708 participants took part in six open meetings presenting techniques and useful tools for working remotely with students. A further 5,333 people took part in six webinars under the Lesson:Enter programme dedicated to similar topics. The Foundation has also made available tutorials on how to use the tools that diversify remote learning.

They were watched by more than 34,000 teachers. If we add these figures, it turns out that Orange‘s educational activities could reach every tenth teacher in Poland.

Orange organised the Pomagajmy Gigabajtami (Let‘s Help with Gigabytes) campaign. It allowed Orange customers to donate unused gigabytes from their Internet packages for tablets for children from orphanages in Silesia. In the first two weeks of the campaign alone, 10,000 of our customers joined in. Orange has donated 160 tablets with free internet to children‘s homes. Thanks to the Orange Foundation, 12 children‘s homes and SOS Children‘s Villages received the hardware needed for online lessons – computers with software, headphones and cameras.

We also invited Orange Flex customers to help children with access to education. In April, in less than 24 hours, they donated unused GB and thus collected a fixed pool, which Orange doubled. A total of 10,000 GB was exchanged for 1,000 LTE modems with Orange Flex cards, which were delivered to 44 schools in 36 locations.

Orange Polska has prepared an offer for students and teachers: as part of Orange Flex they could use the Internet for two months for PLN 1 per month. This means that they had up to 200 GB of data transfer to be used in two months for online learning. With the beginning of the academic year we also supported university students. All current and new Orange Flex users with the student status could activate an additional 100 GB package for free, valid for 180 days. GB could be used freely, for learning and entertainment.

For students, Edu Pass was also launched, i.e. free data transfer to the most popular educational services, such as Librus, Vulcan or Matzoo.

Relief in the pandemic

It wasn’t just young people who experienced new and deepening problems because of pandemicrelated isolation. Orange has been involved in setting up a support network for people in crisis who had difficulty accessing assistance in the pandemic. The telecoms operator supported, among others, webinars by the Polish Suicidology Society and Empowering Children Foundation on providing online psychological assistance, which were planned in response to the demand of psychologists who wanted to help online but did not know how to do it. The webinars were attended by 8,360 participants.

The following also received support:

  • Empowering Children Foundation and its 116 000 helpline have received many years of support to help solve problems for children and young people.
  • Find Help Foundation – for the launch of a helpline for people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, with psychologists providing psychological support to all who need it.
  • Sławek Foundation – a helpline for families in crisis and people drinking dangerously during home isolation. Assistance provided by qualified psychologists.
  • Women‘s Rights Centre Foundation – technological support (SIM cards) for providing psychological and legal assistance to women in need.

Orange Foundation

An important element of our responsibility is constituted by the activities of the Orange Foundation focusing on social programmes which concern modern technologies. The strengthening of digital competence, safety of the youngest web surfers, and finally providing inhabitants of small towns with access to information, knowledge and technology – these are the most important activities of the Orange Foundation. Our programmes reflect the strategic idea of our thinking and local activities. We listen to people’s needs, we co-operate with experts and social partners, and then we suggest solutions which may be used by the society, school and non-governmental organization. Since 2005, we help not only by committing our money, but also our knowledge and skills.

Thanks to Orange Foundation we:

  • teach children and parents online safety rules
  • support modern digital education for children and youth
  • help residents of small towns develop digital literacy
  • inspire people to use modern technologies wisely and creatively
  • conduct studies on digitisation and the use of technology in Poland
  • run nationwide educational projects for schools
  • connect people who need help with our volunteers.

Orange Foundation programs: Orange Studios, MegaMission, #SuperCoders, Lesson:Enter, FabLab, Safety Here and There and Orange Corporate Volunteering

In order to facilitate access to information, knowledge and technology among local communities, we have developed Orange Studios.

Orange Studios are public multimedia studios in small towns and villages, which we create and help to manage. Their purpose is to provide members of the local community with access to new technologies, courses and workshops. The studio leaders are provided with professional training and financial aid to help them manage these modern and attractive meeting places. To date, we have set up a total of 100 Orange Studios across the country. In addition, we have launched an online knowledge-sharing platform for their users. It features a portfolio of ready-toimplement projects and a gamification module that uses game mechanisms to build social skills and motivate residents to work for the benefit of their neighbourhoods. The initiatives are aimed at different groups: children and youth, people with disabilities, young mothers and senior citizens. In 2020, the equipment in the oldest Studios was replaced or retrofitted. In addition, a makerspace (a space supporting the use of new technologies in a DIY approach) was launched in five Orange Studios.

Orange Studios 2019 2020
Active Studios maintained 65 81
Local leaders trained in digital and organisational skills 138 46
Population with access to Studios 585,000 729,000

MegaMission is a nationwide educational programme for primary schools. 

