How to prepare for legal and tax changes in companies in 2018?

Another event from the “Strategic HR” series will take place in Olivia on December 7. Main topics of the meeting: “Revolutionary changes in taxes and ZUS for employees and employers as of 2018. What to do to remain an attractive employer?” and “Crowdsourcing as a modern method of commitment of candidates and employees to online challenges related to the employer’s brand. How to win the fight for talents?”.

Presentations and workshops will be conducted by Eliza Skotnicka, the Senior Manager in the EY personal tax team, and Tomasz Socha , Associate Partner, Leader of the EY Tax Advisory Team in the Tri-City.

We invite you to take part in the meeting and to read an interview with Eliza Skotnicka from EY performed by Monika Bogdanowicz (Olivia Business Centre). The interview is another one prepared by us as a part of the “Olivia’s conversations” cycle presenting experts and quests of the Olivia Business Centre.

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Monika Bogdanowicz (Olivia Business Centre Communication): What will be the greatest changes in taxes and ZUS that await employees and employers as of 2018?

Eliza Skotnicka, Senior Manager, People Advisory Services, EY: One of the planned changes that is talked about most frequently and, at the same time, the most significant one for employers and employees is the lifting of constraints regarding the retirement and disability pension contributions. For employees earning more than 10 thousand gross per month, this change can entail the loss of one net salary and, for certain large firms, personnel costs will increase even by 20 million PLN yearly! As we are talking, it is not yet known whether the change will eventually come into force as of 2018. But, even if it does not, the legislator will most likely introduce it as of the following year.

A beneficial change awaits creative employees offering activities such as research and development or one related to computer programs. They will be able to take advantage of the calculable 50% costs relating to a higher limit of revenues under their employment contracts and, as a consequence, earn even 26 thousand PLN more annually.

Long-term remuneration forms based on stocks of companies from countries with which Poland executed agreements on the avoidance of double taxation will also be preferred. So far, only stocks of companies from the European Union and the European Economic Area have been taxed according to preferable rates (19%). According to the new rules, also companies belonging, for example, to American or Swiss capital groups are able to suggest such a beneficial solution to their employees and members of management boards. One has to remember about the fulfilment of all official requirements of such a motivation program.

MB: How can we prepare for the imminent revolutionary changes in these areas?

ES: First of all, one has to be aware of them, calculate the expected increase in costs and the drop of net income. I recommend taking a look at types of positions and job descriptions existing in a company. It frequently turns out that an employment contract is not a form most suitable for the given nature of the work and duties.

1) Management board and proxies:

A management board member does not only work from 8 to 16 and his/her responsibilities go far beyond what the Labour Code provides for an employee. Therefore, he/she can be rewarded for such additional functions in a separate stream, on the basis of a corporate deed. In such a situation, the management board member’s remuneration is not covered with ZUS premium. One can also consider the introduction of a motivation scheme based on the award of stocks of a foreign company: the manager will only tax them when they are sold, according to the 19% PIT rate and with no ZUS.

2) Creative employees of IT and R&D departments:

Creative employees whose activities are related to computer programs or research and development can be rewarded for such activities by receiving a separate royalty fee under the employment contract. In that case, a half of that royalty will not be taxable because 50% of revenue acquisition costs can be deducted from the revenue. Even those firms where IT activities occurred and they have not identified or reported the creative activities of their employees should take an interest in such a solution. A CIT relief available in the case of the research and development activity (even up to 150% of qualified costs) can be an additional benefit for firms.

3) Experts:

More and more firms become flexible in their relations with the personnel. If experts work in a firm who advise independently creating effects of their work, i.e. acting in fact like entrepreneurs they can become contractors independent of the firm, conducting business, invoicing their contracting parties and deducting business-related costs for tax purposes. In such a situation, their income can be taxable with the flat rate (for that to be possible, they cannot render the same services as a part of their business during a year as for their previous employer and their services cannot be related to the management) and they can take advantage of preferential ZUS premiums.

4) Aliens:

If they are not tax residents in Poland, they can be remunerated pursuant to the same relations, the income from which is taxable with the 20% lump-sum rate in Poland. Additionally, it is worthwhile to analyse whether they can pay premiums in another country (e.g. in their home country) instead of in Poland. Such a solution can turn out to be cheaper.

MB: Will it be possible to generate further savings in a firm by revising costs of ZUS and PFRON premiums paid by the employer?

ES: An interesting thing is that our extensive experience shows that many firms approach certain cost areas in their firms too prudently or even improperly and needlessly overpay public levies. What I have in mind is, in particular, the area of social security premiums of the employer (especially the accident premium and the labour fund premium) and PFRON but also ZUS premiums on employee benefits. They are usually very high cost positions in firms, especially in firms based mostly on the people such as shared services centres. An audit of systems and of the delivery and exchange of the information of key importance for the value of such burdens is worth carrying out in the firm from time to time; an undiscovered great potential for savings is often hidden there. EY offers such a review on the no-cost basis – only if the identified savings materialize we shall share the fruit of the common success.

