ESG – a revolution that will change the real estate industry

Text | Agnieszka Wójcicka Issues related to ESG, i.e. the assessment of investments in terms of care for the environment (E), social responsibility (S) and corporate governance (G), are changing in front of our eyes from the phase characteristic of early development and testing, into a permanent trend that will be inthe coming years one of the main factors influencing changes in the real estate market.

Not by accident, in 2021, Blackstone Group, one of the largest investment funds in the global real estate market, announced that it expects all companies to submit ESG reports. The same entity also announced a 15% reduction in CO2 emissions in all its new investments in 2020. According to the International Team on Climate Change (IPCC), the construction sector is responsible for 38% of global CO2 emissions (39% according to Data Sources Global ABC Global Status Report 2018, EIA). The carbon footprint of a building can be divided into two components: the operational carbon footprint (i.e. energy used for the efficient functioning of buildings) and the builtin carbon footprint, i.e. emissions related to the construction of the building (e.g. production and transport of building materials and related to the construction process).

These numbers indicate that we are not dealing with a marginal phenomenon, but with almost revolutionary changes that will soon begin to define the entire real estate industry. As Deloitte rightly points out in the study – ESG Real Estate Insights 2021: "The emergence of global megatrends, understood as largescale social, economic and environmental changes, often with a high impact, will require the real estate sector to revise its approach to sustainable development".

The main assumptions of the Paris Agreement and the European Green Deal is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

ANNUAL GLOBAL CO

2 EMISSIONS IN PERCENT

Construction and production ofbuilding materials (including carbon footprint 11%

Transport 23%

Use of buildings (operational carbon footprint)

Industry and others 38%

In order to change the general assumptions, European legislation was created, including NFRD (Non-financial Reporting Directive) and SFDR (Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation) on disclosure of non-financial data by companies regarding ESG aspects. Additionally, in order to counteract the phenomenon of "greenwashing", the investment will be verified in terms of compliance with the socalled Taxonomy, i.e. a legal act of the European Union of 18 June 2020 establishing a framework to facilitate sustainable investments.

Investors who have been dealing with sustainable development for years by certifying their investments in BREEAM / LEED schemes will have a partially easier task of transformation, as a certain group of Taxonomy criteria is consistent with the assumptions of multicriteria certification. White Star Real Estate received its first BREEAM certificate for the design stage in 2011 for The Park Warsaw – Building B1, which was confirmed by the final certificate in 2013 with an Excellent rating.

For several years, multicriteria certification has become a standard on the office market, while warehouse investments have been overlooked in the past. Currently, most developers of warehouse space certify their new investments. White Star Real Estate received the first interim certificate in the BREEAM Europe 2009 system for the M1 warehouse of the Diamond Business Park

The Park Warsaw. Ursus investment in 2013 together with Sweco Polska (then Grontmij Polska). Ultimately, the entire Diamond Business Park Ursus warehouse park is certified at the Very Good level. Currently, over 80% of the net leased space in the White Star Real Estate portfolio is BREEAM certified.

It’s important to remember that environmental data is measurable, which makes it easier to collect and report. On the other hand, social and governance indicators that also make up ESG strategies are more declarative, which often makes reporting difficult. At the same time, it is the activities in line with the subject matter of S (society) and G (corporate governance) that are indicated as those that may affect the competitive advantage of individual entities and investments.

Today, the legislation introduced in the field of ESG clearly indicates that there is no other direction for the real estate industry than a responsible approach to construction, which is both concern for ecology and sustainable development of the entire business. The introduction of similar regulations and their implementation by investors will only accelerate the spread of such solutions in Poland to the benefit of

the entire industry and its perception by the market environment.

Agnieszka Wójcicka | Sustainability Manager and BREEAM Coordinator, White Star Real Estate

Text | Agnė Camara

Relocating to a new country can be daunting. Navigating migration paperwork, finding a place to stay, sorting out health and social insurance – there is so much to do when settling in your new home. Even the most prepared newcomers can find themselves puzzled at times. And they should not be left to figure everything out on their own.

The recently established International House Vilnius was set up to welcome international talent to the Lithuanian capital and answer any queries they might have. From obtaining a residence permit to discovering the local cultural scene, we are a onepoint entry for all incoming specialists that choose to pursue their careers in Lithuania.

Making Vilnius an even more attractive career destination for international talent is among the primary goals of International House Vilnius. Recently, however, our experience in providing valuable and timely support to newcomers has also been put to use to help Ukrainian refugees integrate in Lithuania.

ALL RELOCATION AND INTEGRATION SERVICES UNDER ONE ROOF International talent greatly complements the local talent pool, playing a vital role in sustaining the economic growth of European countries. To encourage international specialists to choose Lithuania, there is a need to ensure accessible, highquality services that support their big move. Looking at the good practices of the Nordics (Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Estonia all have similar centres), we began developing a onestop service centre that helps international specialists and their families navigate the ins and outs of relocation.

That is how International House Vilnius was born. The centre is a joint initiative of Go Vilnius, the city’s tourism and business development agency, and Work in Lithuania, a national talent attraction program. Since its establishment in November 2021, International House Vilnius has already assisted more than 5,000 foreign nationals with various relocation and integration challenges.

All consultations and services are provided in English or Russian and are free of charge. Appointments can be made on the centre’s online registration platform.

Our vision for International House Vilnius was an open, welcoming space where specialists from abroad could access public services without facing a language barrier or visiting the same

International House Vilnius leverages an extensive network of national agencies, local organisations and experts to ensure a smooth and easy relocation process. All in one place, a new arrival can meet representatives of key Lithuanian public institutions, including the Migration Department, the State Tax Inspectorate, the Employment Service, and Vilnius City Municipality. Experts are on hand to sort out residence permit or health insurance issues, consult on taxpayer obligations, register children in educational institutions, and provide information on job opportunities or starting a business, among many other matters. offices multiple times. With the support of Vilnius City Municipality, we brought this vision to life, and we are ready to make international talent feel at home in our city from day one.

SUPPORTING UKRAINIAN REFUGEES Since the early days of the war in Ukraine, Lithuania has mobilised its national institutions to support the Ukrainian people. For Ukrainian refugees coming to Lithuania, International House Vilnius launched a hotline to provide the latest information on arriving to the country, finding accomodation, receiving healthcare services, and other matters. We have also organised a number of seminars for

Photos: ŠVIESIAUTAMSIAU.

Ukrainians on topics such as obtaining health insurance and finding a job in Lithuania. Our team has been able to use its expertise in assisting foreing nationals to provide the urgent and necessary support to Ukrainian refugees. public transport, finding an English or Russianspeaking barber, or discovering the best places for dinner.

Experience shows that programs that have locals answering foreigners’ questions are particularly effective in

To provide more personalised assistance, International House Vilnius has also launched BeFriend Vilnius, a mentorship program aimed at helping Ukrainians integrate. The program has Vilnius residents act as volunteer mentors to newcomers, providing them with information and advice on a 1-1 basis, either in person, online or by phone. BeFriend Vilnius mentors help new arrivals by guiding them to the right institutions to sort out relevant paperwork, but also by giving them daytoday tips on using facilitating faster and easier integration. BeFriend mentors give their Ukrainian mentees individual attention and time, which helps to build social bonds and valuable connections. We hope that BeFriend will not only help Ukrainians integrate into the city’s life, but also make it easier to identify the painpoints of foreigners settling in Vilnius.

The idea of a mentorship program has been in our plans since the founding of International House Vilnius. But with a significant number of Ukrainians arriving in Lithuania – more than 40,000 Ukrainian refugees have entered the country the day I am writing this – the need for such assistance is particularly high. That is why the first phase of the BeFriend program is designed to help the Ukrainian people who have fled the war. Later down the line, we plan to expand the program by offering it to all foreigners residing in Vilnius.

Head of International House Vilnius

During the March MIPIM fair in Cannes, the City of Poznań promoted the offer of as many as 17investment areas for sale. Both the commercial and residential real estate markets are developing very dynamically in Poznań, and more plots are awaiting upgrades.

For the first time since the beginning of the pandemic, the real estate and investment fair MIPIM in Cannes was held in a full format. It has lasted for 4 days and gathered around 20,000 participants from all over the world. During the event, Poznań got the fDI European Cities and Regions of the Future 2022/23 award, which was received by the Mayor of theCity Jacek Jaśkowiak. In the general classification of medium-sized cities, Poznań was placed 5th. According to experts from The Financial Times, it is the second most businessfriendly city in Europe in its category. Moreover, Mayor Jacek Jaśkowiak took part in a discussion panel organised by Poland Today as part of the event "POLAND, EUROPE'S MOST RESILIENT ECONOMY – a snapshot of the market today & tomorrow", which gathered a full room of participants. The debate concerned the sustainable planning of urban space. Besides the Mayor of Poznań, representatives of Helsinki and Gdynia (Anni Sinnemäki, vicemayor of Helsinki, Katarzyna Gruszecka -Spychała, vice-mayor of Gdynia) and representatives of two real estate companies – the Danish developer NREP and the American consulting agency Cushman & Wakefield took part in it.

Moreover, during the MIPIM fair, a special event was held at the symbolic Ukrainian stand, where representatives of Kyiv, Lviv, Kherson, IvanoFrankivsk and Kharkiv were supposed to present their potential. The authorities of several European cities (including Riga, Vilnius, Madrid and Poznań) jointly expressed their support for the fighters in Ukraine and appealed to the governors to close the sky over Ukraine.

