Pro-environmental and Pro-Social Activities of a Functional Energy
Company on the Polish Energy Market
TOMASZ TROJANOWSKI
Department of Management
Jan Kochanowski University in Kielce
Żeromskiego Street 5, Kielce 25-369
POLAND
Abstract: - Protecting the environment and improving the quality of life of societies has become an important
goal for modern manufacturing companies and societies. Companies in the energy sector, whose business
activities have a negative impact on the state of the environment and society, also contribute to achieving this
goal. This article presents the activities of a Polish energy company aimed at reducing or completely
eliminating its negative impact on the environment and local society. The results of the own research present
the opinions of the local community on the ways in which the company communicates, the actions taken to
reduce the negative activities of the company. The aim of the study is to determine the level of development of
sustainable pro-environmental management in a Polish energy production enterprise. An indicator for the
development of sustainable pro-environmental management for the energy company was also calculated. The
survey was conducted on a random sample of 300 people. The response rate was 31%. Respondents were
residents of the province in which the energy company is located
Key-Words: natural environment, society, energy company, sustainable environmental management,
sustainable development
Received: October 14, 2021. Revised: July 26, 2022. Accepted: August 18, 2022. Published: September 6, 2022.
1 Introduction
Economic development caused by technical and
technological progress, mass production and
increased consumption as well as the growth of the
world's population contribute to the negative impact
of enterprises on the Earth's ecosystem [1-2]. The
progressive degradation of the natural environment
and increasing social problems are the result of
human activity. Industrial organisations use the
Earth's natural resources to produce all kinds of
goods to meet the needs of consumers. Excessive
exploitation of natural resources, increased
consumption of water, energy and fuels, and the
emission of harmful gases and substances to the
atmosphere accompanying production processes is a
common activity of many production companies,
including entities involved in energy production in
Poland [3-4]. Much of the environmental pollution
is related to the activities of companies involved in
the extraction of crude oil, coal, natural gas, oil
refining and energy production [5-7].
The demand for electricity results not only from
the economic development of Poland, but also from
the progressive consumerism of Polish society. In
order to meet the demand for energy, energy
companies make efforts to meet market
expectations. In order to meet the existing
environmental and social problems, more attention
should be paid to sustainable pro-environmental
management in enterprises involved in the
production and distribution of electricity [8]. The
dominant objects in the structure of electricity
generation in Poland are power plants and combined
heat and power plants that use hard coal and lignite
to produce energy. However, due to the need for
Poland to meet the objectives of the EU climate
policy, the segment of producers of electricity and
heat from renewable energy sources (RES) has
developed dynamically in recent years. Their use
significantly minimizes the negative impact of
conventional energy on the natural environment,
mainly by reducing the emission of carbon dioxide,
dust and sulphur and nitrogen compounds [9].
2 The Concept of Sustainable
Environmental Management
An important factor influencing the sustainable
economic activity of heavy industry enterprises,
including power plants in Poland, is the attitude of
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managers responsible for the functioning of the
organisation. The middle and high-level employees
create organisational conduct of the company
focused on environmental protection, and therefore
their attitude determines the implementation of
economic activity based on the principles of
sustainable development. Environmentally safe and
pro-social activity of an energy company is the basic
idea on which a group of highly qualified employees
who understand and apply the principles of
sustainable development bases its operations. It is
the company's staff who create practices aimed at
improving the environmental performance of the
organisation. The pro-environmental activity of the
company based on sustainable practices is possible
only if the employees of higher and lower level have
knowledge and skills in the implementation of the
concept of sustainable development. For this reason,
the third management function, i.e. motivating and
managing personnel, is increasingly seen as a
driving force for the sustainable development of
modern organisations [10-15].
Sustainable production management includes
ecological activities aimed at minimising the
negative impact of the organisation on the
environment [16]. The area of sustainable
management also includes the issue of improving
the quality of life of societies. Sustainable
management of production activities requires
reorientation of the current management method,
including planning, organising, directing and
motivating staff as well as controlling production
activities in the enterprise. Therefore, responsible
pro-environmental management forces the
adjustment of the indicated executive functions to
the principles of sustainable development, which in
turn will contribute to the transformation of an
energy company into a sustainable economic
organisation [17]. Conducting enterprises in
accordance with the principles of sustainable
development aims to provide development
opportunities for future generations, and even
increase these opportunities for development [18].
Management of environmental innovations is based
on the innovation business strategy that must respect
the business strategy, meaning the company's long-
term missions, visions and targets [19].