MB: What action can we take in our firms, what can we do to remain attractive employers?

ES: First of all, it is worthwhile to fight to retain net remuneration levels for employees in firms and, where possible and a where a business need exists, to reflect the reality properly by applying preferences provided for by the legislator in order to respond to the planned changes.

Secondly, the atmosphere in the firm is more and more often mentioned in the context of the employer’s attractiveness. New generations enter the labour market: the millennials and the Z generation representatives. Such young people expect the employer to be understanding, to listen and commit to interesting projects and to support the development of their talents. However, they also want to pursue their passions, dreams, get fulfilled as parents and in other roles related to social commitments, they want to influence the reality. The concepts such as the “digitalization strategy” are artificial for them; they were simply raised and continue to live in a digital world. They surely are a great challenge for managers who entered the labour market at a different moment and quick promotion was their top priority.

Modern employers have to take care of the relationship with students, future candidates, have an interesting communication addressed to them and invite them to the world of their brands.

MB: Why do you recommend crowdsourcing as a modern way of committing candidates and employees on a digital platform? What does it mean for firms when it comes to activities in the employer branding area?

ES: Because it is an answer to such challenges. According to the studies, at least 75% of the most dynamically developing enterprises will use the crowdsourcing during the next 2 years. It is something distinguishing but also natural and effective on the market.

Crowdsourcing is a process of the outsourcing of tasks beyond the organization, to communities specially built and committed to that purpose. Irrespective of how well our organization prospers, the majority of wise and creative people are beyond that organization. Crowdsourcing makes it possible to take advantage of that “wisdom of the crowd”. Such huge and globally recognizable brands as Facebook or YouTube (the largest media platforms mainly based on foreign contents), Uber (a successful taxi firm without its own fleet) or Airbnb (one of the largest property lease platforms without its own real estate) are nothing else but examples of the crowdsourcing application. Wikipedia also owes its up-to-date nature to the crowdsourcing.

Crowdsourcing helps achieve the intended effects thanks to the use of IT tools, i.e. commitment platforms and a system of motivators specially designed for the target group. All of them are supplemented with the appropriate and, an even more important thing, properly frequent communication.

Innovators on the MillionYou platform is a new EY Crowdsourcing project. Thanks to that project, students can participate in interesting tasks, cope with real life, professional or business challenges. Business needs meet the creativity of young people who can get references, win prizes and pursue their passions on the platform. Lecturers from business schools, universities and universities of technology as well as aliens are committed to the operation of the platform (the platform is bilingual, available in English as well). It is the first such initiative in Poland.

Employer branding of the 21St century is the one that commits potential candidates in the long term by interesting rather than mercenary actions, including the employer’s brands in their lives and being interested in their lives, i.e. starting a dialogue with them long before they become addresses of job offers. Therefore, when making a decision regarding the choice of their future employer, they will be aware, familiar and perhaps will even know their future employer very well because they took part in its life during the studies. Crowdsourcing is a tool of that dialogue. In addition to the dialogue and commitment and a certain loyalty, it also allows one to reach a great range and effectively reach recipients of the message where they are, in particular, via the social media, Instagram, YouTube and students’ organizations.

MB: Where is this method applied?

ES: Application possibilities are practically unlimited. Let us take the open innovation concept for example: global concerns apply it, in particular, to gain the competitive edge by inviting large groups of scientists and students to submit innovative ideas regarding new solutions and products.

In Poland, crowdsourcing is most frequently used in the communication with inhabitants of cities, as a social participation tool for the gathering of ideas in the smart city building concept;

in the brand communication as an alternative or a supplement to ideas regarding the promotion of products or services created in creative agencies. Large groups of independent authors who are often consumers of the product are engaged for such projects. All of it takes place in order for them to say how they want the brand to communicate with them, how it should advertise its products. The objective is to create the communication with which recipients can identify (branded content creation).

MB: What does it offer?

ES: We do not fall way off the mark because a group of committed people, similar to those we want to reach, executes the task. It is no longer a one-way communication but rather the inclusion of a customer, consumer or inhabitant in the process of searching for reasons and the drawing of conclusions. A bilateral relationship, dialogue and trust are built in this manner.

Measurable effects consist of a multitude of fresh, authentic ideas offered in an engaging manner that can be used, for example, to supply the social media. Consumers do not usually like someone to sell something to them. However, they like someone to tell them an interesting story. Crowdsourcing makes it possible for people to talk to people as opposed to the typical approach to the promotion of brands when a brand or a product tries to communicate with them.