DIVERSIFIED OFFER FOR INVESTORS This year, the City of Poznań promoted 17 investment areas. We have already known that the property in Żegrze area was sold at the end of March as part of an unlimited oral tender. The offer of the City of Poznań – ten areas – is still dominated by real estate intended for multi-family housing and/or service development. We also offer new investors 3 properties with an exclusive service function. One area is for industrial and service development. Another area is to be partly designated for industrial and service purposes and partly to be used

as parking lots. However, the property at Chojnicka street, offered for rent only, located in a wedge of greenery, may be an interesting proposition for the tourism, recreation and sports sector. There are new locations at Gąsiorowskich 6 street and Janickiego/ Św. Wawrzyńca streets. – We are very pleased with the course of this year's fair. The four days of MIPIM were filled with meetings both with new people and our longterm partners. Thanks to the presence of decisionmakers, we held talks and arrangements at the highest level – sums up Katja Lożina, Head of the Investor Relations Department.

A GREAT TIME FOR NEW PROJECTS At the stand of the City of Poznań, we also promoted the projects of our partners: APP Projekt, Garvest, Skanska, Pekabex, Probuild, Vastint, WPIP and Wielkopolska Investment Support Center, as well as investment offers of the municipalities of the Poznań metropolis. Currently, the office real estate market in Poznań covers over 620,000 sq m. There is almost 62,000 sq m under construction – the Andersia Silver office building on Andersa Square (Probuild) and the tallest building in the Nowy Rynek complex at Matyi street (Skanska) which are to be put into service in 2024. Garvest is planning two new Pixels at Grunwaldzka street, while Vastint is working on the pre mises of Stara Rzeźnia.

Progress is also observed in the residential real estate market of Poznań.

Thanks to the tram investment completed before the deadline, the areas at Unii Lubelskiej street have become very attractive for developers. The city is systematically selling properties that will allow the creation of a modern housing estate in that area with easy access to the centre of Poznań.

Several interesting investments are also underway in Jeżyce. The first apartments in the Goplana estate, which are being built by COLIAN DEVELOPER on the premises of the former chocolate factory, have already been put into operation. The construction of the next two buildings is to be completed in 2022 and 2023. In the neighbourhood,

Skanska is completing the construction of the Nowy Rynek complex in the very center of Poznań.

A unique Garvest's project Perfumiarnia at Park Wilsona.

by the main artery in Jeżyce – Dąbrowskiego street, also in the postindustrial area, new housing estates – Fama, FAMMA and Wieża – are being built. As a result, in the area of Dąbrowskiego, Kościelna, Niestachowska, Św. Wawrzyńca streets, a modern residential district, Nowe Jeżyce, will appear. Portowo is one of the largest investments planned by Vastint in the residential market in Poland. Ultimately, the entire project will include 47 buildings with nearly 1,800 apartments.

The unique investment of Garvest – Perfumiarnia is also worth attention. The project involves the construction of

At the same time, Vastint has received a building permit for the Portowo estate, which will be located on the Warta River, near the Starołęka roundabout. 140 apartments in 3 new buildings with a view of Wilson Park. The investment

will be complemented, among others, by the restored interiors of the 19th century Huggers' Brewery, which will include a SPA and an intimate office space, as well as the Betonhaus, the oldest and only existing fair pavilion in Wilson Park, which will also be restored to its former glory. The project will be crowned by: aparthotel "Focha 34" from Głogowska street and a new tenement house in the place of warehouses from Śniadeckich street.

This year's MIPIM fair in Cannes confirms that there is a high interest in the real estate market of Poznań. The city has a lot to offer not only to commercial space developers but also to investors from the residential sector. The current offer of municipal properties for sale is still available at www.poznan.pl/invest. Please contact us!

Za Bramką 1 Street, 61-842 Poznan Phone: +48 61 878 54 28, e-mail: inwestor@um.poznan.pl www.poznan.pl/invest

Text | Anna Tymoshenko The idea of Anne Hidalgo is beautiful. The concept of the 15-minute city announced in 2020 by the mayor of Paris, from the Work-Life Balance perspective, is not only the idea of a path to achieving balance in life. From the point of view of the inhabitants of Częstochowa, city located about 1,500 kilometers from Paris, it is even a necessity.

School, clinic, cafe, shop, work, park... and maybe even a forest – all within a 15-mi nute walk or bike ride from the apartment or house. In Częstochowa, it is not only the urban trend. The city shows that this idea is not a utopia but the reality of a large part of the inhabitants.

It turns out that the coronavirus pandemic and related travel restrictions contributed to the spread of the idea, not only to other cities in the world but also – to a lesser extent – to their neighbourhoods. Częstochowa, despite being once a voivodeship city, is relatively compact, and its location and area make it relatively easy and quick to drive from one end to the other. Częstochowa, the second-largest city in the Silesian Voivodeship, with over 215,000 inhabitants, has a strategic location at the intersection of transport routes and near the Pyrzowice airport, which can be reached by car in about 25 minutes. There are currently largescale investments in the city, moderni zing the road system, public transport and increasing the number of bicycle paths. The provincial road No. 908 within the city limits – Monte Cassino street – and the DK46 road is being rebuilt, which is the entrance to Opole and Wrocław, aswell as access to the A1. The city started to renovate the heavily

loaded city fragments of DK-91, including the construction of three noncollision intersections – flyovers. In previous years, three integrated interchange nodes have already been created, enabling the combination of all public transport available in the city with individual transport – about 50,000 students and employees commute to Częstochowa every day to school and work. Transfer centres also contribute to the development and integration of the bicycle route system, which is currently about 76 kilometres in the city, and additionally, Częstochowa is connected via paths with other communes, not only Jurassic ones. Investments in communication infrastructure are a priority. Within a few dozen minutes drive from the centre of Częstochowa, we have access to over eight million inhabitants who can become our potential students and employees of Częstochowa companies. In 2020, PLN 65 million was allocated to the modernization of Częstochowa roads. steelworks (today Liberty Steel Częstochowa). Therefore, subcontractors' plants, housing estates, hospitals, kindergartens, schools, cinemas and sports clubs were built around the steelworks – this structure has been preserved to this day, which clearly shows that the idea of a fifteen-minute city is nothing new but rather a return to quite good and proven practices.

A similar policy of social development was pursued in Congress by the owners of large textile factories located in the present city centre. Thanks to this, flats for engineers were created that are still functioning today, sports fields, tennis courts, Cultural Centers and clubs for residents. Most of these plants have left the pearls of industrial architecture ready for development, such as the 8 hectares of the former Elanex in the very centre of the city.

In the postwar Republic of Poland, Częstochowa did not depart from best practices and when new housing estates

Today's Częstochowa was shaped around several dominants. The first one is, of course, Jasna Góra, around which there are mainly districts of single family houses. The monastery is also a dominant feature in the planning and urban context. In the south of the city, however, the enormous influence of industry on the development of this part of the city is noticeable. Since the nineteenth century, the life of the entire district, and consequently also of the neighbouring districts, developed around the Hantke were built, they were not only bedrooms for employees of numerous Częstochowa plants. As the city grew to the north, it absorbed more orchards, fields, and even a forest, which is still used by the inhabitants for recreation and relaxation. Thanks to such measures, in each of the new districts of Częstochowa, the resident has at his disposal several kindergartens, several schools, a clinic, parks, squares with old trees, walking paths and numerous shops. Częstochowa is a good-to-live, peaceful city. Due to the increase in the wealth of the inhabitants, the demand for new flats built to a high standard is still growing, although the largest district of the city can certainly be considered a phenomenon: the "North", which was shaped at the end of the 1970s, due to the location, the number of greenery, schools, kindergartens, and commercial facilities is still one of the most frequently chosen locations by young people. Although the district is dominated by blocks of concrete slabs, the advantages of the location and the 15 minutes rule (or rather less) work perfectly here. Another great advantage of Częstochowa is its proximity to the beautiful Jurassic communes like Olsztyn, Mstów, Mirów, Bobolice, Złoty Potok, Ostrężnik... It is certainly a phenomenon on a national scale because at a distance of 15 km from the Katowice Special Economic Zone we have ruins of medieval castles, Jurassic inselbergs, landscape parks, mineral water springs and recreational areas among pine forests, which will satisfy anyone who wants to take a break from everyday duties.

Translation: Magdalena Wytrzymała

Waszyngtona 5 Street, 42-217 Częstochowa Phone: +48 34 3707 212, +48 34 3707 213 email: coi@czestochowa.um.gov.pl, fer@czestochowa.um.gov.pl www.czestochowa.pl

Stable and balanced development of every city would not be possible without an appropriate economic background created by enterprises from various sectors and industries which have a significant influence on the of the city's budgetary revenues size, the situation on the local labour market and the public image of the city both on the regional and national scale.

It is for these reasons that cities compete with each other, trying to create the best possible conditions for economic growth, encouraging investments, emphasising all the attributes they possess which may be important for potential investors. Marketing alone is not enough in all this, skilful promotion of the city is of course very important, but it can become an important factor of building competitive advantage only when it is confirmed in objective evaluations and rankings.

Interestingly, more and more investors pay attention not only to strictly economic or business criteria of evaluating the investment attractiveness of the city, but also to widely understood aspects of the quality of life, ecology or simply the high quality of building relations between the public and private sector in implementing various economic undertakings.

Therefore, it is worth putting together the most important assessments and rankings relating to Katowice and see how the city ranks in comparison to other Polish agglomerations and inwhich aspects it clearly dominates over its competitors.