Effective management of a sustainable
enterprise, including staff at all levels of
employment, requires the implementation of the
above-mentioned management functions and their
appropriate adaptation to individual needs and
conditions of a given enterprise [20]. An important
resource deciding on responsible pro-ecological
management is equipping the company with
sustainable industrial technologies that allow to
reduce the emissions of gases, dust, harmful gases,
industrial wastewater and production waste that are
destructive to the natural environment [21-22]. In
addition, the company must be equipped with
machines and devices with which specific goods
will be produced [23]. However, taking into account
the scale of enterprises, it should be indicated that
activities focused on sustainable management are
characteristic of large enterprises rather than those
of the SME group [24-25].
The managers responsible for activities leading
to the achievement of the company's financial goals
face a difficult task. The difficulty lies in the
balancing between the economic goals of the
enterprise and social and environmental goals. The
triad of goals presented in the literature as a triple
bottom line [26-27] is not a commonly dominant
business model in manufacturing companies due to
the need to maintain a balance between the three
indicated areas [28- 29]
High-level employees making strategic decisions
in the enterprise should be aware of the importance
of adjusting the management of the enterprise to the
requirements of sustainable development [30-32].
The method and degree of implementation of
sustainable management of production activities
will have a significant impact on the functioning and
success of the company on the market in the
changing economic environment of the organisation
[33-35].
3 Materials and Methods
The research presented in this publication is based
on a company operating in the energy sector. The
company is part of Polish Energy Group (PEG)
and generates over 20% of electricity in Poland. The
power plant is also the largest lignite-fired power
plant in Europe, which plays a very important,
stabilising role in the Polish power system.
The aim of the study was to determine the level
of development of sustainable pro-environmental
management implemented in the examined energy
company. In addition to the research goal contained
and outlining the ways to achieve it by collecting
secondary and primary data, the research the
research hypotheses was also included:
H1:Energy company is taking steps to implement
sustainable management of environmental activities.
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H2: Sustainable management undertakings for
environmental activities are not fully implemented
and need to be improved.
The following research problems were identified in
the course of the analyse:
what is the level of implementation of
environmentally friendly practices in the
enterprise?
how effective is the policy of public
communication of pro-environmental actions
implemented in the enterprise?
The research problems defined in this way indicate a
two-stage course of research. The first stage
concerned the environmental area. An attempt was
made to assess the degree of implementation of
practices aimed at environmental protection. This
section focuses on the following:
- the impact of the power plant's operations on the
natural environment,
- activity of the power plant in the field of
environmental protection,
- perception of the power plant as an innovative
enterprise whose economic activity includes
environmental protection.
The second stage of the research concerned the
policy of effective communication of the company's
activity in the field of environmental protection to
the social environment. The second stage of the
research covered issues related to:
- respondents' knowledge about the activities
undertaken by the power plant in the field of
environmental protection,
- evaluation of the effectiveness of informing the
public about pro-environmental activities
undertaken by the enterprise,
- assessment of the power plant's image-building
policy among the respondents.
Taking into account the assumptions made
regarding the two-stage research course, Figure 1
presents a conceptual research scheme.
Fig. 1: The concept of conducting research
Source: Own study
CAWI (Computer Assisted Web Interview) method
was used in the conducted research. The respondent
was asked to fill in a research questionnaire in an
electronic form included in a web application. The
presented method has many advantages. The use of
the CAWI method makes it possible to carry out
research on very large, targeted samples in
a short time and at relatively low costs. In addition,
the advantage of this method is the anonymity of the
respondent, and thus the freedom to answer, for
example, questions about the amount of earnings.
The overall goal of the method used was to get to
know the facts and capture as many details as
possible in relation to the questions posed.
A questionnaire containing an ordered list of
questions was the tool applied to conduct the
research. It included questions about environmental
issues implemented in the surveyed company from
the energy sector. During constructing the research
tool, the determination of the measurement scale
was of substantial importance.
The group of samples used in the study was
random and included 300 people, which means that
each person had the same chance to be chosen. 94
respondents from the voivodeship where the energy
company is located took part in the study. The
research was conducted from January to March
2021.
In addition to the primary research carried out
using the CAWI method, the study also used
secondary data obtained from the resources of an
energy company
4 Research Results
The analysed energy company undertakes activities
in the field of environmental protection. The
obtained secondary data [36], shows that the
company limits, among others, the emission of dust,
sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides.
Environmental
aspects
Image
aspects
Research process
(acquisition and analysis of raw
and secondary data)
Sustainable pro-environmental
management
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Fig. 2: Reduction of dust emissions in the period
1989-2019[Mg]
Source: Company’s internal materials
Dust emission was reduced by 98% during the entire
activity period from 35,000 tons of dust in 1989 to
the level of 700 tons in 2019.
The power plant is also taking steps to reduce
sulphur dioxide emissions. For this purpose, the
company applied an innovative method of lime-
gypsum flue gas desulphurization, which is 95%
effective. In order to increase the efficiency of the
flue gas desulphurization process, more FGD
installations are currently modernized to achieve
SO2 emissions below 130 mg/Nm3. Figure 3 shows
the level of SO2 emission reduction in 1989-2019.