It can be carried out during lessons or in after-school clubs. It is addressed to kids aged 6 to 10 and their teachers. We aim to enhance knowledge and digital competence of teachers and after-school educators and their pupils. We want children to be safe and conscious multimedia users, and we want their teachers to have access to proven materials which they can use to deliver modern classes. MegaMission provides a solid basis for wisely and safely navigating the world in which we can no longer function without technology. Due to the closure of schools and the need to support teachers, the programme was modified to include a number of additional webinars for teachers to assist them in coping with the remote education challenges. School closure was also reflected in a decrease in the number of children participating in the programme in 2020.

MegaMission 2019 2020
Children trained in the programme 7,000 3,000
Teachers trained in the programme 150 150
School facilities provided with IT equipment and teaching aids 150 150

#SuperCoders is a nationwide educational programme aimed at primary school students of grades 4 to 8. Its key element is learning the skill of programming in an innovative manner, as it takes place during science, mathematics, history, music or Polish language classes rather than IT classes. 

All teaching materials have been based on the Polish school curriculum. Young #SuperCoders develop teamwork skills, creativity and logical thinking. A separate path has been launched for children with special educational needs. The teachers participating in the programme are offered professional training and technical support by expert educators. In 2020, a new educational path was incorporated into the programme. Due to the closure of schools, an additional series of remote classes for children, ‘Mornings with #SuperCoders’, was introduced.

#SuperCoders 2019 2020
Children trained in the programme 2,894 2,866
Teachers trained in the programme 300 280
Schools provided with equipment to teach programming 150 140

Lesson:Enter is a nationwide digital education programme addressed to teachers and aimed to enhance their digital skills. 

More than 75,000 teachers (15% from each region of Poland) will be trained in 2020–2023. The programme prepares teachers to use activating teaching methods. They learn how to use educational websites and portals, e-resources and various applications in a responsible and creative way, while observing safety precautions. Training includes a hands-on component, in which teachers create their own digital content for future use during their lessons.

The programme is carried out in conjunction with the Information Society Development Foundation and Institute of Public Affairs. It is implemented in the re-granting scheme by in-service teacher training centres in collaboration with local governments or non governmental organisations. In 2020, we provided financial and technical support to 54 grant projects. The programme was joined by 1,739 schools, and 7,890 teachers began their training. The programme is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund in the Digital Poland Operational Programme with almost PLN 49 million.

In two cities, Warsaw and Gdańsk, Orange Polska has created FabLabs (fabrication laboratories), that is open studios for people who want to learn how to use modern technologies in a creative way.

FabLabs offer support by experienced educators, professional equipment and free workshops for children and young people. FabLab in Gdańsk carried out a project supporting women in the labour market, while FabLab in Warsaw launched a series of classes for children and young people, ‘FabLab at Home’. FabLabs and selected Orange Studios became involved in the 3D printing of visors for medical staff.

One of the most important issues for us is the safety of children and young people on the internet and preparing young people to use new media in a conscious way.

These goals are pursued through educational activities of the Orange Foundation and the Group’s services related to customer safety. We support education on children’s on-line safety in schools and kindergartens all around Poland. The Orange Foundation, in co-operation with the Empowering Children Foundation, offers a range of educational tools and materials, such as e-learning and educational websites, on-line brochures and guidelines for pupils, parents and teachers. Adults (especially educators and specialists) can participate in conferences, seminars and workshops, as well as use an on-line interactive course for parents and guardians teaching them how to protect their children on-line.

Furthermore, in 2020, the Orange Foundation was a partner to the ‘Protect your child’s brain!’ campaign carried out by the Empowering Children Foundation. The campaign, which promoted introducing screen rules for kids, reached 3,316,064 people.

Safe Use of New Technologies 2019 2020
Parents and guardians using the educational materials 418,365 174,917
Children involved in the educational initiatives 1,114,868 984,029
Schools participating in the initiatives 3,977 4,600

Orange Polska has OK SENIOR quality certificate awarded by the National Institute for Silver Economy, for call centre service and for POS. 

We introduced facilities for seniors at our call centre to meet the needs of our senior customers, who could not always cope with the extensive menu, namely: automatic menu shortened to a minimum, dedicated advisors, unlimited talk time. In addition, all letters addressed to senior customers are printed using a bigger font.

We also provide workshops for seniors on how to use new technologies. In 2019, we organised stationary workshops for seniors at Orange Studios and elsewhere. In the field of digital education, we co-operate with the National Institute of Senior Economy and we are a partner of the educational and information portal for seniors – ABC Senior. In 2020, due to the pandemic, we implemented online courses for seniors – ABC of the digital world with a smartphone. There were two series of classes, eight workshops each, and the programme was attended by over 300 seniors.

We have prepared a Senior Policy for Orange Polska, in which facilities for seniors, digital education and dedicated communication. The strategy will be implemented from 2021.

At Orange Fab, we develop, test and implement innovative solutions.