The review of these ratings and rankings should certainly start with the most objective and reliable financial criteria. In the credit rating of Katowice published by Fitch at the end of 2021, the city's financial standing was assessed as "A-", i.e. Stable outlook, and the source of such an assessment was primarily the city's budget, which is moderately susceptible to changes in the economic situation thanks to, among others, the dominant share of service industries in the structure of the city's economy, in particular the business services sector. The American Fitch Ratings agency is one of the five most prestigious global rating agencies, regularly publishing ratings of more than 5,700 financial institutions and 100 countries, including an assessment of their creditworthiness. Thanks to maintaining the rating at "A" Katowice is perceived as a reliable and trustworthy business partner and the high rating confirms the city's development potential in every area, especially in terms of investments, which also translates into an increasingly higher standard of living for its residents. in Cannes, in which the City of Katowice actively participated.

The fact that Katowice is an unquestionable leader among Polish agglomerations also in the quality life area, is clearly demonstrated by the annual ranking of PeopleFriendly Cities conducted in November 2021 by Forbes, in which the capital of Upper Silesia took the 1st place! Katowice was the only city in Poland to exceed, in the overall assessment, the limit of 100 points. The latest edition of the ranking was exceptional in that for the first time the points were determined not only by questionnaire responses but also by objective calculations of how much money the cities spend from their budgets on areas that improve the residents' quality of life, such as security, housing

One of the most recent award that Katowice has received is the 5th position in the ranking of the best large European cities in terms of fDi strategy in fDi’s European Cities and Regions of the Future 2022/23 ranking. The culmination of the ranking was the award ceremony on 15 March during MIPIM 2022 facilities and social support. The jury singled out Katowice's "exceptionally high civic budget", which accounts for about 1% of the city's entire budget, while the standard among provincial cities is about 0.5%, as well as the creation of a dedicated Green Budget of as much as PLN3 million.

Photo: Piotr Krysiak / Obiektyw PK – foto & film.

In this context it is worth emphasising that Katowice's high rating in the "Forbes" ranking is by no means isolated as only a month earlier, in October 2021, Katowice found itself among the laureates of the 17th Local Government Ranking organised by "Rzeczpospolita" and "Życie Regionów", winning 2nd prize in the category of cities with poviat rights. The Rzeczpospolita Local Government Ranking has been in existence for 17 years and is one of the most prestigious and reliable initiatives of its kind. In accordance with the adopted methodology, the ranking verifies the effectiveness of the local government in shaping the sustainable development of the local community, included in the strategic categories: economic sustainability, environmental sustainability, social sustainability and in the quality of management. Katowice stood out in the area of care for the life quality of the inhabitants, obtaining the highest number of points, which is due to, among others, high spending on education, culture, sport and recreation, thanks to which the inhabitants have access to a better offer in this area. assessment Katowice took an excellent 2nd place among the assessed largest Polish agglomerations! Such a high position of Katowice gains particular significance taking into account the fact that the Silesian Voivodeship is regularly

The capital of Upper Silesia for many years has been perceived as an agglomeration affected by many negative effects of the dominance of heavy industry in the city and the region, in particular mining, metallurgy and chemical industries, which were the main source of pollution in the natural environment. Therefore, it may be the more surprising that in the mid-2021 air quality included in lists of the most polluted regions, not only in Poland but also in the whole Europe. The objectivity of this assessment is beyond doubt, since its source is the report of the prestigious international organisation "Europolis" of the Schumman Foundation, which assessed a dozen or so of the largest Polish agglomerations according to identical and fairly selected criteria.

The gradual but systematic growth of Katowice's importance on the economic map of Europe is confirmed by its inclusion in the first ranking of the Polish Cities of the Future 2050, prepared by the SaintGobain Group and the Polish Association for Future Studies. Katowice took the 3rd place among the largest Polish agglomerations which are likely to obtain the status of the city of the future the fastest. It also turned out to be the winner of an additional ranking in the "education" category. This is the result of the city's focus on leisure industry, business services and "high tech" with simultaneous care for green areas, which constitute almost half of the city area. This influences the overall image of Katowice, which is completely different now than it was 20, 10 or even 5 years ago.

It was a great honour for Katowice to be awarded at the end 2021 the prestigious title of European City of Science, which it will be held in 2024. This title

has been awarded every two years since 2004. It is worth noting that Katowice was awarded it, as the first ever city located in Central and Eastern Europe! Its idea is to deepen the changes accompanying the transformation of the society of these cities and regions towards a society of science, to show the richness and diversity of the European scientific landscape and to support self-education, scientific integration, interest in science among younger generations and the development of European research without borders, to strengthen the European and international profile of the scientific community in the city and the region, to increase the involvement of citizens and the scientific community in local problems, to trigger public investment in regional science and its infrastructure, and to boost tourism. The success of the Silesian Science Festival KATOWICE was of great importance in the choice of the capital city of the Silesian Voivodeship – the EuroScience Association, granting the title of the European City of Science, appreciated i.a. the exemplary cooperation of the city of Katowice with the universities organising the Festival, led by the initiator and leader of the undertaking, i.e. the University of Silesia. Along with the title of European City of Science comes the right to organize the EuroScience Open Forum (ESOF) in 2024. This event takes place every two years and is devoted to scientific research and innovation crucial for the future of the world. ESOF Katowice 2024 will be one of the most prestigious science and technology events in the world.

If we also add other assessments and rankings, in which Katowice was ranked among the best Polish cities in such diverse lists as electromobility (2ndplace in Poland), investment potential (4th place in Poland), it can be confidently stated that Katowice will be more and more frequently ranked among the largest Polish cities in all kinds of rankings. Therefore, we can say that the new face the Upper Silesia capital as a vibrant, modern metropolis conducive to business development, city friendly and attractive for residents, also having many other attributes in the culture, recreation or sport area, is already a permanent quality.

www.invest.katowice.eu

An increase in the number of requests for new investments and zoning permits, as well as a higher interest in investment areas, have been noted in Kielce lately. Undoubtedly the pandemic has not stopped the economic development of Kielce. We talk to Bożena Szczypiór, Deputy Mayor of Kielce, about the challenges that the city faces and the opportunities which will determine its further development. The development should be measured not only by the number of new investments but first of all, by the improvement of the life quality of Kielce inhabitants.

Bożena Szczypiór, Deputy Mayor of Kielce: In most cases, Kielce entrepreneurs have coped really well with the crisis, adapting their businesses, including production, to the new economic conditions and needs. The coronavirus has not stopped their plans, on the contrary – many have used this time to prepare and launch new investments. The City Hall currently receives a large number of requests for new investments and zoning permits. There are many discussions behind us, about which I cannot talk publicly for now. We have also noticed an increased interest in investment areas. The prices we obtained in recent tenders were much higher than we expected. What is essential, new companies are being established in Kielce all the time. In 2020, more than 29.4 thousand entities were registered in the REGON register, almost a thousand more than in 2018. The condition of these companies largely depends on the current economic situation in the country, and this – as we know – is not the best. Rising inflation and credit costs or the stagnation in dialogue with the EU do not inspire optimism.

We are developing by using the existing economic and social potential. The city is well evaluated, among others, in the report ‘Investment attractiveness of regions’, prepared by the Warsaw School of Economics.

Much better than the whole region. A serious constraint on the further development of Kielce is certainly its transport isolation. No motorway runs through the region, and modernization of the S7 beyond the borders of the region is still underway. Meanwhile, which is important but also understandable, we are seeing growing interest from companies in areas where this road has already taken on another dimension. It should also be outlined that 66% of Kielce is covered by various forms of nature reserves, which on the one hand improves the quality of life in the city, but on the other hand, limits the availability of land for manufacturing companies development.

Here the matter is more complex. In the zoning plans of Morawica and Chmielnik communes, these areas are earmarked for an airport. It must be remembered that the plots were acquired in various ways. Some – unfortunately, a small percentage – were bought directly from the owners, others were merged as a result of expropriations. According to the law, if the municipality does not realize the purpose behind the expropriation, it is obliged to pay compensation to the owners. Currently, we are making efforts to create a special purpose act and change the zoning plan, in order to be able to pay compensations to the landowners and – what’s extremely important for us – to be able to keep this land entirety. The area has huge business potential.

There is also a lot of interest in properties located in neighboring communes, mainly due to their lower prices in comparison to Kielce land prices. This is a natural situation and is typical for medium and large cities. Nevertheless, it does not threaten Kielce's position as the most important social, academic and – above all – economic center in the region.

We managed to lead to the realization of projects for which other cities and regions also strived intensively. The first is the construction of the Central Office of Measures laboratories complex. What is crucial is that there is a lot of talk about EU co-financing of this investment and the fact that Kielce donated the land worth over PLN 36 million. We feel to be co-creators of a project that will stimulate the city economically. The laboratories complex, which is to inaugurate its operations in 2023, will be able to host smaller entities dealing with various types of expertise or measurements.

The second investment, crucial from the perspective of the city, is the construction of a Cromodora Wheels factory,

Bożena Szczypiór – deputy Mayor of Kielce.

Investment area of 3.5 ha in Kielce

Other departments of the City Hall are also involved in services dedicated to investors. Additionally, in 2021 we launched two key instruments supporting the development of enterprises in Kielce: exemption from property tax on newly built objects or their parts related to production and exemption from property tax on new buildings with highstandard offices. These are two sectors that

we want to develop very strongly. We also support craftsmen, often oneperson businesses or small family businesses, by reducing their property tax. We have also created a Map of Craftsmen, encouraging residents to use the services of professionals.

an Italian producer of car rims, which should start operating any day now. The plant will employ 400 people. A new, large company with foreign capital will also contribute to the increase in demand for products and services in the metalmachine industry.

