Community service, charity and sponsorship

Indicator 1.5 Best Practice for WSE Listed Companies 2021

The Bank’s charitable activities are mainly carried out through the Bank Pekao S.A. Foundation (hereinafter: Foundation). In addition to the initiatives carried out through it, the Bank directly cooperates with selected public benefit organizations, to which it makes donations to support their statutory activities. The key internal regulation of the Bank defining guidelines in this area are the Rules for Donation and Sponsorship by Bank Polska Kasa Opieki Spółka Akcyjna. The regulation includes, among other things, the establishment of a Sponsorship and Donations Committee to support the Management Board of the Bank in the Bank’s decision-making process regarding involvement in sponsorship projects or in the Bank’s allocation of donations. In accordance with the Policy of Counteracting Corruption in the Pekao Group in force, a risk analysis (due diligence) is carried out before the donation or conclusion of the sponsorship agreement, which makes it possible to minimize the risk of corruption and reputation risk.

The activities of the Bank Pekao S.A. Foundation are part of its corporate social responsibility strategy. In its activities, the Foundation is guided by the broader interests of society, the needs of the environment, and concern for employees and a proper corporate culture in the workplace. All the above-mentioned areas of activity have an impact on the positive reputation of the Foundation, which translates directly into a positive perception of Bank Pekao S.A. as an institution that acts responsibly and responds to the needs of society.

The Management Board of the Foundation continuously monitors incoming applications for funding and decides whether to support specific aid initiatives, guided by the statutory objectives of the Foundation and the assumptions that:

• the mission of the Bank Pekao S.A. Foundation is to help those in need in difficult situations,
• the measures taken are intended to meet public expectations.

The socially responsible image is seen primarily in its charitable activities, which include helping needy people of different age groups. The donation was received by, among others, “Caritas Poland” and “Association for the Care of Abandoned Children” in Toruń for the purchase of school supplies for children. Organizations such as the “House of the Guardian Angels” in Katowice, the “Children’s Fantasy Foundation” and the “Michael Educational and Prophylactic Centre” from Warsaw received funds for aid activities for children and young people from poor families. The elderly and abandoned were not left out either, with a donation to the “Don’t forget about us” Foundation to organize a nationwide campaign to prepare and deliver packages of Christmas products for Polish Veterans. Support was also given to the “Association of Friends of the Social Welfare Home” in Stróże and the “Just One Smile”

Association from Elbląg to support their charges, as well as the St. John of Jerusalem Foundation for the organization of the “Maltese Wafer” charity event in Warsaw.
As in the previous year, in 2023 the Foundation provided financial support to a number of organizations providing social assistance to refugees from Ukraine and those in need who remained in the country at war. Donations were received by such entities as “Caritas of the Białystok Archdiocese”, “Semper Fidelis Foundation” and “Uniters Foundation”. Funds were also donated to support the education of children of Polish descent and the Polish community of Lviv.

The Bank Pekao Foundation also supports projects that engage local communities while promoting education, including financial education, culture and historical heritage.

Among the Foundation’s beneficiaries were entities active in supporting science and education, including Socio-Educational Association “White Eagle – Sagittarius” in Mielec, Association “Science and Development” in Jarosław, “Foundation for Multicultural Centre” in Warsaw, and “Association of Friends of St. Brother Albert Elementary School” in Studzian, which received funds to support educational activities among elementary and secondary school students. The Foundation has also supported the scholarship program for students of the Catholic University of Lublin, the trip of Queen Hedvig Scholarship 2023 recipients to Silicon Valley, the educational project for missionary volunteers of the “Pallotinian Missionary Foundation Salvatti.pl” and the educational project for seniors SeniorON, organized by the “Polish Red Cross”.

The Foundation’s beneficiaries also included entities that organize celebrations of anniversaries of important historical events. The donation was received by, among others, the Warsaw Uprising Museum to support an event marking the 79th anniversary of the outbreak of the uprising, the “Centre for Modern Education Foundation” to organize the “Desired Freedom” concert to commemorate Poland’s regaining of independence, and the “Rekonstruktorzy.pl Foundation” to support the “Remembrance Watch – a nationwide event commemorating Soviet aggression in September 1939” project. Also noteworthy is a grant to the “Movement of Solidarity of Families” Foundation for the construction of 65 bronze plaques as part of a project to commemorate Polish citizens of Jewish origin murdered by the Germans in 1942-1943 in Operation Reinhardt.

