“We are really happy that we are able to maintain a high standard with respect to human resources,” says Michał Chmiel, HR Director of the Unipetrol Group, and adds: “We really appreciate the ‘Employer of the Year’ award. It is also highly motivating and represents a commitment for our company to further improve the conditions for our employees, increase their qualifications and create an optimal environment for their career growth. At the same time, we do not forget about long-term support of Czech schools and talented students.”

The jury mostly appreciated the enforcement of modern trends related to employee care, including a wide range of employee benefits and support of personal and professional development. Newly hired employees take part in an intensive three-month adaptation plan; and the company also puts great emphasis on education of senior officers. Long-term support of education is one of the important pillars, as well.

“Thanks to the international methodology used, the title of the ‘Sodexo Employer of the Region’ is primarily a certificate of quality and a confirmation that the employers awarded have strong above-average key indicators compared to the local labour market in the region,” says Director Pavel Hulák of the organising Employer Club, and adds: “They include, in particular, the values related to remuneration and bonuses, education, as well as an internal promotion system or career development opportunities. And last, but not least, the evaluation methodology also focuses on economic indicators such as the financial results of the respective company.”

This year’s 17th annual competition was part of the Annual Awards of the Employer Club presented under the auspices of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs. Its aim was to highlight the companies having an excellent attitude to their employees both at the nationwide and regional level. Documents and methodology for an end-to-end evaluation of participating companies are prepared by the specialist guarantor of the competition, PricewaterhouseCoopers Česká republika s.r.o. The winners received their prizes during a festive ceremony for the regions of Ústí and Liberec held at the Golf Hotel in Bitozeves u Žatce on Tuesday May 28, 2019.

Unipetrol has more than 4,700 employees, including 2,600 employees in the Ústí Region. Last year, it hired 287 new people. The great employee care is also evidenced by the fact that in 2018, the company paid almost CZK 100 million in employee benefits. “Professional development of employees and development of an environment contributing both to employee satisfaction and motivation are among the clear priorities of our HR strategy in recent years. Considering the number of companies that are part of the Unipetrol Group and the resulting employee diversity, the development of shared partner services is another priority for the HR Section in order to ensure seamless services at all Group levels,” Michał Chmiel concludes. 

Unipetrol and its employees are also actively involved in activities aimed at improving and protecting the environment. The funds raised during the annual charity called Fulfilled Wishes are donated to non-profit organisations in the regions of Ústí, Central Bohemia, Pardubice and Brno. This year, the project has raised CZK 464,000. Unipetrol employees also provide their helping hands in these organisations during regular volunteer days. The company also cooperates with many secondary schools in the region and even enables studies at the Centre of the University of Chemical Technology Prague – Unipetrol directly on its premises in Litvínov. During two years of its existence, the Unipetrol Foundation has distributed scholarships worth CZK 3.3 million among 88 secondary and university students of science and technical fields. Thirty secondary schools from all over the Czech Republic have received CZK 5.5 million within a grant programme supporting education and science activities. And the third pillar of the Foundation’s activities involves support of special scientific projects. The Foundation also raises awareness about chemistry among primary school pupils as part of its scientific and entertainment programme, ‘A Great Day with Chemistry’.