Some companies from Kielce are also planning to expand and come to us with their projects, but at this stage, due to the interests of the entrepreneurs, we cannot disclose details.

I see at least five reasons. Great location – the distance from Kraków, Warsaw, Łódź, Lublin and Katowice is no more than 180 km and the average drive time to the nearest airports – Pyrzowice, Balice, Okęcie – is about two hours. What is more, the construction of an expressway to Kraków is to be completed within two years, which will shorten the travel time to the airport in Balice.

Two – high human resources potential. Salary expectations of Kielce universities graduates are lower than those from the largest Polish cities, and it should be noted, that 60 percent of all the costs of a given enterprise are labor costs. Life is also cheaper in Kielce.

Another argument – is the constantly improving quality of life in the city. Not without significance is also the presence of Kielce Trade Fairs and Kielce Technology Park, which is an example of excellent use of opportunities for the development of business infrastructure, available to both local and external investors. Companies investing in Kielce can count on the goodwill of the city authorities and support from the Investor Assistance Centre.

The team of Investor Assistance Centre is engaged in seeking locations for investors, helps to establish business contacts, runs an online database of investment offers. The Centre has been repeatedly appreciated by investors for its business approach, openness, and knowledge of the realities of the local market.

We should remember that deve-

lopment is not only about investment. Weneed nurseries, kindergartens and new housing, as well as pavements, lighting, roads and a sewage system – as indicated by the inhabitants during the public consultations organized as part of the ‘Periphery’ program. We are on the eve of launching the next EU financial perspective. At the moment we are getting familiar with regional guidelines for that and we already know that this will not be ‘easy’ money. We have to adjust our development needs to the possibilities of the city budget, in which we should secure our own contribution to the planned investments.

In a moment we will adopt a new Kielce City Strategy 2030+ towards Smart City, i.e. a smart city with a focus on sustainable development. In consultation with the inhabitants, we have de-fined our objectives and subordinated investment needs to them, with an amount a total of PLN 1.5 billion. We sent the list of needs to the regional authorities at the stage of consultation of the Development Strategy of Świętokrzyskie Region 2030+. We are waiting for its adoption and implementation.

Thank you for the interview.

Strycharska 6 Street, 25-659 Kielce Phone: +48 41 36 76 571, 41 36 76 557, e-mail: coi@um.kielce.pl www.invest.kielce.pl/en, www.mapa.invest.kielce.pl/en

An open gate in the coat of arms of Bydgoszcz is not just a symbol. This is the real approach of residents, authorities and representatives of local business, who create a friendly climate in the City more and more often appreciated by tourists, guests and people deciding to live or invest here.

"Be our guest" – this long promoted slogan of Bydgoszcz still perfectly reflects the openness and hospitality of the City and its inhabitants. This can be seen in many different spheres of life: from social and cultural, through educational, to the business sphere. In today's special situation, when, like many other cities, Bydgoszcz welcomes and provides a second home for many newcomers from wartorn Ukraine, this slogan becomes even more relevant and gains wider meaning.

ACCORDING TO THE WORDS ON THE WALL Anyone who has visited Bydgoszcz may know that the City is full of murals. Each of them has not only aesthetic values, but also carries some important, social, cultural, or historical message. "Bydgoszcz open and tolerant" – one of them says. It was made in 2017, as a result of a competition run at that time, related to the campaign of the Forum of Bydgoszcz Citizens under the same slogan, which was won by the work of Justyna Dziabaszewska. The art warmly and harmoniously represents a crosssection of modern society, promoting the equality of all citizens and showing that diversity is a great value. The mural shows people of different ages, races, professions and interests who coexist in one city – in Bydgoszcz.

The initiative was quickly picked up by Bydgoszcz schools, which started with the Bydgoszcz City Project "Open and Tolerant School", which continues to this day. Their common goal is to strengthen, already at the stage of building the school community, the identity and image of Bydgoszcz as a city open and friendly to everyone. Bydgoszcz actively supports educational activities that spread the values related to tolerance and openness to others. INTERNATIONAL ATMOSPHERE OF BYDGOSZCZ In recent years, one can feel the international atmosphere of Bydgoszcz more and more fully. On a daily basis, it is composed of various groups of foreigners who perfectly fit into the local community. Among them are students gaining knowledge and first professional experience and freshly minted graduates from various corners of the world. There are also small and larger entrepreneurs, transferring their cultural values and traditions to their businesses, managers of Bydgoszcz branches of foreign corporations, employees of various industries and sectors. There are NATO soldiers living here with their families, working and training in the JFTC centre in Bydgoszcz, athletes or musicians taking part in numerous international events and festivals, as well as a growing number of tourists and business guests who visit Bydgoszcz, not only in the spring and summer season.

The fact that Bydgoszcz is a city open and friendly to foreigners is also present in its multicultural history. Even in the times of the First Polish Republic, in its social structure, Bydgoszcz recorded significant German and Scottish colonies, Czech and Jewish communities, or Italian families (a certain Stefan Parkuzi even served as the mayor of the City several times). Today, there are newcomers from all over the world who have perfectly assimilated into the local community.

Since the seventies, there have been, for example, Vietnamese who run their restaurants in Bydgoszcz, and their third and fourth generation are developing their businesses not only

in the catering industry. A large group, especially in recent years, are Ukrainians. This was significantly due to both the growing staffing needs of local business, as well as the activities of universities, mainly the University of Economy, which many years ago opened its doors wide to students and employees from across our eastern border. The founder and president of the university has even been the honorary consul of Ukraine in Bydgoszcz for several years (N.B. as many as 9 countries have their honorary consuls in the City, who actively care for international cultural, social and business relations). Naturally, in the face of the ongoing crisis in Ukraine, it is in Bydgoszcz that thousands of Ukrainians have found support and a second home in recent weeks.

CITY FOR BUSINESS, BUSINESS FOR THE CITY The openness of Bydgoszcz and its residents has also created a convenient climate for developing business in various industries and locating new investments here, including from abroad. In a relatively short time, from a city strongly associated mainly with industry, Bydgoszcz has become a place where modern businesses, services and technologies are dynamically developing. The local economy flourished and unemployment levels reached record minimum rates. The Bydgoszcz manufacturing sector has successfully entered the era of the new industrial revolution, and the rich industrial heritage of the City is reflected today both in the mirror of the Brda River flowing through the City, as well as in the attractive facades of newly built office buildings, windows of designer apartment buildings or beautifully renovated monuments and urban infrastructure facilities. Probably the most significant economic effects were brought to the City by the concept of a "city open to outsourcing", which has been consistently implemented for several years, and which has made Bydgoszcz today one of the most important locations in Poland for investments in the modern business services (BSS) sector. Currently, there are about 60 BPO, SSC, IT, R&D service centres operating here, and the number of jobs in the sector is constantly growing and currently reaches 11.5 thousand, of which over 80% are generated by IT services, creating a strong local specialization.

Such a dynamic growth of the BSS sector would not have been possible if it had not been for many foreign investors (including those representing such global brands as Nokia, Atos, Mobica, Sii or SDL), who chose this location and are still developing their branches here. Almost half of the business service centres operating in the City have their headquarters outside of Poland. Companies from France, USA, Great Britain, Finland, Germany, Canada, Sweden or the Netherlands develop their business activity here and employ a total of over 75% of BSS employees in Bydgoszcz (according to the ABSL report "Business services in Bydgoszcz"). For international companies with a recognised position on the global market, it is important that the environment in which they operate reflects the global nature of their work, while providing access to technical knowledge, skilled resources and excellent infrastructure. They find all of this in Bydgoszcz.

On the other hand, the presence of foreign capital in companies operating in Bydgoszcz has an impact on their attitude towards the City and their own organisational culture. Patterns derived from parent offices or resulting from the global nature of the organisations are often transferred not only to the structure or management, but also to the approach to employees, recruitment or cooperation with the local community in which the company operates. It is also conducive to the creation of multinational teams within the Bydgoszcz

The coat of arms of Bydgoszcz with an open gate.

branches, which implement global projects, cooperating with branches and clients around the world. The whole process shows, therefore, that the openness present in the citybusiness relationship has a practical effect in both directions, with mutual benefit. – We continue our strategy of openness to business, constantly striving to interest new investors in our City and support in further development those who have already settled in Bydgoszcz – assures Edyta Wiwatowska, President of the Management Board of the Bydgoszcz Regional Development Agency, a dedicated municipal company responsible for comprehensive investor service, economic promotion of Bydgoszcz and supporting local entrepreneurship. – Atthe same time, we care just as much about being a hospitable and liveable city for everyone, regardless of origin, age, abilities or worldview. The gate of our City is always open – both for people and for business.

4C Unii Lubelskiej Street, 85-059 Bydgoszcz Phone: +48 52 585 88 23, e-mail: barr@barr.pl www.barr.pl

Janusz Nowak, Vice-President of Elbląg: The innovative business services sector is growing dynamically, especially in Poland. Recently I have found out that Poland is the second destination country in the world for prospect investors in this sector. Our country's advantage in attracting this type of projects is well-educated and qualified personnel that speaks many foreign languages. Other important factors include Poland's strategic location in Europe, a favourable investment environment, economic stability, the development of advanced businessoriented infrastructure, raising quality of life in Polish cities, as well as the business ecosystem that supports the activities of investors in the sector.