In addition, in support of cultural activities, the Foundation subsidized, among other things, the publication of several publications, the production of a feature film on the January Uprising, the organization of many musical and local cultural events, such as festivals, family picnics and harvest festivals. The donation was received by such entities as “Polish Economic Society”, “Only Eagles Foundation”, “Foundation for the Protection of Monuments of Mazovia”, the Cultural Centre in Zakliczyn and the Sochaczew District. With the support of the “Caritas of the Przemyśl Archdiocese” Foundation, it organized a unique cultural and charitable event – a review of artistic creativity for people with disabilities. The Foundation also provided funds for educational trips and excursions for children and young people and the organization of conferences to promote education and culture.

In the area of health care, the main group of beneficiaries are units of the “Volunteer Fire Brigades” from all over Poland, which have been provided with support for the purchase of personal protective equipment for firefighters, in order to improve the protection of their life and health during work full of danger. In addition, the Foundation supported the Warsaw-based “I Am” Foundation for the Support of Terminally and Chronically Ill, donating funds for the purchase of rehabilitation equipment for oncology patients.

The Foundation also supported the development and dissemination of physical culture and sports, especially among children and young people, as well as ecology and the protection of animals and natural heritage.

The Foundation’s latest initiative is the Grant Program to Support Rural Women’s Circles. Its first edition was launched on June 5, 2023. The purpose of the Program is to support by financing or subsidizing the activities of applicants in the field of culture, art, protection of cultural assets and national heritage, as well as maintenance and dissemination of national tradition, cultivation of Polishness and development of national, civic and cultural awareness.

According to the Regulations of the Program, the deadline for implementing the projects could not exceed the date of November 30, 2023, and the end date of the Program was set for December 31, 2023.

Due to the large scale of requests, applications and diagnosed needs, the Bank Pekao S.A. Foundation is diversifying the areas of assistance and beneficiaries with which it cooperates in order to make the most of the opportunities for support and assistance. The key considerations in deciding on a beneficiary are the Foundation’s statutory goals and the ability to engage and satisfy Bank employees who devote their time and resources to selfless activities.

The Foundation also focuses on areas of activity: financial education and the promotion of volunteer work. To promote the idea of volunteering, the Foundation prepares brochures summarizing activities in bank volunteering. The publication presents good practices in the area of volunteering in the Bank in connection with the values of #straightforward, #together, #boldly and #responsibly.

The Foundation also provided financial support to non-profit organizations that invited volunteers from the Bank in 2023 to undertake volunteer work in the areas of economic education, charity and social welfare, ecology and environmental protection, animals and protection of natural heritage. Financial assistance was received, among others, by: UNEP/GRID-Warsaw Center – Department of the National Foundation for Environmental Protection, the Apiterra Foundation, the Warsaw Institute of Banking Foundation, Healthy Movement Foundation, Warsaw Uprising Museum, the Polish Red Cross, the Anthill Association, the SOS Children’s Villages Association, and the Polish Animal Welfare Society.

The policy implemented by the Bank and the Pekao Group in the area of sponsorship and charitable activities is aimed at strengthening the image of the Bank and entities of the Pekao Group as open and modern institutions close to customers and communities in which the Bank and the Pekao Group operate. There is no single policy at the level of the Pekao Group in the charity and sponsoring area. However, in 2023, the Bank introduced the Policy on Cooperation in the Field of Communication and Marketing within the Bank Polska Kasa Opieki Spółka Akcyjna Capital Group, which is addressed to all subsidiaries and which defines cooperation within the Bank Pekao S.A. Capital Group also with regard to sponsorship and charity activities. This approach not only strengthens cooperation and ensures consistency across the Pekao Group in the areas of sponsorship and charity, but also makes it possible to develop synergies and identify good practices in building the Pekao Group brand.

When selecting initiatives, the Bank departs from activities based on one-off donations and a reactive response to requests for support to the benefit of long-term social involvement based on partnership with respectful organizations with social trust. In particular, the Bank gets involved in projects in such areas like: responsible economic development, promotion of national brand and Polish values, support for culture, sport, aid to children in need, or environmental protection. The Bank provides its support at two levels: nation-wide, where the Bank sponsors events having a material impact on Polish culture, and locally to support initiatives dedicated to local communities.

In 2023 the Bank was engaged in a number of projects organized on a country-wide basis which have significantly maintained the continuity of multi-annual initiatives and have provided important support to the community during this full period of challenges.

In 2023 we continued cooperation with the Polish Basketball Association (PZKosz) and the Polish Basketball League S.A. (PLK), and we also supported the Polish National Basketball Team and youth games. The Bank decided during 2023 to sign a new agreement with PZKosz and PLK, so it will be present in Polish basketball until at least mid-2026. Thanks to the new agreement, the Bank’s promotional benefits have significantly intensified, as evidenced, among other things, by the appearance of the Bank’s logo on the jerseys of the Polish national team.