Startups can rely on mentoring, technical support in the field of access to cloud platforms, such as Live Objects, Integrated Computing and LTE-M or 5G connectivity, as well as the possibility of jointly offering their products and services with Orange Poland. For Orange, such cooperation means access to unconventional ideas, technologies and business models of our partners. This allows us to identify, define and present new sources of income or savings and build a competitive advantage.

As with most companies, 2020 was a period full of challenges and unexpected changes for us. From the very beginning, our activities focused on the digital transformation of business. We put emphasis on it both when meeting the internal needs of Orange and when preparing products and services for our customers. In the context of COVID-19, the development of new technologies has become more important. Digitisation has proven to be the best way to survive a pandemic. Our earlier approach was therefore in line with the current situation. In activities supporting internal digitisation in Orange, we focused on increasing the effectiveness of online campaigns as well as AR and VR technologies in order to create attractive tools to improve customer service and training for our employees. We have also taken steps to increase the efficiency of the process of creating and modifying applications in an integrated IT environment, to take into account the dynamically changing amount and structure of data.

While working on solutions for our clients, we have chosen to simplify their business operations as a priority. We focused mainly on digitization and automation of processes in areas such as cashless payments, remote data reading and management of heating and energy infrastructure, taking into account both renewable energy sources and the receivers themselves.

The most important implementations in cooperation with startups in the past year:

  • an analytical platform that integrates business data from various sources in one place. This allows the marketing area to implement more effective promotional campaigns in the online channel.
  • solutions for remote reading of electricity meters and controller for managing heat nodes using LTE-M technology. These solutions enabled the creation of new IoT services for the energy and heating sector.
  • the virtual Orange Laboratory, thanks to which customer service employees, using VR technology, learn about the devices and services that customers use. These are, among others: Smart WiFi Box, FunBox, Orange TV GO or a multi-recorder.
  • Android and IoS mobile application that allows to accept BLIK payments using a smartphone.

We implemented projects in partnerships with other accelerators, including Space3ac, Accelpoint, Brinc, and The Heart. Only as part of cooperation with Space3ac, we analyzed over 300 submitted ideas in order to choose solutions that best fit our development needs and the needs of our clients.

The positive results of co-operation with companies as part of Orange Fab in 2020 have shown us that it’s the right strategy, and we want it to continue. We see that companies emerging from the acceleration umbrella become reliable business partners, and this opens up the prospect of longterm co-operation beneficial to both parties.

Orange Polska has been a partner of the Sektor 3.0 Fund for 3 years.

It is a program supporting the creation of new tools, applications and digital products that fit the idea of #TechForGood and the digital transformation of social organizations. The fund is a combination of financial support, knowledge and experience necessary to implement the new technology. Experts from Orange Polska are among people who educate and advise startups in the development and implementation of their ideas.

Orange Polska is a partner of the project Startups of Positive Impact. This programme is addressed to enterprises created in the last five years, which implement innovative business models generating economic and social benefits simultaneously. A ‘startup of positive impact’ is an innovative form of entrepreneurship that creates sustainable value directed at changes in quality and in patterns of lifestyle, production and consumption. Kozminski Business Hub thus starts the process of building an ecosystem of positive impact in the Kozminski University, with the participation of leaders of the Responsible Companies Ranking and the best startups of positive impact in Poland.

Orange Polska has adopted a sponsorship policy.

Our approach reflects the global sponsorship strategy of the Orange Group. In our strategic sponsoring area, which currently is music, we develop long-term, comprehensive, nationwide projects addressed to a large group of our existing or prospective customers. We sponsor various initiatives on a long-term rather than one-off basis. Key projects are subject to approval by the Management Board of Orange Polska. We have established the Sponsorship Committee to centralise project management of sponsorship opportunities in the Orange Polska Group.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Orange music festivals were not held in their usual spots in 2020. However, an on-line event, Open’er Festival Powered by Orange: TAKE ME THERE!, was organised, which involved rebroadcast of 23 best concerts from the last ten editions of Open’er Festival. The event comprised 30 hours of on-line concerts and over 113 hours of streaming.

As part of its donation policy, Orange Polska has adopted formal rules for using the Donation Fund.

These are specified in the relevant Decision of the Board Member in charge of Strategy and Corporate Affairs.

Orange Polska S.A. follows clear and transparent rules in making donations:

  • Any donation requires analysis and recommendation;
  • Any donation is subject to approval by the President of the Management Board of Orange Polska;
  • Any donation is made under a written donation agreement;
  • All donations are effected by transfers and registered in the accounting systems of Orange Polska;
  • Each agreement includes a requirement to confirm that the donation has been used in line with its purpose.

Furthermore, Orange Polska provides free of charge dedicated fundraising numbers for charity SMS messaging. All the receipts are subsequently transferred to social causes, such as social campaigns and programmes, assistance to the victims of natural or man-made disasters, or initiatives saving human life and health.