Undoubtedly, the primary and so far the most attractive locations are large cities and their agglomerations. Elbląg and cities of similar size are not the first choice for investors in this sector. This is mainly due to insufficient office space. Recently, however, the attention of investors, especially those who already operate in our country and want to expand further, has been directed to smaller cities. Instead of increasing their potential in one place, they are looking for new locations on the map of our country.

I must admit that more and more often Elbląg is taken into consideration as a location for new offices or branches. This was the case of Transcom, which decided to open a new office in Elbląg, despite having its branches in the immediate vicinity of Elbląg, i.e. in Olsztyn and in Gdańsk. Another company that should be mentioned here is Best, which has been doing very well in Elbląg for years.

A serious incentive for the companies from BSS sector in our city are professionals that graduate our universities. These are well prepared young people, well acquainted with the directions of development and new work tools. We have had and still have this potential, and we are constantly trying to develop it and adapt to the needs of the dynamically changing labour market. What was missing to fully open our city to the BSS sector was a proper office space. High standard, A-class office space, located in attractive places, so that companies that will decide to settle there could offer their employees not only interesting working conditions, but also the possibility of spending free time in the most attractive parts of the city. resulted in establishing a special purpose vehicle and implementing a project of construction of an A-class office building with a usable area of 10 000 m2 in the most attractive part of the city, i.e. the Old Town. We hope that the first construction works will start already in the second half of this year.

We would like to develop the academic potential. It would significantly help us as a city to attract young people who currently move to other cities to study and gain experience there. This is certainly not easy with the location of our city between two large academic centres: the Tricity centre and the University of Warmia and Mazury. Our two universities, i.e. the Academy of Applied Sciences (formerly the State Higher Vocational School) and the Academy of Medical and Social Sciences (formerly the Elbląg

We believe that this issue will no longer exist due to the Factory programme, to which Elbląg has qualified as one of the 5 cities out of over 120 candidates.

The potential that the Polish Industrial Development Agency saw in our city University of Humanities and Economics) are developing dynamically, every year providing our market with highly qualified specialists. The wide range of courses offered at the faculties of economics and applied

information technology, through pedagogy and language studies, administration and social sciences to health sciences allows for the education of almost three thousand students. Unfortunately, some of them after graduating decide to take up professional challenges in other, larger cities. We are short of attractive, interesting and challenging job opportunities for these people, not only corporate jobs, but also in smaller, knowledge-enhancing projects. I hope that through our activities we as a city will have more convincing arguments for people looking for interesting professional challenges. Ibelieve that this will be possible thanks to the aforementioned implementation of the Factory project and construction of an A-class office building, increasing the area of land made available to investors in our industrial hub in Modrzewina South, and plans to develop and offer land directly adjacent to the Elbląg River and the Sea Port that provides an unrestricted access to the Baltic Sea through the Vistula Spit channel.

Since 2014, the city's priority has been the development of vocational education geared to the labour market. New education programmes are being established in Elbląg's vocational schools as well as in the Academy of Applied Sciences in Elbląg. We are willing and we are listening to the needs of our local business, so that education of young people corresponds to their needs. At present, after graduation, almost 67% of students of secondary schools will have not only general knowledge but also practical skills allowing them to enter the labour market. I refer here to specialised technical secondary schools and secondary vocational schools. We want as many of them as possible to feed our local labour market.

Being aware of the realms of today's job market, we put great emphasis on learning foreign languages. All first to eighth grade pupils in primary schools in Elbląg have compulsory English classes. Additionally, in seventh and eighth grade, they have compulsory second foreign language classes: German (82%), Spanish (9%), Russian (8%) and Italian (1%).

In general secondary schools and technical secondary schools students have obligatory classes of two foreign languages. In general secondary schools, students choose English as their first compulsory foreign language, while as their compulsory second foreign language 46.5% of students chose Spanish, 29% German, 12.2% Italian, 6.15% French and 6.15% chose Russian. In technical secon-

dary schools, pupils also choose English as their first compulsory foreign language, with 88% choosing German and 12% choosing Russian as their second foreign language.

In secondary vocational schools students learn one foreign language on a compulsory basis, where 88.27% of students chose English and 11.73% chose German.

In 2015, in cooperation with em ployers, we identified the directions of vocational education that would be consistent with the local labour market. It was a year of intensive meetings and analyses, identifying needs and opportunities. The needs of employers, schools and students were diagnosed

and opportunities for their implementation were identified. Based on these diagnoses, the projects of modernisation of vocational education in Elbląg were developed, which included all vocational schools. Moreover, based on the Centrum Kształcenia Praktycznego [the Centre of Practical Education] and the Centrum Kształcenia Zawodowego i Ustawicznego [the Centre for Vocational and Continuing Education]. a co ordinating unit – Elbląskie Centrum Edukacji Zawodowej [the Elbląg Centre for Vocational Education] – was established. Today, close cooperation between the Elbląg Centre for Vocational Education (ECEZ) and Elbląg schools with local entrepreneurs is a priority. Students undergo internships and apprenticeships in natural working conditions. ECEZ provides services to employers as regards additional training and re-qualification of employees as part of vocational and professional skills training courses. ECEZ organizes periodical trainings and workshops by suppliers of modern machines, devices and technologies. ECEZ is also a regional examination centre for pupils and students.

It also provides consultancy on the planning of the directions of the new vocational courses. As regards the most popular majors of vocational education, the students of technical secondary schools are most interested in IT, mechatronics, programming, logistics, operation of ports and terminals. In recent years, 7 projects co-financed by EU funds under the Regional Operational Programme of the Warmińsko-Mazurskie Voivodeship for 2014–2020 have been implemented in vocational schools in Elbląg. The City of Elbląg has obtained more than PLN 25 million for the development and strengthening of

And at the level of secondary vocational schools, most popular are mechanical and electro mechanical technician of motor vehicles, hairdresser, chef and confectioner. All interested graduates find employment in the Elbląg and regional labour market.

vocational education. The projects were implemented in all vocational schools in Elbląg. As a result, they have been equipped with modern educational facilities – specialist equipment and tools, as well as IT hardware. The funds obtained were also invested in extension and modernization of existing infrastructure of schools and institutions, training of staff – specialists in vocational education, and in raising competencies and professional skills of young people studying in vocational schools in Elbląg.

Also under EU projects, the above mentioned ECEZ, the Elbląg Centre for Vocational Education, was established on the basis of the Centre of Practical Training and Vocational and the Centre of Vocational and Continuing Education. Its task is to develop vocational education in Elbląg and educate professionals and specialists needed in the local labour market. As part of the projects, state-oftheart training facilities were created in the following fields: renewable energy, carpentry and joinery, construction, as well as a "Smart Building" and an energy training ground, which will allow students to practice on photovoltaic and solar systems.

The Centre responds to the needs of unemployed workers, disabled workers and students in a systematic, coordinated way and in cooperation with partners – schools, employers, universities, the Labour Office and non-governmental organisations, by planning directions of vocational education on the Elbląg labour market. The task of Elbląg Centre for Vocational Education is also managing information about local labour market and supporting employers in training qualified employees. The Centre responds to the needs of the local business environment by organising trainings for students, the unemployed and employees consistent with the reported needs. Elbląg also invests in the development of vocational education teachers. Apart from many trainings, seminars and courses for teachers of vocational courses and teachers of practical vocational training to improve their professional skills related to the profile of education, the city subsidizes postgraduate studies providing new qualifications in vocational education.

I am aware of the fact that the dependence of the economic development of a city on its innovativeness and its role as a main innovation generating centre is a challenge for the city authorities in terms of establishing an appropriate development policy. For its effective public administration are the foundation of a contemporary view on such development. These institutions include: scientific units, research and development units, business environment institutions, enterprises, local government entities. Together we explore the possibilities of further enhancing the strengths of our city and also the ways of using them to support economic development. Together we are creating tools that enable better use of the city's scientific potential, support the development of entrepreneurship and attract investors, thus increasing the share of the private sector in financing the research and development activities.

implementation, it is necessary for city authorities to develop proinnovative cooperation between the sectors of science, business and public administration. The development and competitiveness of a city requires constantly new concepts to be generated in order to define development mechanisms that are adapted to the constantly changing reality. The contemporary pace of transformations and their complex nature make it extremely difficult to unambiguously define a recipe for city development.

Undoubtedly, however, close cooperation and transformation of traditional roles of the science sector, business and

Apart from the two universities, an invaluable role in supporting the development of Elbląg by promoting innovation and new technologies is also played by Elbląg Technology Park, whose tasks include creating a positive business environment and supporting startup and incubation projects. The activity of the Technology Park proves that the cooperation of public administration, science and business aimed at supporting innovativeness creates the most beneficial conditions for the economic development of the city.

Thank you for the interview.