Experts in the topic say that there is no future for firms that do not use such tools.

MB: What is of key importance in employer branding activities? A lot of firms boast about having such strategies.

ES: It is true. It is fashionable these days. However, are there any actions and the use of specific tools following such strategies or are they only documents containing many pages, hinting at individual actions already taken by everyone?

I absolutely do not believe that traditional actions such as strategic games, ambassadors at universities or presence at fairs are no longer useful. I do not say that such individual actions are ineffective. However, I believe they are no longer enough to gain competitive edge on the employee’s market. In this context, it is worthwhile to cite an English title of a book by a marketing guru Jack Trout: Differentiate or Die.

The employer’s brand can and has to be built similarly to a brand of a product, i.e. by using an appropriate communication and having a long-term strategy. Brand recognisability or reach and an authentic message consistent with the DNA of the organization makes it possible to attract the best candidates. However, when I talk about the best candidates, I do not mean top students only. I am talking about those candidates whose values, interests and aspirations will correspond to what the future employer demands and who will find their place in a new workplace and become its ambassadors as well.

MB: And is it also possible to use that method with regard to existing employees?

ES: Of course. I often hear employees saying that their voice is not respected by the employer. The truth is that perhaps the managers would like to hear something, but they do not know how to start listening effectively. And what is the effect? Posters advertising “submit an idea and get a prize” programs are ignored, idea boxes remain empty and employees do not ask any questions at the annual communication meetings. Employee satisfaction studies show deteriorating results and nobody knows how it is possible.

MB: What can be done in such a situation? The employees got an opportunity to make comments but do not take advantage of it.

ES: One can feel offended. But being offended will not help. The truth is that just giving people a voice will not solve anything. Gaining the commitment, making people willing to talk without huge financial expenses or time spent for such processes are essential. The business has to go forward. However, you need commitment and communication experts for that. The time of employee questionnaires has already passed.

MB: What motivators encouraging the commitment will be most effective?

ES: A different stimulus may work for each person. The most important thing is to learn about the key incentives that make it possible to acquire the commitment and the voice of representative groups. And it is no longer about financial incentives.

MB: In what areas can the voice be given to employees? How do successful firms do it?

ES: Internal platforms supporting the innovativeness are worth using. Why? It often happens that employees that are closest to the customer (e.g. cashiers or production line workers) have superb improvement ideas: for a product, production process or a customer service method – but they have no one to report them to. Because their immediate superior can fail to appreciate such creativity for various reasons or can simply have no idea what to do with such an idea.

Crowdsourcing encourages discussion within the firm, the inclusion of colleagues in the process and the reporting of ideas. However, not everyone has ideas, some people are better in criticizing. And this fact is also appreciated and rewarded because it can result and often results in an improvement of ideas. It is very important to select the best ideas and to implement them.

However, this task has to be entrusted to experts in the subject area with measurable success in the effective commitment of employees. Otherwise, we are likely to get another dead process in the firm which nobody will be able to boast about.

MB: It sounds encouraging. It is enough to define measurable goals for appropriate people and they are sure to be realized?

ES: The entire process, i.e. idea management can only be successful if incentives, the communication, the IT platform and all stages of the process are properly planned, implemented and synchronized and if the message is appropriate also from the marketing perspective. The understanding of the organization’s DNA and its employees, of what the employer would like to achieve, what effects similar actions had in the past etc. has to precede the entire process. Planning a pilot project is worthwhile. It is the job for experts in community commitment. Only then, it is possible to try and define financial goals for appropriate people in the organization as regards the generation of additional revenues as a result of internal innovativeness processes.

MB: Are there any other potential application areas important for HR?

ES: Yes, it is not a closed catalogue. However, crowdsourcing will also be useful in activities related to the corporate social responsibility (CSR). It is also indispensable for those firms that plan a replacement of office space with more modern and also adapted to the needs and working style of their existing employees and next generations. Their engagement in the collection of ideas will make it possible for them to become true ambassadors and beneficiaries of change. It will also be useful in those enterprises that strive for the offered non-wage benefits of corporate events to correspond to the needs and requirements of individual employee groups. They want these benefits to be satisfactory rather than a dead and complicated catalogue of failed “attractions”.

Crowdsourcing is also worth using for internal communication (with employees) or external communication (with candidates) to create attractive photographic or video contents in those firms that have no interesting ideas for them and their creation with the help of specialist firms is too expensive for them.

MB: Quite a lot has been said recently about the introduction of the obligation to maintain employee capital schemes in firms. Is this idea still valid?