In addition, continuing its commitment to basketball, the Bank sponsored the Red Bull Half Court international basketball competition, and the tournament itself was very popular with basketball fans in our country. We also provided sports excitement for music fans by sponsoring the event JIMEK and Guests – History of Polish Hip-Hop II, which took place at the Silesian Stadium in Chorzów. During the event, we built a basketball court in the Bank’s special zone, where event participants could combine their passion for music and sports.

In 2023, we also supported initiatives of an economic nature. We were present at Impact’23, the Corporate and Investment Banking Congress, the Karpacz Economic Forum and the Krynica 2023 Forum, among others. In January, Bank representatives were also present at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

The Bank, which since the beginning of its history not only cares about the finances of Poles, but also aims to promote Polish cultural heritage at home and abroad, made its art collection available to the general public in November 2021 through the virtual Art Gallery.

In 2023, we published interviews with artists, interesting facts about Polish artists and works of art, and information about cultural events that the Bank organizes or is involved in as a sponsor.

In cooperation with the Academy of Fine Arts in Warsaw, we produced four documentaries about artists whose works the Bank has in its collection. The heroes of the films were: Józef Mehoffer, Wojciech Kossak, Franciszek Maśluszczak and Adam Myjak, creator of the bison sculpture. The short documentary forms can be viewed in the virtual Art Gallery and on the Bank’s YouTube channel.

In April 2023, we organized the “Color of Variety” exhibition at the Czapski Palace, during which the Bank made works from its collection available, free of charge, for viewing. The exhibition featured 51 works of art. The exhibition was quite successful and, according to data obtained from the Academy of Fine Arts, it was visited by about 4,000 people. As part of this project, we also engaged in the “Night of the Museums”, an annual cultural event to promote the arts.

The second major art project was an outdoor exhibition combined with an art picnic called “Picnic with Art”. Printed reproductions of works from the Bank’s collection could be admired during picnics in as many as nine Polish cities.

The Bank is also committed to the artistic activation of young talents, which is why in 2023 two stages of the competition “Pekao Art. Stories” were organized.

Thanks to our collaboration with Professor Hanna Jelonek, winner of the prestigious J. Sanford Saltus Medal Award 2023, we created the “Distinguished Service to the Bank” medal.

For many years Bank Pekao S.A. has also been involved in the protection of Polish bisons. The financial support provided by the Bank is earmarked, inter alia, for the diversification and development of the population, caring for herds and subsidizing scientific and educational undertakings promoting the protection of this exceptional and unique endangered species. Bank Pekao has supported the implementation of the statutory tasks of the Białowieża National Park for two decades, as a sponsor and partner of the park. The funds donated by the Bank cover part of the park’s expenses for monitoring bisons in the wilderness, buying food for the winter and winter inventory. Thanks to Bank Pekao’s support, it was possible to modernize the Bison Show Reserve – the most visited tourist site in the Białowieża National Park – and retrofit the educational pavilion that is part of it. The Bank also supports the activities of other facilities that provide care for bison, including, among others, the Pszczyna Demonstration Bison Enclosure. Nature lessons are held at the facility, and there is a chance to learn about the bison family and other animal species during a walk.

In 2022, the Bank began cooperation with the VARIA Foundation for the Humanities of the University of Warsaw to support the foundation’s publication titled “Protection of the European bison in Poland in the interwar period. Role of the National Natural History Museum”. The purpose of the study is to collect scientific, popular science information and documents that contributed to the establishment of institutional protection of the bison in Poland and Europe. The book is also a contribution to the discussion of the need for a National Natural History Museum in Poland.

Bank Pekao and entities of the Pekao Group, as responsible organizations and active participants in social life, also comply with the guidelines included in the “Best Practice for WSE Listed Companies 2021” issued by the Warsaw Stock Exchange in 2021, including principle 1.5 to the extent of undertaken charitable and sponsorship activities. In 2023 Bank Pekao and entities from the Pekao Group implemented a number of initiatives to support culture, sports, charitable institutions, media and social organizations. The list below shows expenditures borne in this respect in 2023 and mentions key initiatives.

As a general rule, Bank Pekao does not provide support in the form of sponsorship or charitable activity for political parties, politicians and similar institutions. The provisions of the Principles for granting donations and sponsoring by Bank Polska Kasa Opieki Spółka Akcyjna do not provide for involvement in events that raise ethical questions, are contrary to applicable law, harm human rights or are not consistent with the activities carried out to enhance the Bank’s image.

The Bank is not involved in lobbying activities. The total value of support for political parties, lobbying activities in 2023 was PLN 0