Stary Rynek 25 Street, Ratusz Staromiejski, IV floor, room 400, 82-300 Elbląg Phone: +48 55 239 32 90, 55 239 33 17 e-mail: invest@umelblag.pl www.inwestycje.elblag.eu

SAVILLS FORECASTS INCREASED DEMAND FOR TECHNICAL CONSULTANCY AND STRENGTHENS ITS POSITION IN THIS AREA

Real estate advisory firm Savills estimates that the prices of building materials for new commercial real estate construction in Poland increased by close to 30% in the past 12 months and expects demand for technical consultancy to grow. The Building & Project Consultancy team of Savills Poland has summarised its activity in 2021, a year in which it completed close to 60 projects for commercial properties with a combined area of 1.5 million sq m and almost doubled its headcount. – The rising costs of construction services and building materials in conjunction with shortages of construction workers are driving demand for technical consultancy. The prices of building materials rose by around 30% yearonyear, while the costs of insulating materials and sprinkler systems which are so important in commercial space fitout soared by 70%. The disrupted steel supply chain and the return of some construction workers to Ukraine are brand new challenges that are impacting the pace and possibility of delivering many projects. Today, more than ever before, professional assistance with space fitout or construction of commercial buildings helps deliver projects on time, bring costs down and propose alternative ways of project delivery if necessary. The growing demand for such services is also being driven by the desire to implement ESG policies and to bring buildings in line with sustainable construction requirements – says Jakub Jędrys, Director, Head of Building & Project Consultancy, Savills Poland.

Savills has recently expanded its Building & Project Consultancy team in Poland with new appointments: Sabina Dziadosz and Marek Zujewicz as project managers, Łukasz Bednarczuk as a consultant and an electrical inspector, and Stefania Kochaniak and Szymon Matera as junior consultants. The firm will soon further bolster its capabilities by adding an engineer dedicated to logistics real estate.

Meanwhile, the expansion of the firm’s structures has seen business

line leaders appointed to managerial positions. Krzysztof Kuciński, responsible for liaising with landlords, and Łukasz Michalak, a tenant adviser, have been promoted to Associate Director. Piotr Stańko, leading strategic technical due diligence consultancy, was promoted to Associate, while Mateusz Parzychowski, a fit-out cost and property manager, became a Senior Consultant. Jakub Jędrys, who leads the team, was promoted to Director. – We are strengthening our teams with new appointments of experienced engineers to meet the increasing requirements from clients. I am also delighted to see our longstanding employees grow and take on new managerial roles, which will allow them to advance their careers and us to grow further and solidify our market position – says Jakub Jędrys. The Building & Project Consultancy team at Savills Poland delivers comprehensive technical services for tenants and landlords of office, warehouse and mixed-use properties, PRS projects and lands. Its services comprise fit-out projects, construction management and oversight, including control of costs and subcontractor work.

EWA OGŁOZIŃSKA COORDINATES THE WORK OF TMF GROUP'S CAPITAL MARKETS TEAM IN POLAND

TMF Group has appointed Ewa Ogło zińska as the Polish Capital Markets Specialist. The unit provides dedicated services to clients involved in capital markets transactions in Poland and abroad. The appointment reflects TMF Poland expansion: the company, besides offering s payroll, tax, accounting and corporate secretarial services in, has now added capital markets transactions support to its services. – Globally, we have been assisting clients operating in the capital markets for many years in a very broad range of capacities. In a natural way and responding to the needs of our clients in Poland, we are now transferring this experience to the Polish market, complementing the portfolio of services provided. By working together globally we are able to support complex transactions in multiple locations, providing clients in Poland with a single point of contact and coordination for the global Capital Markets team – said Ewa Ogłozińska, Capital Markets expert at TMF Group in Poland.

The Capital Markets team at TMF Group has diverse expertise and experience in capital markets transactions in Poland and abroad, in particular in securitization transactions, debt issuance and structured finance. In the legal-administrative area, it comprehensively supports the organization and operation of special purpose vehicles (SPVs) and can also act as collateral agent, servicer and substitute servicer or data custodian. In transactions that were subject to evaluation by rating agencies, TMF Group received positive opinions. Ewa Ogłozińska has been with the company since 2018. She has experience in leading accounting teams at TMF and other companies. She is a graduate of business management and accounting at the University of Economics in Katowice. She completed her doctoral studies at the Faculty of Finance of this university.

JLL Industrial team operating comprehensively across all areas of Poland’s logistics sector has been excelling in the market steadily for years, leveraging unprecedented growth to shape this segment and significantly scale up JLL’s operations within the market. After many years of comanaging the business, Tomasz Mika becomes the Head of the Industrial team.

At the beginning of April, Tomasz Mika became the Head of the Industrial team at JLL in Poland. He had comanaged the business together with Tomasz Olszewski, while leading one of the two key areas of the company's activity in this segment. Tomasz Mika has over 18 years of experience in the commercial real estate market. Since 2010, he has been responsible for JLL’s strategic representation of tenants involving key industrial leasing transactions in Poland as well as for supervising and supporting the team's activities on regional markets. He worked on the above topics closely with Tomasz Olszewski who – after 28 years of strong track record in the industry and nearly 12 years with JLL – will remain within the firm’s structures focusing on finalizing the succession process in the coming months and strategically supporting the firm as an advisor. Agata Zając, currently in the role of Senior Director in the Industrial Agency team, also will take up a new position and responsibility for the Land Acquisition and Development area, managing the largest team of professionals responsible for the search, analysis, preparation and acquisition of land for industrial facilities. She will work closely with Tomasz Mika on designing and implementing strategic business development activities. With nearly 15 years of experience in the real estate sector, including more than a decade at JLL, Agata Zając has been involved in large land deals for leading international industrial sector clients. For the last years, she has been supervising the work of the team executing projects in Warsaw area and the Subcarpathian region – I would like to congratulate our leaders on being appointed to their new roles. It is a natural continuation of the team’s successful strategy and a unique style of market leadership. At the same time, I would like to thank Tomasz Olszewski for his many years of hard work, establishing JLL's position as the unrivalled leader on the Polish industrial market, as well as for the preparation and implementation of the succession plan. I believe that his role as team mentor and the new challenges that he plans to undertake will give him as much satisfaction as his previous successes – comments Mateusz Bonca, CEO of JLL in Poland.

Text | Katarzyna Pączkowska

WHAT WORKERS WANT – FROM SURVIVING TO THRIVING AT WORK 1. People from all roles – from the production line to the home office – will demand flexibility, fair wages, and more autonomy as a norm, redefining

“essential” for work and for workers.

A heightened focus on a valuesdriven agenda, empathetic leaders and a culture of trust will become a net positive for attracting and retaining talent and engaging remote teams. 2. Mental fitness will be increasingly prioritized, expanding traditional health and safety exponentially. A mass movement to break the stigma of silence will require employers to be explicit about their increased duty of careprotecting mental health as well as wealth, employability and wellbeing. Leaders can expect growing calls to action on ways to prevent burnout, build resilience and boost mental fitness.

3. Hybrid work models and untethered work are more in demand than ever as people are intent on retaining the pandemic’s silver lining and reshaping their own new world of work.

The hybrid paradox will continue while we practice and perfect flexibility that works for all. CHROs face the next great challenge as they reimagine hiring, onboarding and employee wellbeing for the new digital world of work. 4. The heightened focus on reshaping company culture to build trust, retain remote teams and energize the employee experience will call for an Employee Value Proposition that brings a sense of purpose and wellbeing plus empathetic leadership for a digital world. In this era of talent scarcity, the best employers will realize firsthand: without investing in and evolving company culture, they will struggle to execute their strategy and need to prepare to lose talent to companies that will. 5. Louder demands for raising wages, flexible working, broader benefits and climate action are being galvanized via social media, with or without trade unions. 2021 saw workers stand up, speak up and walk out across industries. Employees and customers want to spend their time and money with organizations that act as stakeholders.

TALENT SCARCITY – FROM PLEDGES TO PROGRESS 6. The skills revolution is in full force.

Record talent shortages, rising wages and the race to reskill means labor markets are in flux. Reskilling and upskilling will become nonnegotiable for individuals and organizations as roles continue to require more skills than before, with both tech and human capabilities most in demand. Employers will become increasingly creative and master the art of flexibility – to attract, retain and upskill. 7. People of all ages will demand even more personalization and resent being boxed, labeled and pitched against one another. Younger workers are set to swell the workforce and as inflation

rises and savings dwindle, the pandemicexiteers will likely return to drive the gig work boom across gene rational lines. 8. Mass exoduses from sectors typically dominated by women – education, health and hospitality – coincide with growth in tech, logistics and sales where women are underrepresented.

As women are increasingly getting more college degrees, producing more valedictorians and higher GPAs than men in STEM, it will be the employers who provide choice, flexibility and performanceoverpresenteeism that will attract and keep the best and brightest, all while driving the skills and growth agenda. 9. Continued polarization along lines of politics, race, identity and age means organizations will increasingly be asked to take positions on social issues.

All stakeholders – investors, regulators, customers and employees – will expect even more transparency around progress, not just pledges, and will be held to account. Organizations will need to visibly action diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging so everyone can benefit from an economic recovery. 10.Rethinking the future of work needs to be as much about family and care as it is about tech, robotics and machine learning. Employers who provide caregivers (across all genders) with choice-flexibility and performance over presenteeism will attract and keep the best and brightest.