Fig. 3: Reduction of SO2 emissions in 1989 - 2019
[Mg]
Source: Company’s internal materials
Thanks to the pro-ecological awareness and
determination of the company's managers, the
power plant reduced SO2 emissions by 93% from
the level of 400,000 tons in 1989 to the level of
30,000 tons in 2019.
The analysed energy company is a significant
point emitter of CO2 greenhouse gases. This is due
to the fact that it is the largest organisation in Poland
and one of the largest in the world that produces
electricity based on lignite. As a result, the emission
cumulated in one place reaches significant absolute
values. Despite the impact on the natural
environment, the power plant carries out a number
of modernization and investment activities aimed at
improving the efficiency of production and reducing
the energy consumption of production processes and
own needs, thus reducing CO2 emissions.
Fig. 4 Reduction of CO2emissions in 1989 - 2019
[Mg CO2 / MWh]
Source: Company’s internal materials
In the period from 1989 to 2019, the energy
company significantly reduced the level of CO2
emissions per unit of energy produced - from the
level of approximately 1.20 t CO2/MWh to the level
of approximately 1.08 t CO2/MWh. Thus, in the
period 1989-2019, it was possible to reduce the unit
CO2/MWh emission by as much as 10%. The scale
of emissions per unit of energy produced in the
enterprise is not at all higher, but comparable or
even better, compared to European lignite-fired
power plants.
Equally important as reducing sulphur dioxide
emissions is reducing the emission of nitrogen
0
5000
10000
15000
20000
25000
30000
35000
40000
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019
0
50000
100000
150000
200000
250000
300000
350000
400000
450000
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019
0
0,2
0,4
0,6
0,8
1
1,2
1,4
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019
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oxides (NOx). It is a group of compounds that are a
product of combustion that is extremely difficult to
eliminate from the exhaust gas. In 1992, in order to
reduce the emission of nitrogen compounds, the
primary methods of reducing NOx emissions were
introduced in the power plant, consisting in the
optimization of the combustion process. Automatic
control systems and elements of technological lines
responsible for the implementation of optimized
boiler operating parameters were also modernized.
As a result of these activities, NOx was reduced by
approx. 40% compared to 1992.
Fig. 5: NOx emission reduction in 1989-2019 [Mg]
Source: Company’s internal materials
As a result of the carried-out pro-environmental
measures, the emission of nitrogen compounds
in the power plant was reduced from 65,000
tons of nitrogen compounds in 1991 to 25,000
tons in 2019. Currently, in order to increase the
reduction of NOx emissions (to a level below 175
mg/ Nm3), boilers are successively equipped with
highly efficient denitrification installations using the
SNCR method reducing emissions thanks to urea
dosing.
The research conducted among the inhabitants of
the voivodeship where the energy company is
located provided empirical data enabling the
determination of the degree of sustainable pro-
environmental management. Figure 6 presents the
results of the research in relation to the issue of
activities focused on environmental protection.
Fig. 6: Respondents' opinions on the company's
environmental protection projects
Source: Own study
Referring to the data presented in the Figure 6, it
can be indicated that the respondents perceive the
activities of the power plant in a positive way in
terms of environmental protection. 44.7% of the
respondents expressed a positive opinion. 31.9% of
the respondents expressed a negative opinion on this
0
10000
20000
30000
40000
50000
60000
70000
1989
1991
1993
1995
1997
1999
2001
2003
2005
2007
2009
2011
2013
2015
2017
2019
Do you think that the power
plant has an effective image
policy?
Do you think the power
plant effectively
communicates its pro-
environmental activities to
the surrounding?
Do you know what
activities the power plant
takes in the field of
environmental protection?
Do you think the power
plant is an innovative
enterprise?
Do you think the power
plant is taking steps to
protect the natural
environment?
How do you perceive the
operation of the power plant
in terms of environmental
protection?
53,20%
55,30%
64,90%
10,60%
21,30%
31,90%
23,50%
24,50%
24,50%
16%
23,40%
23,50%
20,20%
35,10%
64,90%
62,80%
44,70%
Positively / Yes I have no opinion
Negatively / No
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subject. In turn, 23.4% did not take a clear position
on this issue.
The research questionnaire also included a
question about activities undertaken by the company
to protect the natural environment. The responses
obtained prove that the enterprise undertakes such
activities - as indicated by 62.8% of the respondents.
On the other hand, 21.3% of the respondents claim
that the enterprise does not undertake such
activities. The remaining respondents, i.e. 16%, do
not have an opinion on this subject.
The question concerning the perception of an
enterprise as an innovative organisation was of
significant importance in the conducted research.
An affirmative answer was indicated by 64.9% of
the respondents. 10.6% of the respondents had the
opposite opinion, while the remaining respondents
24.5% were unable to give an unambiguous answer.