For years, we have provided charity SMS messaging to a number of charity organisations, including Caritas Polska, Polsat Foundation, TVN Foundation, Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity and Work of the New Millennium Foundation. In 2020, fundraising numbers were launched for 15 organisations, which raised a total of over PLN 7.2 million.

Grants 2019 2020
Total support granted, (in PLN millions) 9.3 11.3

Orange Polska is a signatory to Poland’s Declaration of Co-operation for the Safety of Children Online.

The signatories of the Declaration are the Minister of Digitization, the Minister of National Education, the Ombudsman for Children, representatives of state institutions, media, internet portals and telecommunication operators. The Working Group on Child Safety and Youth on the Internet has been set up. The priority of the work of this team will be to develop solutions and present proposed actions in the field of secure internet access for the youngest users.

Orange Polska is a signatory of Pact for Accessibility plus 2018-2025. The Pact is a commitment to cooperate in order to implement the objectives of the governmental Accessibility plus programme to eliminate barriers in the lives of people with disabilities. The signatories of the document undertake to manage the idea of accessibility and equal treatment, and together aim to equalize opportunities and access for all citizens to the physical, social and cultural environment, alongside recreation, leisure, sport, health care, education, work, transport, information and means of communication.

Orange Polska has signed a declaration of the participants of the Ombudsman’s Round Table to fight pathologies on the Internet, including the limitations of pathological streaming and its destructive social and educational consequences. The members of the coalition are lawyers, scientists, representatives of public authorities, non-governmental organizations, technology companies as well as youtubers and journalists.

Being a digital and caring employer

Our commitment KPI Performance
To create culture of co-operation in which all employees feel respected and freely pursue their professional goals and life passions Number of employees* 2017: 14,587
2018: 13,197
2019: 12,034
2020: 11,048
To offer better working conditions, constant enhancement of the work environment and focus on talent development Share of women among managers 2017: 32.7%
2018: 32.9%
2019: 33.0%
2020: 33.1%
To continue workforce optimisation in cooperation with trade unions Number of training hours per year per employee Number of training hours per employee

2017: 32
2018: 25
2019: 30
2020: 25

Employees satisfaction ratio
(International Social Barometr)
(on a scale from -100 to +100)

2017: 31.5
2018: 31.1
2020: 33.9
2021: 43.6

* excluding Networks!

Delivery on our commitments in 2020

As an employer, Orange Polska strives to combine the best of both digital and human approaches. Our goal it is to enable employees to contribute to our Company’s transformation, for the benefit of the customer experience. Everyone’s commitment is key to the achievement of our strategic challenge – being a digital and caring employer. One of Orange Polska’s goals is to be the company most preferred by employees.

The year 2020 was marked by the pandemic, which significantly affected our work, lifestyle and social relations.

As from mid-March 2020, 80% of Orange Polska’s own and outsourced employees switched to remote work. At lightning speed, we moved our office and call centre staff to work at home and trained our outlet staff in telesales. It was a huge logistics operation, which involved providing the necessary equipment, access and protections, and a great organisational challenge, which required the development of new tools and systems for work, meetings and communications.

These actions were very well received by our employees: 92% of the respondents assessed our remote work model as good or very good, and 95% declared that the functioning of their team under remote work conditions was good or very good. Moreover, 68% of our employees would definitely like to continue remote work in the future (survey conducted in April 2020).

We also changed our communications in order to provide our employees with the best possible support and access to information at this difficult time. We introduced regular webinars with Management Board Members, which became an important platform for sharing key information and building the sense of security. 93% of our employees positively assessed our corporate communications and perceived it as open and honest.

Initially, hybrid work was to be a short-term response to the pandemic, but it came to be a trend which will survive and transform the way we manage our organisation.

For Orange Polska, the hybrid system became one of the pillars of the new work model that we called SMILE (Safe, Mobile, Integrated, Leading, Efficient). It will be fully introduced once staying in the office will no longer involve strict sanitary regime.

The model was tested, with safety precautions, between July and September 2020, during a decrease in intensity of the pandemic. We assumed the principles: three days at home, two days in the office. Ultimately, teams will be working in the office on the same days and from home also on the same days. The office/home rhythm may change depending on the tasks performed by the team.

A major limitation was that some teams, mostly at call centres, lacked mobile tools. As an investment in improving the work environment, 2,500 desktop computers were replaced with laptops or virtual desktops in 2020.

These changes were supported by an educational module for all employees. First, we provided training and other development activities related to remote work and digital skills, as well as tools supporting regular contact and team work. Our employees were also invited to webinars on remote work organisation, mental and physical condition, healthy lifestyle and management of one’s family relations or emotions during a period of isolation.

Second, in response to requests by our employees who complained about continuous on-line meetings, we introduced a rule that meetings could not exceed an hour and suggested a common ‘meeting-free hour’ during a day.

The pandemic brought a considerable mental burden on us. Therefore, we established a dedicated community on our internal portal Orange Plazza for sharing experiences and problems and providing mutual support. We also offered assistance from our internal coaches and, if required, dedicated psychological support. It has been an important element of our Policy of Investing in Health Quality and Well-being of Employees.