ES: The legislator motivated by the deteriorating demographic situation and the willingness to guarantee funds for us once we retire is preparing a new requirement for employees: Employee Capital Schemes (PPK). The work on the final regulations is in progress and their entry into force is not determined. The key issue is for employers to start getting prepared and consider their options now. Because it can be too late for action later. For example, because the intense interest of all firms at the same time will exhaust the capacities of specialist firms supplying such solutions and raise prices.

MB: What can be done now, specifically?

ES: The planned regulations provided that the PPK requirement would not cover those firms that already had the Employee Retirement Scheme (PPE). It can turn out that PPK is a more attractive option to be considered though. However, a few months are needed in order to implement the solution in the firm.

MB: And what about changes in the data security area – RODO? What should everyone know about that law and what new requirements does it impose on the employers?

ES: It is the most extensive change of regulations relating to personal data in 21 years! It will come into force as of May 25, 2018; the transitory period has to be used in order to analyse and prepare for the imminent challenges. In the HR area, key changes are related to the employer’s obligations related to data security, both in recruitment processes and in the creation, storage and processing of employee data.

The scale of changes will materially influence a range of areas related to data processing in the organization, both as regards the law and IT systems. Additionally, the reform introduces severe monetary penalties to be imposed on data administrators. Penalties can even amount to 20 million EUR or 4% of the total annual global turnover of the enterprise generated in the preceding financial year.

We recommend our customers to take action in order to reduce the risk to the reputation and the risk of delays in the implementation of solutions resulting from the Regulation and imposition of penalties for the incorrect processing on the entity processing personal data.

MB: What benefits can employers gain thanks to the employment of foreigners and trainees?

ES: Foreigners constitute a valuable resource of job candidates and qualified specialists, especially as deficits of certain skills can be observed on the Polish market. We have been observing a growing trend in this area for some time.

When deciding to employ foreigners, one surely has to remember to address important issues such as compliance with applicable regulations of the migration law, support in tax and ZUS settlements (an experienced firm being a part of a global network of tax and immigration advisors will help with this task). It is also worthwhile to guarantee an appropriate catalogue of the required information to them and care about the integration in a new country and in new circumstances.

In turn, trainees help firms find potential candidates and future employees on rotating positions. Properly structured training programs also offer an opportunity for a closer cooperation between the business and schools and universities and for the influence on the appropriate matching and modernization of curriculums so that they respond to the market and business needs.

MB: Thank you for the interview.

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Eliza Skotnicka, Senior Manager at the EY personal tax team. While working in the EY central office in Warsaw, she has been supporting corporations and firms from the SME sector in the area of effective remuneration structures, taxation of internationally mobile persons and modern employer branding activities with the use of the social media and a digital platform for 10 years.

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ABOUT EY

EY Poland (www.ey.com/pl/) is an international consulting firm specializing in business, tax and legal consulting as well as in auditing and transactional services. EY also offers strategic HR consulting. Corporate experts help create the effective HR strategy, remuneration and incentive schemes for employees as well as design activities related to employer branding (www.ey.com/pl/pas). EY Poland has offices in the largest Polish cities (Warsaw, Cracow, Poznań, Wrocław, Katowice, Gdańsk, Łódź).

CONTACT

Company Christmas Eve in Rocotillo

We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the offer of organizing a Christmas Eve meeting at the Rocotillo Mexican Restaurant, a Resident of Olivia Business Centre.

Registration for Christmas Eve dinners has already begun. All you have to do is choose the date you are interested in and the Rocotillo staff will take care of the rest! Of course, in the Mexican character of 🙂

For more information and to sign up, please call: 58 350 52 50 or send an e-mail: info@rocotillo.pl. Rocotillo is located on the ground floor of the Olivia Point building – we cordially invite you 🙂

Olivia sponsors Juan Diego Florez’s concert

On 29 November 2017, the Baltic Philharmonic will host Juan Diego Florez, considered one of the best lyric tenors in the world. The artist will take part in the charity concert Music Makes Miracles, the proceeds of which will be used for the purchase of medical equipment for patients of the Department of Surgery and Urology of Children and Adolescents at the Medical University of Gdańsk. Olivia Business Centre is the sponsor of this event.

The organizers of the concert are: Association for Aid to Surgically Ill Children, National Centre for Culture, Polish Baltic Philharmonic and AStreet Agency. Sponsors of the event: Olivia Business Centre, BSJP and Hilton Gdańsk. Main Partner Music Makes Miracles has been awarded to the Energa Group.