TECH ACCELERATES – FROM DIGITIZATION TO DIGITAL ADOPTION 11.As every aspect of life becomes more techenabled, we must strengthen the connection people have with work and colleagues for improved productivity and creativity. Machine learning and workforce data will enable the prediction of potential performance, matching of individuals

to ideal opportunities and will help people know themselves better than they ever did. Intelligent machines and AI will enable people to specialize in human strengths. 12.Advanced technologies are increasingly impacting how companies transform business models, enhance customer and employee experiences and become more datadriven. But investing in and even deploying technology and innovation is the easy part. Digitalled transformation alone is no differentiator. Human capabilities and having the right culture enterprisewide to execute are key to tech adoption, speedy ROI and continuous transformation. 13.Using technology to reduce emissions, transform supply chains and nudge behavior. As tech giants compete to be the first to open up the metaverse the blending of the digital and physical worlds will emerge as one of the most important new trends, creating new opportunities to reimagine hybrid meetings and working with less environmental impact. 14.An increase in understanding of neurodiversity means artificial intelligence must have an inbuilt benevolence filter in diverse talent, not filter out the atypical. Organizations will recognize the value of the machine learning match and predictive performance so we can help people know themselves better than they know themselves, charting a pathway of employability, equity and increasing prosperity. 15.Organizations seek to balance higher wages with productivity growth. And policy makers prefer this dynamic because there are no current or latent inflationary pressures as the potential of the economy expands. Technology will unlock producing more with existing inputs or producing the same with fewer inputs. 16.Providing a seamless and scalable digital experience for employees will require changes in technology infrastructure, management practices and employee and customer engagement models. Workforce and talent data/ analytics will be front and center in leveraging data and analytics to identify a match for a role and predict potential performance.

You can dowlonad the Trends report 2022. Wages and the labor market in Polish fromManpower website:

COMPANIES RESET – FROM REACTIVE TO PROACTIVE STRATEGIC WORKFORCE MANAGEMENT 17.Transparency around ESG, the rise of stakeholder capitalism and the convergence of standards and reporting are creating greater urgency for companies to take the lead. Regulations around climate action and commitments to Net Zero emissions are increasingly common, though the next frontier will be S – a companies' social impact. 18.New, nimble operating models and people practices will emerge to respond to transformations in the market – from digital technologies to chan ging consumer preferences. The abi lity to turn data into meaninful insights will be critical to managing hu man capital risks, including the responsible integration of gig, freelance and contract workers. 19.Employers become the most trusted source of informationabove government and media. Employees increasingly demand “Empathetic” action with expectations from all sides of the political spectrum that CEOs will lead the way. The role of business will continue to broaden into areas from advocating for racial equity to championing vaccination and voting rights. 20.Supply chain fragility, exacerbated by climate, consumer demand and shortages of skills is a reprioritizing risk.

Mono suppliers and vertical supply chains are out, circular, networked, regional, resilient, and sustainable are in. Supply chain resilience and vendor consolidation will be at a premium to mitigate uncertainty and manage risk.

More information in the latest Manpower Report.

Permanent Placement Director, Manpower

We talk to Aleksandra Trzcińska (Project Coordinator), Martyna Petrus (PR Specialist), and Iwo Paliszewski (CEE Marketing & Employer Branding Manager) from Antal Poland about thenewest edition of the ‘Most Desirable Employer’ report.

Aleksandra Trzcińska, Antal: The idea was conceived 12 years ago and now we’re in the report’s ninth edition. Over the past eight editions we researched the market by asking specialists and managers active in the HR segment of the market to share their thoughts on the most desirable employers. What followed was a thorough analysis of specific factors impacting the answers provided. In the 2022 edition we changed our methodology and approach – on top of the answers provided by specialists we now opened some of the categories and allowed companies to come forward and apply to join our project. We then looked at and analyzed such companies by surveying their employees. Iwo Paliszewski, Antal: I sincerely believe that from its very first edition our report was way ahead of the curve. Looking back 10 years from now, em ployer branding was not enjoying a high-profile or priority status. AtAntal, we saw the need to research this area – both from the employers’ and employees’ perspective – and share our findings with the market.

A.T.: External PR efforts and employer branding tell only part of the story of every desirable employer – it’s all about

internal employer branding. What sets us apart from the rest is that we ask the employees of companies that voluntarily applied to join our project to evaluate their employers across a range of factors. We can therefore see firsthand just how crucial it is to treat your employees like genuine team members and friends we care for. This is the dominant trend that recruiters, headhunters, and HR experts we work with talk about.

A.T.: We started by inviting specialists, managers, and other stakeholders active in the HR industry to fill in a survey concerning the most desirable employers. Simultaneously, we reached out to companies that were invited to this project or applied themselves. We were open to speak to and research every company employing more than 50 people. We are very pleased with the overwhelmingly positive response and the trust placed in us by companies sharing their experiences. It was a really fascinating and inspiring collaboration.

We then sent out questionnaires containing questions on KPIs, types of activity, and employee benefits to each researched company and asked their HR departments to look into them. A mirror image of this survey was sent out to the company employees at the same time – we asked them to assess the company’s activities from their point of view and thus give us a bit of an insider’s perspective.

This approach allowed us to put together a final mark composed from three separate perspectives – the market, the company itself, and its employees. High score in all three areas translated to a high overall position. On the other hand, companies which have not yet established a strong brand had the opportunity to prove themselves in specific areas and categories, such as Care Leader during the COVID-19 Pandemic, Office Attractiveness Leader, etc. I have to admit that working with the HR departments of companies active in these areas was a truly fantastic experience and you could really tell they were genuinely enthralled by the faith and involvement in activities designed and taken up by their employers.

Martyna Petrus, Antal: Business stability was the number one answer given by our respondents – 71 percent of them – when asked to name the key factor in making an employer desirable. Coming in at a close second was the opportunity to develop professionally, mentioned by 68 percent of people. A friendly work environment was the most important for 63 percent of respondents.

Iwo Paliszewski, CEE Marketing & Employer Branding Manager, Antal.

These answers and our conversations with recruiters and experts paint a picture that shows just how significant an employee-first culture really is. A top working environment and employees enjoying their roles within the organization translate to high levels of employee participation in cocreating the company culture – which, in turn, sets every company on a path of growth. This impacts what employees say about their employers on the Internet and share in social media, which obviously affects the company's image. I.P.: Regarding this issue, let me just add that there was a certain discrepancy in how Employer Branding policy was assessed by employees and employers. Quite a few times we’ve had employers convinced their EB strategy is brilliant, whereas the employees were not exactly on the same page. This is just one aspect that shows there is still a lot to be done in this area.

worklife integration. Separating remote work from private life, where both quite often take place in the comfort of our home, is becoming increasingly difficult.

Another interesting element intertwined with the above is the transition from a culture of presence to a culture of trust. Until very recently many managers have lived in a culture of presence, where the only proof that employees are working properly was seeing them sat in the office open space, on the phone or hosting a meeting. Today, however, we are shifting to a culture of trust where one doesn’t have to be physically present in the office to be considered a loyal and trustworthy employee. Some organizations still labor under a belief that if you’re working from home on a particular day then that’s not really a fulltime working day but something halfway between vacation and work. But that’s an old school approach we need to leave behind. Current and future managers alike must have this culture of trust embedded in them.

Martyna Petrus, PR specialist, Antal.

I.P.: Much depends on the sector and the specific company. Despite moving forward, many companies still remain inactive or do very little within the EB area, while others offer high-end benefits. We have recently heard about cases like a company villa in Spain at employees disposal, or a company Workation (a place where employees can both work and rest) located in the Mazury region. These are a clear sign that employers are listening to and meeting the expectations of their employees in this area.

Unfortunately, at this point I’ve got to mention that the SSC and BPO industries often suffer from what I call fake Employer Branding. What often happens is that the company offers the proverbial Multisport card and a couple days of remote work, only to pat itself on the back for an EB strategy done well. Today, instead of a one-size-fitsall strategy, personalization is a must, i.e. the company must fit their benefits around the needs of specific employees. Shared service centers usually employ hundreds of people running similar processes, so this is a huge challenge for such entities.

Another area giving rise to numerous challenges is remote work. It started during the pandemic and many companies carry on with it to this day. We need solutions and ideas for building engagement and loyalty among employees we haven’t seen in more than two years, or for effective onboarding of those who have only ever met their colleagues and superiors via their laptop screens. Elements that were part and parcel of the office life before the COVID-19 pandemic – such as morning coffee chat or the arrival of the "sandwich delivery guy" – all contributed to making the office experience a pleasant one and made everyone feel energized for the day ahead. Now, many employees were simply sat alone at home. Employee wellness is yet another, increasingly important benefit we ought to mention at this junction.

The growing popularity of remote work means we are no longer talking about worklife balance but about

A.T.: A sound, strong, and proven employer brand is the common thread connecting the report leaders. Having a neat PR packaging and being a subject of many debates is nice, but it all needs to be road-tested. Our findings confirmed a widelyheld belief that these are all really good companies. They scored very well among market experts, company HR departments and, most importantly, their own employees. This list includes many Polish companies which proves that on top of being a top place to work these companies are also consciously building a strong employer brand and company image.

RANKING WINNERS – GENERAL OVERVIEW:

1. Allegro 2. LG Energy Solution Wrocław

3. BNY Mellon (Poland), 4. Centrum Rozliczeń

Elektronicznych Polskie ePłatności SA

5. Intrum

I.P.: In marketing there’s a concept called Really Easy To Believe, or RETB in short.

An award for the most desirable employer is one such RETB – it immediately builds company standing regarding their employer branding efforts. Italso encourages new candidates to apply.

Employers need official certificates confirming that, quite simply, they are doing a good job. When it comes to candidates, the biggest challenge is to build awareness and credibility of your ranking or contest, thus remaining ahead of the pack. I’ll use this opportunity to brag a little and say that Antal managed to build such credibility, which is a testament to the fact we’re constantly in touch with both employers and candidates.