Our buildings remain open, but they are used mostly be people who cannot effectively perform their tasks from home. Sales outlets and technical personnel also work on the ground. Hence, it is important to ensure safety of our field technicians, salespeople and other persons who cannot perform their duties at home. We have responded to this need by investing in personal protective equipment and safety measures, organising shift work organisation and regularly disinfecting premises.

Apart from meeting the sanitary requirements, we have implemented additional solutions, such as remote mist generators for disinfecting sales outlets. The Company has also allocated funds for additional equipment for technicians and salespeople as well as awards for employees to acknowledge their work and commitment in the difficult pandemic era.

Our employees are consulted about the SMILE solutions, and the ones already introduced have been very well received, as confirmed by surveys.

We are building our organisational culture in open dialogue with our employees. The process of culture change, which was initiated in 2017, is based on organisational health surveys (according to McKinsey & Company’s methodology). Three editions have been held so far. The results have enabled us to determine the key priorities in changing our organisational culture, which include: open communication and feedback culture, co-operation, simplification, learning from errors, building motivation through appreciation, and employee development. Thanks to this, we have been able to create an organisational culture which supports the implementation of our strategy, as it is customer-centric, while ensuring the involvement of our employees.

Our initiatives:

  • Building a feedback culture through: Feedback 360° for all employees (every two years), summarising meetings and monthly Pulsometer;
  • Development of employees and managers:
    • Leader in Action – 10 rules which constitute the basis for leader assessment and development;
    • Me in Action – 10 rules or specific behaviours which constitute the basis for employee development, feedback and recruitment.
  • Open and two-way communication to engage employees using new communication formats:
    o #bezcukru [No sugar] – regular meetings of Board Members with employees (every week or two), more than 2,000 employees on average (with online video streaming to more than 150 Orange Polska locations).
  •  Co-operation
    • Monthly Pulsometer – a team feedback survey focused on co-operation and achieving goals;
    • Leader in Action community – a common platform for all managers for sharing best management practices and knowledge, and building common understanding of the Company’s objectives.
  • Motivation:
    • Modification of the incentive system – quarterly bonuses are now included in the base salary, a new two-tier system of financial awards;
    • Building a culture of appreciation through transparent communications and joint celebration of the successes of the Company and individual employees (e.g. annual head of function award galas and CEO award gala);
    • O!klaski [Applause!] application enabling employees to express their appreciation, thank for co-operation and recognise daily successes.
  • Simplification, learning from errors, innovation:
    • Simplification of processes company-wise – improvement of the processes carried out by employees on the 1st line (advisers, sellers, technicians, couriers) affecting ergonomics and job satisfaction. So far, 25 initiatives have been implemented, affecting 8,000 people. employees by improving their day-to-day experiences.
    • ‘Listen and Respond’ clubs – a project encouraging employees to propose and implement improvements within the Company; 160 such clubs with almost 700 employees involved were established in 2020;
    • Oz – an initiative to support innovation and collaboration among employees.

In 2020, we once again received the Top Employer Polska, Top Employer Europe and Top Employer Global – as well as HR Best Quality – certificates. They reflect our commitment to better working conditions and our focus on employee development, as well as implementation and constant enhancement of good human capital practices.

Orange Polska has adopted the Diversity Management Policy, which was determined in the Decision no. 36/16 of the President of the Management Board dated 19 September 2016.

Our Diversity Management Policy aims to bolster the pursuit of our business objectives and support compliance with the values enshrined in the Code of Ethics, CSR goals and the obligations under the Diversity Charter, of which Orange Polska is a signatory. In addition, the Policy refers to the Global Diversity Management and Inclusion Policy in Orange.

The key diversity dimensions in the Group are as follows: gender, age, competence / expertise / experience / way of thinking, psychophysical skills, (dis)abilities, and parental status. Other diagnosed dimensions include: religion / beliefs, workplace location (headquarters vs. region), type of employment, and nationality / ethnic origin.

Diversity Management Policy covers the following areas:

  • Creating a working environment open to diverse mindsets;
  • Building a corporate culture which derives from diversity;
  • Providing adequate conditions for employee development;
  • Supporting involvement of all employees;
  • Increasing the quality of human capital management in the organisation.

The implementation of our Diversity Management Policy is supported by the Committee for Gender Equality and Diversity in the Workplace. The quality of our diversity management has been confirmed by the Gender Equality European and International Standard (GEEIS) certificate.

With respect to administering, managing and supervising bodies, the rules specified in the Policy include proper selection of employees and leadership.

In the recruitment process, we follow transparent rules and criteria of candidate selection. Decisions to recruit particular employees are based on their qualifications and professional experience. We ensure that candidates represent diverse communities.

In terms of leadership, the diversity requirements include care for the diversity of decision-making bodies within the Company.