Hailing from Peru, Juan Diego Florez is currently the most famous lyrical opera tenor in the world. The artist became famous for his masterful interpretations of bel canto operas, especially Rossini, Bellini and Donizzetti. Since his debut on the stage of Milan’s La Scala, he has performed regularly in the world’s most famous opera houses, m.in. in: New York, Paris, London, Vienna, Barcelona or Berlin. He is the first singer in 70 years to encore during an opera performance at la Scala (2007) with the famous aria “Ah mes ami” from Donizzetti’s “The Daughter of the Regiment”, containing 7 consecutive high C! He repeated this success in Paris and New York. Florez is the recipient of many awards. The artist performed in Poland only once during the Wratislavia Cantans festival in 2003, when he was at the beginning of his great international career.

The tenor at the Baltic Philharmonic will be accompanied by Vincenzo Scalera – a pianist, an American artist who has accompanied the world’s most famous opera singers, m.in. Montserrat Caballé, José Carreras, Vittorio Grigolo, Katia Ricciarelli and Renata Scotto.

 

Opera recital by Juan Diego Floreza

Part I

  • L’amor funesto | G. Donizetti (1797–1848)
  • Me voglio faì na casa | G. Donizetti
  • Ange si pur |” La Favorite” | G. Donizetti
  • Tombe degli avi miei |” Lucia di Lammermoor” |G. Donizetti
  • Ed ancor la tremenda porta… | “Roberto Devereux” |G. Donizetti
    Come uno spirito angelico… Bagnato il sen di lagrime

Part II

  • Che ascolto, Ahime… | “Othello” | G. Rossini (1792–1868)
    Ah, come mai non senti?
  • Una furtiva lagrima | “L’elisir d’amore” | G. Donizetti (1797–1848)
  • Pourquoi me reveiller | “Werther” | J. Massenet (1842–1912)
  • Che gelida manina | “La boheme” | G. Puccini (1858–1924)
  • La mia letizia infondere | “And lombardi” | G. Verdi (1813–1901)
  • Lunge da lei… | “La traviata” | G. Verdi
    De’ miei bollenti spiriti…
    About mio rimorso

Concert organizer: Association for Surgically Ill Children, National Centre for Culture, Polish Baltic Philharmonic, AStreet Agency
Main Partner: Energa Group
Other strategic partners: Grupa LOTOS, Port of Gdynia, Franciszek Stefczyk, Remontowa Holding
Sponsors of the concert: BSJP, Olivia Business Centre, Hilton Gdańsk
Media patronage: TVP Kultura, Dziennik Bałtycki, Radio Gdańsk, Wirtualna Polska, Trojmiasto.pl
Editorial cooperation: RMF Classic
Business patronage: Gdansk Business Club

Information about the concert on the Baltic Philharmonic website

Olivia as a sponsor of Juan Diego Florez concert

Already on November 29, 2017 in Polish Baltic Philharmonic, there will perform Juan Diego Florez, who is recognised as one of the best lyric tenors in the world. The artist will participate in Muzyka Robi Cuda charity concert, the revenue from which will be used for the purchase of medical equipment for patients from the Clinic of Children and Youth Surgery and Urology GUMED. Olivia Business Centre is a sponsor of this event.

The organisers of the concert include: Association for Helping Surgically Ill Children, National Culture Centre, Polish Baltic Philharmonic and AStreet Agency. Sponsors of the event: Olivia Business Centre, BSJP and Hilton Gdańsk. The main partner of Music Makes Miracles is Energa Group.

Juan Diego Florez comes from Peru and is currently the most famous lyric tenor in the world. The artist is known for his masterly interpretations of bel canta operas, including especially the operas of Rossini, Bellini and Donizzetti. Since his debut on the stage of Milanese La Scala, he has been regularly performing in the most famous opera theatres in the world, for example in New York, Paris, London, Vienna, Barcelona and Berlin. He has been the first singer for 70 years, who encored during opera performance in la Scala (2007) and performed a famous aria called “Ah mes ami” from “The Daughter of the Regiment” by Donizzetti, which includes 7 successive high C’s! He repeated this success in Paris and New York. Florez has been granted numerous awards. He has performed in Poland only once during Wratislavia Cantans festival in 2003, when he was at the beginning of his international career.

In Polish Baltic Philharmonic, he will be accompanied by Vincenzo Scalera – a pianist, American artist, who has accompanied the most famous opera singers in the world, for example Montserrat Caballé, José Carreras, Vittorio Grigolo, Katia Ricciarelli or Renata Scotto.

