The refining and petrochemical company ORLEN Unipetrol won the prestigious title of Employer of the Year 2023. In the 21st year of this survey, it not only dominated the regional ranking, placing first in the Ústí Region, but also reached the top at the national level. The Sodexo Employer of the Year award is part of the annual awards of the Employers' Club 2023. The independent evaluation is based on the international methodology of PricewaterhouseCoopers Czech Republic, which is the professional guarantor of the competition.
In a year-on-year comparison, the company ORLEN Unipetrol jumped from third to first at the national level. At the regional level, it advanced to first place in the Ústí Region after last year's second place (in the category of up to 5,000 employees).
"We provide a number of above-standard benefits and allowances, and our employees in all positions and of all ages have wide opportunities for career and personal development, while we emphasize work-life balance. An important element is also the stability and financial background of our group. We constantly try to develop the care of our employees and come up with new ideas. We collect suggestions from employees and are not afraid to inspire other companies," said Michał Chmiel, HR Director of the ORLEN Unipetrol Group, adding: "In the field of recruitment, for example, it has proven successful for us to motivate existing employees with an above-standard financial reward for recommending an open position to friends. Currently, we are able to fill over 70 percent of positions this way. We also think about our future and long-term support of Czech schools, talented students and teachers."
ORLEN Unipetrol relies on modern trends in employee care, from a wide selection of employee benefits to support for personal and professional development. It complements the classic tools from the field of HR, for example, by supporting sports, social and community involvement of employees. The best employer in the Czech Republic in its category is also intensively dedicated to the education of managers from among its own employees and supports education in the long term. This is based on close cooperation with a number of secondary schools in the region. ORLEN Unipetrol also cooperates with a number of universities and enables studies at the University Center of VŠCHT and the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of Czech Technical University, which are located directly at the Litvínov refinery, which is the largest chemical plant in the Czech Republic. In addition, the ORLEN Unipetrol Foundation financially supports successful secondary school and university students, their teachers and schools.
The independent assessment in the Employer of the Year competition is based on the international methodology of PricewaterhouseCoopers Czech Republic, which prepares the documents as the expert guarantor of the competition. The prestigious award can be won by employers who, in most key indicators, significantly exceed the usual conditions on the Czech labour market. Specifically, for example, values in the areas of remuneration, education and internal promotion or career development opportunities are assessed. Last but not least, indicators of the company's economic success are also represented in the evaluation methodology. The aim of the competition, which has been held since 2003, is to publicly present companies with an excellent approach to their employees.
The ORLEN Unipetrol Group is the largest refining and petrochemical company in the Czech Republic. It focuses on crude oil processing and the production, distribution and sale of vehicle fuels and petrochemical products – particularly plastics and fertilisers. It belongs among the key players on the Czech and Central European markets in all these areas. The ORLEN Unipetrol Group encompasses refineries and production plants in Litvínov and Kralupy nad Vltavou, Paramo in Pardubice, Spolana in Neratovice, REMAQ in Otrokovice, and two research centres in Litvínov and Brno. Unipetrol also includes the Benzina ORLEN filling station network in the Czech Republic and a network of ORLEN outlets in Slovakia and Hungary. In 2005, ORLEN Unipetrol became a member of the ORLEN Group, the largest multi-energy company in Central Europe. ORLEN Unipetrol employs almost 6,000 people and is active in corporate social responsibility. It seeks to promote initiatives that cultivate and support sustainable development, education, local communities, and the environment.