The part of research questionnaire devoted to the
issue of the policy of effective communication of
the company's activity in the field of environmental
protection to the social environment includes a
question about the respondents' knowledge about the
activities undertaken by the company in the field of
environmental protection. Only 35.1% of the
respondents know what activities are undertaken by
the organisation, while 64.9% of the respondents do
not have such knowledge.
In terms of communication to the social
environment of pro-environmental activities
undertaken by the enterprise, the results of the
research show that 55.3% of respondents expresses
a negative opinion on the effectiveness of
communicating such activities. 20.2% of the
respondents have a different opinion. The remaining
respondents - 24.5% did not have an opinion on this
subject.
The image-related aspects of the company
complemented the research. The obtained research
results prove that only 23.5% positively assess the
company's image policy. 53.2% of the respondents
have a different opinion. The remaining
respondents, constituting 23.5%, were not able to
give a clear answer.
In order to assess the degree of sustainable pro-
environmental management, a development index
based on the distance from the template was
proposed. Let the object Xi described by the vector
(xi1, xi2, xi3,…,xin), be evaluated, the pattern will be
X*i (x*i1, x*i2, x*i3,…,x*in), and the anti-pattern X-i(x-
i1, x-i2, x-i3,…,x-in). The development index of an
object is determined from the formula:
mi= 1 - d* i / d-i (1)
where:
d*i is the Euclidean distance of the examined object
Xi from the pattern X*i,
d-i is the Euclidean distance of the pattern X*i from
the anti-pattern X-i.
The development index (1) is in the range [0; 1] and
the higher it is, the higher the degree of
development of a given object.
Based on the conducted research, indicators for the
development of sustainable pro-environmental
management for an energy company were
determined from the formula (1). The indicators are
presented in Table 1.
Table 1. Indicators of the development of
sustainable pro-environmental management for an
energy company
Source: Own study
The table presents the determined values of the
company's general assessment in terms of the use of
sustainable pro-environmental management. For the
examined enterprise, the indicators X1, X2, X3
representing the environmental area have an average
value of 0.56. On the other hand, the indicators X4,
X5, X6 relate to the policy of effective
communication to the social environment of the
company's activity in the field of environmental
protection and assume an average value of 0.26.
Additionally, the average value of Y was
determined for the assessment of the examined
enterprise.
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Table 2. Average value of the Y indicator assessing
the elements X1, X2,… X6 of sustainable pro-
environmental management
Indicator
X1
X2
X3
X4
X5
X6
Y
Average
value of
indicator
0,44
0,62
0,64
0,35
0,20
0,23
0,41
Source: Own study
The presented values of the X1, X2, ... X6 indicators
inform to what extent individual factors contribute
to the implementation of sustainable pro-
environmental management in an energy company.
On the basis of the values of the X1, X2,… X6
indicators, the average value of the Y indicator was
calculated, which is 0.41. This means that
sustainable pro-environmental management in the
examined enterprise is quite far from the ideal
which amounts to 1.
5 Discussion
The article presents a case study of responsible
environmental management on the example of a
Polish company that produces electricity. The
results of the research show that the company is
making efforts to reduce the negative impact of its
activities on the natural environment. The analysis
of the collected materials proves that the company
systematically reduces the emission of harmful
substances into the atmosphere, thus achieving
improved environmental indicators. From the
beginning of the 1990s to 2019, the power plant
reduced sulphur dioxide emissions by 93%, nitrogen
oxides by 55% and dust emissions by 98%.
The results of the conducted research show that
the organisation understands the need to implement
the concept of sustainable environmental
management in order to achieve environmental
neutrality. The certificates held by the organisation,
such as: ISO 9001: 2015, ISO 3834-2: 2007 or ISO /
IEC 17025: 2005, indicate that the company is well
prepared to conduct pro-environmental activities.
6 Conclusion
Sustainable environmental management
development indicators were carried out for the
purpose of assessing the functioning of this
management method in an energy production
company, which enabled the effective identification
of areas requiring improvement and at the same time
indicating positive trends requiring further
implementation. Thanks to the conducted research,
it can be concluded that the research hypotheses was
confirmed.
However, taking into account the image-related
aspects of the company, it can be said that the
company should reflect on this area of management.
The results of the conducted research are not
optimistic. The indicators concerning the company's
communication policy with the social environment
remain at a very low level. This area of image
management requires significant improvement and
refinement. Aspects such as increasing the trust of
residents, building positive relations with the
environment, or improving the image of the
company in the awareness of the public are as
important as pro-environmental activities.
The subject matter of the study undertaken does
not fully exhaust the problem under discussion. For
this reason, there is a need for further research in
both theoretical and empirical aspects.
The article may be a support for other heavy
industry enterprises wishing to implement the
concept of sustainable environmental management.
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