Opera recital of Juan Diego Florez

Part I

  • L’amor funesto | G. Donizetti (1797–1848)
  • Me voglio faì na casa | G. Donizetti
  • Ange si pur |” La Favorite” | G. Donizetti
  • Tombe degli avi miei |” Lucia di Lammermoor” |G. Donizetti
  • Ed ancor la tremenda porta… | “Roberto Devereux” |G. Donizetti
    Come uno spirito angelico… Bagnato il sen di lagrime

Part II

  • Che ascolto, Ahime… | “Othello” | G. Rossini (1792–1868)
    Ah, come mai non senti?
  • Una furtiva lagrima | “L’elisir d’amore” | G. Donizetti (1797–1848)
  • Pourquoi me reveiller | “Werther” | J. Massenet (1842–1912)
  • Che gelida manina | “La boheme” | G. Puccini (1858–1924)
  • La mia letizia infondere | “And lombardi” | G. Verdi (1813–1901)
  • Lunge da lei… | “La traviata” | G. Verdi
    De’ miei bollenti spiriti…
    About mio rimorso

Organisers of the concert: Association for Helping Surgically Ill Children, National Culture Centre, Polish Baltic Philharmonic, AStreet Agency
Main Partner: Energa Group
Other strategic partners: LOTOS Group, Port of Gdynia, Franciszek Stefczyk Foundation, Remontowa Holding
Sponsors of the concert: BSJP, Olivia Business Centre, Hilton Gdańsk
Media patronage: TVP Kultura, Dziennik Bałtycki, Radio Gdańsk, Wirtualna Polska, Trojmiasto.pl
Editorial collaboration: RMF Classic
Business patronage: Gdańsk Business Club

Information on the concert on the website of Polish Baltic Philharmonic

Olivia Business Centre is the main partner of the “Pomeranian Employers” Evening Gala

Best Business, Best Entrepreneur: Final of the “Pomeranian Employer of the Year” Competition / Evening Gala of “Pomeranian Employers”

We have a great pleasure to invite you to the annual meeting of the Pomeranian economic community entitled: Evening Gala of “Pomeranian Employers”, which will take place on January 26, 2018 at 7:00 p.m. at the AMBER EXPO Exhibition and Congress Centre in Gdansk. During the event, m.in will be awarded. statuettes and distinctions in the “Pomeranian Employer of the Year 2017” competition, as well as special awards, such as “Golden Oxer” and “Primum Cooperatio”.

The “Pomeranian Employers” Evening Gala is a unique event dedicated to the Pomeranian economic environment, which has been taking place for many years. Companies receiving the title and statuette of the “Pomeranian Employer of the Year” during the Gala are leading enterprises among Pomeranian business, achieving good financial and economic results and being able to see the potential of their employees, effectively provide them with appropriate working conditions and development opportunities.

The “Golden Oxer” economic award was prepared for the owner of a company that was established after 1989 and achieved market success, becoming a showcase of the region. On the other hand, the “Primum Cooperatio” award will be given to a scientist who, understanding the needs of the economy in an active way, supported the implementation of innovative solutions in the economy with his creative thought and experience.

The Gala will be attended by over 700 representatives of companies and business environment institutions, parliamentarians, representatives of state and local authorities, as well as representatives of culture and media.

The Special Guest will be an outstanding actor prof. Jerzy Stuhr, and as a gift his latest book entitled “My dragons for better or for worse.” A day later, on 27 January, Prof. Jerzy Stuhr will perform at the Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre in a monodrama entitled “Double Bassist”, prepared m.in. with the participants of the Evening Gala in mind.

We cordially invite you to register for participation in the Evening Gala, encouraging you to invite your contractors, important clients, co-workers and representatives of the bodies and institutions with which you cooperate. The event will provide a unique atmosphere to spend time with dinner, music and dancing.

Taking into account the necessity to take the necessary organizational actions, we would be grateful if you could send the application form to the office of “Pomeranian Employers”, but no later than by 31.12.2017. The price of a one-person invitation is PLN 330 net (includes participation in the gala with a gala dinner and carnival party). The organization’s office will issue VAT (proforma) invoices for companies, the payment of which will entitle them to receive entry cards.

Remark! Timely payment is a prerequisite for participation in the gala.

Form:

http://pracodawcypomorza.pl/zapisy/gala_evening2018

More information on the website of “Employers of Pomerania” and the website dedicated to the Competition and the Evening Gala:

http://pracodawcypomorza.pl/exnt/impreza/544/gala-evening-8222pracodawcow-pomorza8221

http://pracodawcypomorza.pl/galakonkurs/

Supplementary Information:

“Employers of Pomerania”

(58) 345 83 74

biuro@pracodawcypomorza.pl

Prof. Jerzy Stuhr invites you to the Evening Gala of “Pomeranian Employers”…

… and to the performance “The Double Bass Player”!

