Helping Ukraine
The outbreak of a full-scale war just beyond Poland's eastern border has united the international community, which has expressed a fierce objection to Russia's aggressive policy. Representatives of the authorities, organisations, companies, but also individuals, have actively joined the relief effort for Ukraine. Orlen, too, has engaged in helping refugees within Poland as well as Ukrainians who have remained in their country. Apart from this, grassroots initiatives to support refugees organised by the group's employees have sprung up.
Orlen has been helping Ukraine in a variety of ways; the greatest concentration of aid efforts occurred at the beginning of the war, which is when this aid was most needed. Thus, in the first phase of the war, the company responded to the most pressing needs. It deployed heated tents in several towns in eastern Poland, where those fleeing the war were offered warm snacks and drinks. They could rest there and find out where to look for further assistance. Similar aid was provided at the Central Railway Station in Warsaw. The company also provided heaters and thermal blankets at border crossings. Fuel was donated to the city of Przemyśl, which allowed further transport to be provided to those crossing the border. The company also offered hotel rooms to Ukrainian families in two facilities in Płock, where ‒ in addition to accommodation and food ‒ psychological care and Polish language courses were arranged. The refugees are still staying in these facilities and the company has decided to continue this form of support until the end of June 2023.
A lot of attention was paid to the youngest victims of the war. Orlen prepared colourful, toy-equipped day-care rooms for Ukrainian children at the reception points. While parents were absorbed in dealing with formalities, the children were looked after by professional staff. Therapists and Polish language teachers were also available on site. Educational, dance and activity classes were provided. Efforts were made to make the youngest Ukrainians forget the war nightmare they had witnessed, if only for a moment. The company participated in organising a Children's Day and St. Nicholas' Day for Ukrainian children at the PTAK Humanitarian Aid Centre in Nadarzyn. It has also arranged a hundred screenings of children's films in Ukrainian at refugee centres all over Poland.
Orlen has donated 5,000 Starlink satellite internet connectivity kits to the people of Ukraine. The equipment, which provides high-speed access to the Web, has supported the people of Ukraine so that they could remain connected to the world and to their loved ones. The Orlen Foundation also donated two cars that were used by Caritas Ukraine to distribute donations and humanitarian aid across Ukraine, particularly in the Lviv region.
In March 2022, the company, through its Orlen Paczka service, provided free delivery within Poland for the most necessary donations. The parcels were delivered to the warehouse of Ruch company, owned by Orlen, and ultimately ‒ through the consulate in Lviv ‒ were handed over to civilian population in Ukraine. The company also carried out a campaign under the Vitay loyalty programme ‒ between March and December 2022, customers of ORLEN fuel stations donated loyalty points to a total value of over PLN 175,000 to Ukraine aid. As part of direct financial assistance, the Orlen Foundation made many in-kind and financial donations.
Orlen Group employees have also been involved in helping refugees. In many locations, collections of in-kind donations have been organised, the resulting donations delivered to Ukrainians in Poland or forwarded on in humanitarian convoys to Ukraine. As many as 350 employees of the company have planned over a hundred aid campaigns, which involved 14,500 people. Victims of war have been helped in a variety of ways. Assistance has been provided to them at the border and the reception points, donations have been collected, organisation of humanitarian convoys have been supported, and some families have hosted refugees at their homes.
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