In complementary action plans to the Policy, we have assumed a requirement for analysis of management and supervisory bodies in terms of diversity with respect to such aspects as age, gender, education or professional experience.

The duties and responsibilities, as well as the requirements related to qualifications, expertise and competence of the Supervisory Board Members are specified in the Company’s Articles of Association. In addition, Orange Polska applies the provisions of the Best Practice for GPW Listed Companies.

The Supervisory Board currently consists of 14 members, including five independent members. They are appointed by the General Meeting (or, in exceptional cases, by the Supervisory Board). The term of office for the member of the Supervisory Board is three years. There are four women on the Supervisory Board.

The Management Board currently consists of eight members, including the President. They are appointed by the Supervisory Board. The term of office for a member of the Management Board is three years. There are two women on the Management Board.

The Diversity Management Policy aims to bolster the pursuit of our business objectives, address changes in the labour market and respond to the expectations of our employees. The policy also supports compliance with the values enshrined in the Code of Ethics, CSR goals and the obligations under the Diversity Charter, of which we are a signatory.

The Diversity Charter is an international initiative implemented in 24 European countries The Charter is a written declaration, signed by organisations, companies and institutions that undertake to prohibit discrimination in the workplace and take measures to create and promote diversity, and express readiness to involve all employees and business and social partners in these activities. Organisations which decide to implement this tool work for cohesion and social equality.

Responding to the need to provide greater support for women in their development and access to management positions, but also combining their professional and family commitments, we have launched the Razem.One [Together.One] programme.

Razem.One is a programme which fits into the culture change, addressed to all Orange Polska’s employees. It aims to show how important for our business it is to use the potential of each of us by creating sustainable teams, consisting of both women and men.

It encompasses four areas:

  • Power – To empower women by increasing their courage to take new challenges, building their self-confidence and supporting them in their return to a professional development and carrier path after childbirth, as well as helping them to combine their professional and private commitments;
  • Awareness – To develop and strengthen broad awareness of the business role of women in raising efficiency, building organisational culture and pursuing business objectives;
  • Ambition – To ensure opportunities for career development and promotion by increasing the number of women at managerial positions and the number of female candidates during recruitment to managerial positions, as well as reducing wage gaps at equivalent positions;
  • Presence – To increase the presence of women in decision-making roles and technical functions.

In 2020, we launched some new initiatives in the Razem.One programme.

In the Razem.Lokalnie [Together locally] project, through a community of local ambassadors we encourage women to pursue managerial positions, work in the IT area and join initiatives for local communities. This project provides an opportunity for both female and male employees from different locations to participate in inspirational meetings and development activities, such as mentoring, coaching or shadowing. Currently, there are 30 diversity ambassadors and 12 local teams within the Company.

Włącz.One [Turn on.One] is another practice in this domain. Through an educational and informational campaign we encourage women to pursue a career in the field of technology. We want our teams to be built on the basis of diversity of competence and experience, because then we can be more innovative and we can better respond to the needs of our customers, the market and the changing environment. This is the idea behind the Włącz.One campaign, which aims to change the perception of the technology field among women and get them interested in pursuing careers in companies like ours. We strive to strengthen the image of female professionals in technology. We hope to attract more job applications from talented female graduates and women which already have experience in the IT area. The Włącz.One project is based on the willingness to share knowledge and experience by female ambassadors who are employed and successful in Orange Polska. By showing their profiles and history we inspire and motivate people outside and inside the organisation to work in the field of technology.

Furthermore, Orange Polska is a partner of the Women in Tech Summit Prospects conference, the biggest event for women in science and technology in Europe. We are an active participant of the Women’s IT Career Day, an event organised by Future Collars in the #WomanUpdate campaign. Orange Polska was also included in the Strong Leaders Creator in IT 2020 report, which aims to present best corporate practices in supporting women development in the IT area.

Orange Polska, as a technology company, focuses on employee development adapted to the challenges of the modern world. Our employees can develop their competencies through the Orange Learning platform, following development paths for key competencies based on the ‘Know–Practice–Deepen’ framework. The platform offers various forms of development, from short knowledge pills and videos (Know) and e-learning courses, business simulations, virtual classes and webinars (Practice) to educational communities, coaching, mentoring, peer mentoring and action learning (Deepen). These resources are supplemented by the international Orange Campus programme. In addition, Orange Polska supports the emergence of employee expert communities. In the Knowledge Highway programme, selected internal experts conduct training, sharing their expertise in the particular area with other employees.

The right choice of development activities is supported by the feedback culture we build in the organisation and the relevant tools: 360 Feedback and Pulse Meter, i.e. a quick monthly opinion poll on achievement of objectives and atmosphere within teams.

Development of managers is based on the leadership model which comprises 10 Leader-in-Action rules. We offer dedicated development paths based on these rules to our managers. We will also support the emergence of leaders community.