 

Olivia Business Centre is the main partner of the Gala – Evening of Pomeranian Employers

The best business, the best entrepreneur: The Final of “Pomeranian Employer of the Year” Competition /

the Gala – Evening of Pomeranian Employers

It is a great pleasure for us to invite you to the annual meeting of Pomeranian business environment called the Gala – Evening of Pomeranian Employers, which will be held on January 26, 2018 at 7:00 pm in AMBER EXPO Exhibition and Convention Centre in Gdańsk. During the event, winners will be awarded, among other prizes, with statuettes and distinctions in “Pomeranian Employer of the Year 2017” competition, as well as special awards such as “Golden Oxer” and “Primum Cooperatio”.

The Gala – Evening of Pomeranian Employers is a unique event held for many years and dedicated to Pomeranian business environment. Companies, which are awarded with the title and statuette of “Pomeranian Employer of the Year” during the gala, are industry leaders in Pomeranian business, which generate good financial and economic results and are able to recognise the potential of their employees, ensure them adequate working conditions and opportunities for effective development.

“Golden Oxer” business award was prepared for the owner of a company, which was established after 1989, achieved market success and became the pride of the region. On the other hand, “Primum Cooperatio” award will be granted to a scientist, who understands the needs of economy and actively, with the help of their creative thought and experience, has been supporting the implementation of innovative solutions in the economy.

At the Gala, there will appear more than 700 representatives of companies and institutions from business environment, members of parliament, representatives of public authorities, local government authorities, as well as from the world of culture and media.

Our special guest will be an outstanding actor, Prof. Jerzy Stuhr, and his latest book Moje dragoni na dobre i złe will be a gift for the participants. One day later on January 27, Prof. Jerzy Stuhr will perform in Gdańsk Shakespeare Theatre in a monodrama entitled “Kontrabasist”, which was prepared, among others, for the participants of the Gala.

We warmly invite you to express your will to participate in the Evening Gala and encourage you to invite to the tables your contractors, important clients, co-workers and representatives of bodies and institutions, with which you cooperate. The event will create a unique atmosphere, which will make it possible to spend pleasant time over dinner, with music and dancing.

Given the need to take the necessary organisational measures, we would be grateful if you sent your registration form to the office of “The Employers of Pomerania” until 31.12.2017 at the latest. The price of an invitation for one person is 330 zlotys net (it includes participation in the gala, gala dinner and carnival party). Organisational office will be issuing VAT invoices for the companies (pro forma). Paying the invoice will authorise to receive access cards.

Attention! Timely payment is a precondition of participation in the gala.

Registration form:

http://pracodawcypomorza.pl/zapisy/gala_evening2018

More information can be found on “The Employers of Pomerania” website and the website dedicated to the Competition and the Evening Gala:

http://pracodawcypomorza.pl/exnt/impreza/544/gala-evening-8222pracodawcow-pomorza8221

http://pracodawcypomorza.pl/galakonkurs/

Complementary information:

“The Employers of Pomerania”

(58) 345 83 74

biuro@pracodawcypomorza.pl

VI Development Initiation Forum under the patronage of Olivia

On 30 November, the VI Development Initiation Forum will be held at the Olivia Sky Club in Olivia Business Centre. The theme of the Forum will be “Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) – 7 areas for cooperation!”

“This year we are going to talk about commitment and responsibility. We will be invited to reflect outstanding personalities from the world of science and business, prof. esp. Ph.D. Cezary Obracht Prondzyński from the University of Gdańsk and Ewa Sowińska from the National Council of Statutory Auditors. We will also be inspired by special guests: practitioners of corporate social responsibility (CSR). Our guests will refer to seven areas of this issue, showing practical tools for its implementation, i.e. Strategy, employee volunteering, internship programs, social economy, crowdsourcing. They will emphasise the particular importance of cross-sectoral dialogue and cooperation to achieve business and social goals. – says Monika Hinc, leader of the Forum.

The Development Initiation Forum is a space that we build together for effective dialogue. We emphasize the importance of cooperation between representatives of three sectors for the sustainable development of our Region. For the past six years, we have been able to integrate various communities around the idea of social involvement. This is a very important topic for us as a Forum Partner – adds Magdalena Rzeszotalska, Magdalena Rzeszotalska, Chief Accounting Officer Corporate Communications and CSR of Polpharma S.A. – The Forum is a great opportunity to establish contacts and exchange good practices. It is an opportunity to be inspired by examples of unique initiatives and enrich your workshop with new tools – adds Monika Hinc.

Registration of participants is possible at: http://forumrozwoju.org.pl/

COOPERATION WORKSHOPS – AS PART OF THE 6TH DEVELOPMENT INITIATION FORUM

This year, as part of the Development Initiation Forum, three parallel Cooperation Workshops will also be held, which will start after the official end of the Development Initiation Forum. The workshops will take place at O4 (Olivia Business Centre) and the headquarters of the Pomerania Development Agency S.A. (Olivia Six, 12th floor, room on the 12th floor, room 12.13) at 5.30 p.m. The workshops refer to the subject of Corporate Social Responsibility and will be conducted by practitioners. Participants will be able to work on the topic of effective communication with stakeholders, raise the issue of authenticity in the work of a leader and learn how to plan a CSR strategy – step by step.