M.P.: Representing Gen Z, I can confidently say that employees now entering the labor market do pay attention to things like certificates, CSR activities, as well as company values – such as their stance on diversity and inclusion or care for the environment. Young people are very sensitive to these things, so the fact that a company is considered the most desirable employer is certainly very important. an entirely new methodology and discuss it with a number of stakeholders: HR experts, content supervisors in the areas of sociology, research methods, etc. Once we ticked off that part we started talking to the companies; however, another COVID-19 wave meant we extended the survey deadline. We were in touch with all stakeholders involved throughout this period and finally announced the results a few weeks ago. We’re already planning our next research which will build on the findings obtained in our previous studies.

I.P.: I believe it’s worth adding that each employer that took part in the project received a set of individual guidelines and conclusions drawn from this study. Thus, the responses provided by employees go directly to employers and are to serve as a roadmap leading them to become even better at what they’re doing.

I.P.: I believe the most compelling finding of this report is the employee wellness element we already touched upon. It’s certainly here to stay and it’s going to be one of the trends shaping the benefit and employer branding policy.

M.P.: One of the standout conclusions in my view is that every third specialist will reject a job offer if they don’t find the employer’s image and reputation up to their standards. Winning the Most Desirable Employer award unlocks talent attraction on a bigger scale as well as reduces costs associated with employee rotation or the recruitment process.

A.T.: I’d say that among the most crucial conclusions is that companies should not be afraid of such research in the future. It brings about a lot of positive energy and even companies that are not wellestablished top employers just yet also want to fight for it and win it. Studies like Antal’s Most Desirable Employer show that companies do a lot of good things, are great at doing these things really well, that they care for their employees – and ultimately, that this approach pays off. My hope is that next editions of our report will bring together even more participants!

successful!

The Results of Antal’s Most Desirable Employer report are available for download at: antal.pl/wiedza

A.T.: It took us 11 months in total.

Pawłeł Woźniak, Link Group: Due to the popularity of cloud applications, we have noticed enormous demand for key competences based in the cloud environment. Implementation engineers are in huge demand, along with specialists who can run the entire process cycle, from building the concept of cloud migration, conducting business analysis and to providing legal advice. Remote work forced people to use a growing number of different applications and that was a direct motivator for companies to take a closer look at their security departments. Security experts have a number of job opportunities to choose from, which include very attractive pay rates and we see growing demand for these skills.

Demand for a number of skills grew across all technology domains and there is a constant need to hire experienced and highly skilled workers. People who are able to jump immediately into a project and integrate quickly with the team are most sought after. Today, senior developers get the highest variety of job offers.

Software engineers have been in high demand and the trend continues to be unchanged due to quickly progressing digital transformation. Experts are overwhelmed by the number of projects as companies push to hire more to attract new people and acquire new competences and that drives further talent scarcity. Globally, the Gig economy and all businesses built around it made remote work possible, where location does not matter. Regardless of whether you are from India, Poland or the US – what matters is your talent and skills when searching for a job. It means that the local players are in fierce competition with companies across the ocean who can offer way better financial benefits. We can point out the difference where customers decide to engage in a long term cooperation, as they require more complex solutions. In this case, the vendor has the responsibility to deliver resources and the customer only is interested to receive agreed service level. Experts who work on this type of contracts, can have different length and different types of employment including being a full time employee.

Customers these days look for flexibility. We have short, mid and long term contracts, however 1 year long is a market standard. Customers have the full authority to define and negotiate the terms of the contract and can adapt it according to their business needs. Naturally the shorter contract is, the service is getting more expensive. It’s due to the fact that although experts appreciate the flexibility they also want to have contracts predictability, so they will take shorter assignments, but will expect a premium rate for that.

As mentioned before, everyone looks for flexibility. Experts want a flexible work approach, from the ability remote working, to work hours. This is reflected in the key aspects of their job: from time zone and availability on project to hybrid/ remote and perks & benefits. In the past the employer dictated the terms how people work and since a few years we can see the fight for talent. Customers on the other hand, want employees, but are faced with headcount restrictions, so they don't want to commit to hiring on long term for projects, so they choose contractors. Due to lack of specific competences internally, they need to source externally in order to deliver full scope of the project.

I would focus on specifics of IT jobs that can be done fully remotely. Poland is a strategic player where major enterprises and large startups locate their centers that lead to creation of talent pools. These days, more and more companies have noticed potential among Polish engineers, reflected by the growing number of offers received from abroad, especially from the US. Customers from the US and Europe always pay better than local employers, despite engineers being based fully remotely. Within the not very distant future, the majority of qualified engineers, who speak good English, will likely be working on international contracts.

I would say, hiring an expert is expensive but it’s worth it. At the same time freelance experts are able to gain significant remuneration, compared with being engaged on an employment contract. Customers on the other hand gain flexibility, specific skill set, speed in terms of project delivery and ability to test new things without major long term and financial commitment.

Salary reports in my opinion are highly unreliable. I am not trying to say we should not read them, however they vary a lot from the market reality. There are a number of reasons for this; each company has a medium salary range depending on its geographical location, its business model, as well as the business momentum where the business is located. Every company pays differently and has various forms of employment. Added to this, the significant demand for experts and the variety of jobs on offer, reflect an overwhelming disproportion. Rates can vary significantly, in some cases as high as double, for the same skills and geographical location.

Taking an example, a US based company, with large VC funding, building a product will offer different remuneration to qualified specialists, compared with an enterprise Client, which recently opened in Poland. They are both international companies, however their capabilities and requirements are different, which is why each project should be evaluated individually.

Text | Katarzyna Piotrowska & Małgorzata Niedźwiedzka

More and more often we deal with situations, where a business expecting a rapid growth notices workforce shortages and new recruitment needs emerge. In order to timely accommodate those needs the limited hiring team must look for new solutions to temporarily increase its resources, and that is where the RPO steps in.

DEFINITION OF RPO Recruitment Process Outsourcing (RPO) is a flexible form of cooperation between the Client and the recruitment company allowing to, either partially or fully, outsource the recruitment process. Appropriately tailored RPO solutions directly improve the Client business, so that they can achieve their business goals and gain competitive advantage on the market. For years, Cpl has been providing RPO services for companies in Poland, and one of them is now Lionbridge.

THE LIONBRIDGE CHALLENGE Lionbridge needed experts such as Desktop Publishers, Localization Engineers or Multimedia Specialists. Facing such increased demand with its limited Talent Acquisition Team (TAT) resources, Lionbridge management decided to use Cpl RPO services for four months.

CPL RPO IN PRACTICE Before the project officially begun, Cpl conducted a series of meetings with Lionbridge representatives in order to thoroughly analyse Lionbridge needs and prepare RPOrelated support proposals. Having understood Lionbridge employment structure and organisational culture, Cpl could identify the desired talent characteristics. Then, Cpl tailored the RPO to the Lionbridge needs, by choosing the appropriate sourcing strategy. At this stage, and in consultation with Lionbridge, Cpl dedicated its Project Coordinator and proposed the project team to carry out the task based on Lionbridge requirements and standards. Then Cpl held a kick off meeting with the Lionbridge Hiring Managers (very important step) for whom this cooperation model was a brand new experience. The meeting was not only a presentation, and a way of getting to know each other, but most of all an opportunity to set principles and standards for the cooperation. Since then the Cpl

As part of the RPO, Cpl managed every step of the recruitment process and was responsible for the results. Nevertheless, everything was done in collaboration with Lionbridge Hiring Managers. Cpl was also fully accountable for verifying each candidate credibility and qualifications as well as offer acceptance, and remained in constant contact with candidates during the first few months of their work.

Coordinator has become an equal member of the Lionbridge Talent Acquisition Team with an open direct communication channel to Lionbridge decision makers, with a power to present candidates, arrange meetings, collect feedback, and discuss offers. Dedicated Cpl consultants were acting as Lionbridge temporary employees. The bottom line was reducing hiring time with significantly improved communication and KPI/SLA performance. Cpl project team was also supported by the ongoing talent pipeline from other Cpl teams. It’s an incredibly demanding role, since Cpl Coordinator often took part in meetings, where they had to demonstrate their assertiveness while remaining open to the arguments of interlocutors. AREAS OF COLLABORATION (RECRUITMENT IS NOT EVERYTHING) Lionbridge branding was important for Cpl. Brainstorming sessions with Cpl and Lionbridge specialists were aimed at recruitment marketing and talent acquisition strategy, including creation of consistent messaging to, and an attractive employee value proposition for, candidates.

Cpl marketing team delivered appropriate branding and recruitment marketing services to Cpl internal team to boost the sourcing efforts effectiveness and provide exceptional candidate experience. As an example, Cpl created job/ company collaterals to share the Lionbridge mission and boost the interest among potential candidates, as well as

prepared various guides on the jobs and Lionbridge to share the transparent vision of the future employer. Cpl also offered extended recruitment marketing support strategy built for different channels, run dedicated social media campaigns to attract candidates, and published a dedicated landing page where Lionbridge culture, career opportunities and current job offers were presented. Furthermore, a direct search campaign using LinkedIn Recruiter Licences was performed by the dedicated team of Cpl consultants and over 1,500 external candidates were emailed directly. Cpl consultants were equipped with additional brand collaterals, and used email signatures with the dedicated landing page link. All these initiatives were to support and enhance sourcing efforts.

THE BOTTOM LINE • Offer acceptance ratio: 79% • 90% jobs filled • 67% of presented candidates passed 1stinterview • Effective time pipeline

Nowadays, talent acquisition and development determine the success of an organization on the market. Recruitment Process Outsourcing as an advanced and flexible solution comprehensively supports the individual company's needs in the current talent shortage regardless of the size and level of business development of the company.

Country Manager, Cpl Poland

Director of Talent Acquisition, Europe, Lionbridge