In 2020, the pandemic necessitated quick adaptation to the new needs and implementation of development initiatives supporting remote work and the hybrid work model. Consequently, we have created new training modules in a short, digital form, which work towards developing competencies, such as individual and team efficiency, co-operation and communication, digital mindset, work tools, and the management of stress and well-being.

We also train outsourced staff in knowledge specific to Orange Polska and necessary to perform their duties.

We ensure safe and friendly working conditions for our employees, promoting integration and making them feel better in their workplace. We have implemented a competitive package of initiatives to support health and well-being of our employees, creating conditions for development, increased creativeness and commitment to the assigned tasks. This in turn enables building a valuable offer which supports employee recruitment and retention.

The goals set in the Policy for Investing in Health Quality and Well-being of Orange Polska’s Employees are pursued through a comprehensive approach to:

  • Physical well-being – we provide comprehensive health care to our employees, support their physical activity, including operation of sports clubs, promote a healthy lifestyle, and create safe and friendly work environment, particularly during the coronavirus pandemic;
  • Mental well-being – we educate employees in stress reduction techniques, take initiatives to support balance between professional and personal life, strive for healthy workplace relations, implement culture of feedback and appreciation, and provide psychological support in difficult situations;
  • Social well-being – we build culture of co-operation in which all employees feel respected and can freely pursue their professional goals and life passions, and we support their involvement in social initiatives in the corporate volunteering programme.

Orange Polska’s employees are eligible for the following benefits:

  • Comprehensive medical services at clinics of LUXMED Group (to the end of May) or PZU Zdrowie (from June), as well as partner medical facilities nationwide;
  • Employee Retirement Plan;
  • Company Social Benefits Fund, as a means of social welfare addressed to employees and retired employees in need;
  • Central Housing Fund and Central Welfare Fund;
  • Discounts by the Group’s partners and for Orange products and services in the ‘Offer for You’ programme;
  • Sports, tourist and cultural events, as well as FitProfit cards;
  • Tele- or remote work;
  • Healthy lifestyle promotional initiatives: webinars, challenges and expert consultations;
  • Psychological support by an internal team of psychologists and external specialists.

Both full-time and part-time employees are eligible for all the aforementioned benefits. Employees working under a fixed-term employment contract are eligible for health care and promotional offers, but are not eligible for benefits that require long-term commitments, such as the Central Welfare Fund or the Employee Retirement Plan.

% of employees eligible for health care 100%
% of employees covered by the Employee Retirement Plan* 84.1%

The Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Policy regulates activities aimed to ensure work safety, health protection and constant improvement in working conditions to all employees. We aim to incorporate OHS elements into all activities of Orange Polska and on all management levels in order to ensure safe working conditions, so that all our employees can actively perform their day-to-day duties in a friendly working environment.

In 2020, our efforts in the occupational health and safety area focused primarily on ensuring safety at work to all employees and protecting their health during the pandemic. We developed and implemented workplace safety rules for our outlets, call centers and offices, and provided disinfectants and personal protective equipment. We also prepared special operating procedures in case of suspected or confirmed COVID-19 infection.

We respect the employees’ right to associate and we run continuous dialogue with our Social Partners. As part of this dialogue, we negotiate settlements, agreements or other documents with trade unions in Orange Polska S.A. There is also the Employee Council in the Company, which pursuant to mandatory regulations is consulted on matters related to the level, structure and intended changes of workforce, actions aimed at maintaining the workforce level, as well as any significant changes in work organisation or employment terms.

The Intragroup Collective Labour Agreement has been concluded with Social Partners in Orange Polska, which regulates, inter alia, the rules for concluding and terminating employment contracts, working hours, holiday entitlement, rules of remuneration and obtaining extra benefits connected with work, occupational safety and health issues, training, social care and health care.

Furthermore, the Management Board of Orange Polska S.A. concludes Social Agreements with its Social Partners. The current Social Agreement was concluded in December 2019 and remains in force for two years. In particular, it sets the number of voluntary departures, determines a financial package for employees leaving the Company under the voluntary departure scheme, provides for potential basic salary rises and additional compensation for employees reaching retirement age within the next four years, while specifying the position and role of internal mobility in supporting an allocation programme and offering participation in an outplacement programme. In addition, the Social Agreement for 2020–2021 provides for the follow-up of the ‘Friendly Work Environment’ programme and continuation of medical coverage.

In addition, the Settlement for 2020 was concluded in December 2019, determining the detailed procedures for the implementation of the Social Agreement for 2020–2021 in 2020. The Settlement set the number of employees to leave Orange Polska S.A. in 2020 at 1,250 and determined the terms of voluntary departures in 2020 as well as the amount of severance pay and additional compensation for employees departing in 2020. The Settlement also specified the principles and criteria to be applied by the employer in the process of selecting employees whose employment was to be terminated through no fault of the employee. In June 2020, the Management Board of Orange Polska S.A. and the Signatories to the Intragroup Collective Labour Agreement signed the Additional Protocol regarding the system of jubilee awards for long service.