Separate registration is required for the workshops, which lasts until tickets are sold out, at the following link http://forumrozwoju.org.pl/

DEVELOPMENT INITIATION FORUM

Over the last 6 years of the Development Initiation Forum’s activities, the cooperation of many people and organizations has allowed to achieve measurable results. We have built awareness of the role of dialogue between the business, local government and NGO sectors in the Pomeranian Voivodeship. People discuss, carry out joint activities. The topic has become important. We have created the largest Pomeranian event disseminating the idea and good practices of socially responsible business, including 5 editions and 1200 participants. We have built the only partner fund supporting sustainable development. We managed to donate a total amount of PLN 335,000 to the best cross-sectoral initiatives. We are building the first provincial Cross-Sectoral Network of Local Cooperation through m.in. 8 meetings, business consulting. We initiated the Socially Engaged Company competition promoting the CSR achievements of small businesses (2 completed editions).

More about the event

Support the crowdfunding action of the Thinking Zone middle school!

The Thinking Zone middle school operating in Olivia Business Centre has an unconventional crowdfunding action. A campaign promoting the “Game of…” (A game of…) project has just started. Everybody who wants to help fund superb courses for the winners… of a city game can do it by donating any amount on behalf of the project.

Have a look here: https://polakpotrafi.pl/projekt/gra-o. You will find the entire information about the idea our middle school students had. A short summary below…

The Thinking Zone crowdfunding action has three basic goals:

  1. to show that education can look differently, can be practical and interesting,
  2. to offer an access to alternative forms of education (workshops, courses and trainings) for young people who cannot afford it for various reasons,
  3. to show that nothing is impossible and a group of middle school students is able to create a well-conceived, complete and interesting project.

Students want to collect 18.000 PLN in a month and exchange it for 30 (or more!) complete training courses in the fields of Self-Presentation, Psychology of the Internet, the Japanese language, Drawing Workshop, Effective Communication and a few others. To whom will the training be offered? To those who get the best score in the Thinking Zone city game shortly after the end of the crowdfunding campaign. Students created a map with 6 districts of Gdańsk, including 72 questions and tasks for which participants will gain points. At the end, they will create a list of people with the greatest number of points. The participants will be able to exchange these points for courses, trainings and workshops in the Center of Thinking.

A few hours of fun on the second Sunday of January 2018 = a 3-month course on a chosen, interesting subject! All those interested are invited to the game: children, young people and entire families!

As the students say: “Oh yes… what game is it? Answer questions relating to business, science or art in our city game. Play for the development, the future or great fun! Win attractive courses such as Psychology of the Internet, the Japanese language or Self-Presentation and the Art of Public Speaking. We would like to show that everyone can help develop new talents. Your contribution will be an inspiration to show people that the young generation can create large, innovative projects. We will be very active for the next month! Become a part of our educational project and help others discover their passions!

WE INVITE YOU TO SUPPORT THE CROWDFUNDING. SEE DETAILS HERE: https://polakpotrafi.pl/projekt/gra-o?utm_source=search

Olivia Seven: green and friendly for employees

Olivia 7 (temporary name for the seventh building, which is under construction in the largest business centre in the Tricity) is based on biophilic design. The office building is supposed to promote balance between periods of intensive work during the day and the necessary moments of leisure and relax.

Our intention is to provide the employees of “Seven” with functional, modern and bright spaces. The offices will guarantee optimum working conditions, hence high pressure was placed on solutions dedicated to the comfort of work. Biophilic design is based on the assumption that we all need physical contact with nature to do well, so the design of “Seven” includes spatial, opened windows and tilt façade elements, which ensure constant access of fresh air and natural light. The building is also featured with non-standard elements for this kind of facility: loggias, terraces and external galleries full of plants on each storey of the building. On the roof of “Seven” there are two extra terraces.

We ensured that the design of the building focuses on natural materials and omnipresent greenery, with the latter one also appearing on the façade elements. The building will be featured with an extra patio, green yard with landscape architecture, cafes and restaurants.

Thermal comfort of the users was also taken into consideration. It will be ensured by a modern triple glass façade of the building whose use will greatly reduce the impact of outdoor conditions on the temperature in the offices, minimising the need to cool the rooms in summer and heat them in winter. It translates onto the comfort of use and energy demand, and consequently reduced maintenance costs.

Environmentally friendly character and technologies employed in the building will be evaluated according to BREEAM certification programme with an intention to get the best possible score – Outstanding.