Ecologically, economically, electronically
The electronic document circulation system, introduced by PKN ORLEN last year, was recognised as an exemplary and highly valuable practice by the Responsible Business Forum. The solution implemented by the Company was noted in the Forum's annual report as an example of "Responsible Business in Poland".
It is already the seventh publication of good practices reported by the Responsible Business Forum. This year's edition includes 88 of the most interesting corporate practices in four areas: workplace, market, society and natural environment.
This year, the Forum received a record-breaking number of over 150 good practices, which allowed it to choose the most valuable and exemplary ones. The system introduced at PKN ORLEN received a reward in the category "Environment" and deals with the principles of electronic circulation of documents within the business .
Getting rid of hard copies of documents and speeding up the internal contract approval procedures is possible due to electronic systems. The practices implemented, reduced the amount of paper used in this Płock-based company by app. 4%. Another example of such practices is a project called SOWA , operated in the Capital Group, which concentrates on an electronic circulation of invoices and other accounting documents.
With the use of computer carriers in the company still growing, business processes become optimised and the corporation operates more efficiently. Apart from the economical effects, the usage of the carriers offer notable benefits to the environment.
Jakub Kolbicz, Manager of IT Project and Processes Management says, "The added value here is eliminating the necessity to print or copy a few hundred thousand documents a year repeatedly, because any approvals and document views are made using an application designed specifically for that purpose."
Standardisation of office platform, including all printing machines and electronic fax systems operating as a part of such a platform, makes it possible for the employees to incorporate electronic documents into circulation. Thus, the necessity to copy documents many times disappears and fax messages are received through mailbox without the need to print them.
PKN Orlen's good practices are already well-established in the reports published by the Responsible Business Forum. "Optimization of PKN ORLEN Regional Structures" aroused great interest in 2005, while the following practices: "Company's Corporate Culture" and "Employees' Voluntary Service" as a part of category "Workplace" and "Improvement of Road Traffic Safety in Poland" as a part of category "Society" were presented in 2006. The latter practice, presenting a social campaign entitled "ORLEN. Safe Roads" won such wide acclaim that it was recommended once more in the 2007 Report, and a practice entitled "PKN ORLEN for Employees" was presented together within the section "Workplace".
Mirella Panek, President of Responsible Business Forum, says, "We hope that, just like every year, the practices we included in the 2008 Report will inspire new companies and show a more responsible side of Polish businesses." The Responsible Business Forum is the first and only non-governmental organisation in Poland which deals with the concept of corporate social responsibility globally.
The Forum was established in 2000 on the initiative of business, academic and nongovernmental circles.