In June 2020, the Management Board of Orange Polska S.A. signed a Settlement with its Social Partners on amending the Social Agreement for the years 2020–2021 to partially mitigate the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company’s business performance. Under the negotiated Settlement, the rate of basic salary increases in 2020 was reduced and the procedure of awarding them was changed, while PLN 8 million from the Central Fund was reallocated for additional financing of the ‘Orange Vitality Academy’, particularly the ‘Friendly Work Environment’ project. The employer also undertook to minimise the number of dismissals in the process of collective redundancies until the end of 2020; as a result, the quota of departures in 2020 was not to fully utilized.

In December 2020, a Settlement was concluded with the Social Partners, which determines the detailed procedures for the implementation of the Social Agreement for 2020–2021 in 2021. The Settlement determines the terms of voluntary departures in Orange Polska S.A. and sets the limit of dismissals at 920 in 2021.

In addition, there is a Collective Labour Agreement at TP Teltech sp. z o.o.

Our headquarters, Miasteczko Orange (Orange Town) in Warsaw has been designed and constructed to minimise its environmental footprint. It is an A+ class office complex and has been awarded a BREEAM certificate with the Excellent rating. The certificate confirms that our office complies with the strictest environmental standards and top European construction standards.

So far, we have opened new eco-friendly offices in several other locations in Poland, namely in Gdańsk, Łódź, Radom, Toruń, Bydgoszcz, Wrocław and Katowice. And other cities are waiting down the line: in 2021 we will provide our employees with new offices in Olsztyn, Opole and Zielona Góra. While choosing new office buildings, we consider their BREEAM or LEAD certificates, resource management efficiency (especially with respect to water and energy, as new buildings can help to reduce their consumption by several dozen percent), green areas, municipal waste management system, access to public transport and biking infrastructure.

In our facilities, we reduce energy consumption, segregate waste and digitise internal processes to reduce paper consumption. By eliminating bottled water for office use in all our sites, we save about 500,000 plastic bottles annually. It not only eliminates several tonnes of plastic but also reduces CO2 emissions by avoiding water transport. In our locations we create communities composed of representatives of different functions, ‘Town Councils’, which are to initiate eco-friendly campaigns in urban space in co-operation with local municipalities.

We put much attention to the environmental education of our employees. We educate them in eco-driving and organise campaigns to develop zero-waste habits or collect phones for recycling, environmental topical campaigns regarding biodiversity or waste segregation, and webinars and training on climate change and ICT impact on the climate. We introduce electric and hybrid cars to our fleet. In 2021, electric cars will become available in our car rental for employees in the Orange Town.

In 2021, we will also launch a city bike rental station by the Orange Town. We are talking with other municipalities to introduce a similar solution in other cities.

We have launched the Eco-Fridays series on Orange Polska’s corporate blog, in which we discuss the impact of technology on the environment and climate. We have also created a community of employees committed to protection of the natural environment.

We have constructed an apiary in the Orange Town in Warsaw, thus supporting the idea of urban beekeeping and simultaneously highlighting the impact of climate change on biodiversity. Apiaries will also appear in our other office sites. Furthermore, we ensure proper management of green areas in our locations.

 

Orange Polska has the biggest employee volunteering programme in Poland, which has been running for 16 years. Our employees share their knowledge, skills and experience, teaching children and seniors how to use the Internet safely and wisely and carrying out their own projects for local communities with the support of the Orange Foundation. In 2020, the scope and nature of volunteering activities had to change and quickly adapt to the new needs due to the pandemic. Our volunteers focused on mitigating the pandemic impact by sewing of masks, 3D printing of visors, delivering personal protection equipment and meals to hospitals or doing shopping for senior citizens. During the pandemic, 400 Orange volunteers helped 15,000 people in need by implementing 82 projects.

Key corporate volunteering indicators

Corporate volunteering 2019 2020
Volunteers 3,497 1,148
Volunteers’ working hours 25,590 8,400

Orange Polska joined the Responsible Leadership Council. The Council is an initiative of the Responsible Business Forum. It is to be a co-operation forum comprised of male and female CEOs and board members of Responsible Business Forum’s partner companies. The goal of the Council is to introduce to the public debate in Poland the voices of CEOs who are convinced of the benefits of running business in an ethical way. The representative of Orange Polska in the Council is Bożena Leśniewska, Vice President of the Management Board for Business Market.

Orange Polska is a partner of the Pro Bono Coalition (previously the CEOs-Volunteers Coalition). The goal of the Coalition is to discuss social involvement among business leaders, and to promote pro-social attitudes and behaviours by showing positive examples of top managers who share their time, experience, knowledge and skills as part of voluntary campaigns. Orange Polska‘s representative in the Coalition is Jacek Kowalski, Board Member in charge of Human Capital.

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