• Petrom contributed last year with 4 million euros for the development of Romanian communities
  • 10 social businesses financed and 50 new workplaces are the results of the biggest  social entrepreneurship competition in Romania: Made in Andrei's Country
  • 31 community projects financed with 240.000 euros in the sustainable projects competitions: Ideas in Andrei's Country and Andrei's School
  • More than 12.500 people trained in entrepreneurship, access to funding, project management, communication

Bucharest, September 2014 - For the 6th consecutive year, Petrom publishes its Community Involvement Report. In 2013, the company continued to sustain the Romanian civil society to develop partnerships with the local authorities for the development of communities, to involve employees as volunteers in community problems  and to encourage those entrepreneurs that are willing to fulfill their dreams.

"The Petrom Community involvement Report tells the stories of people beyond the results. They are those courageous Romanians that said "It can be done!" to a better country through involvement. Along with them we will continue to develop projects for Romania and try to make it a better country, every day!" - said Mariana Gheorghe, CEO Petrom.

The entrepreneural spirit has been the one that guided all Petrom's initiatives linked to community involvement. Last year, the company launched "Made in Andrei's Country", the biggest social businesses competition in Romania, which awarded, after a wide selection and training process, 10 social businesses. This year they will all become functional businesses with the help of the 350.000 euros grants and specialized consultancy. The businesses will generate approximately 50 workplaces in Petrom's operational communities.

"What makes me glad is that this project is part of other Petrom activities, and not just a classic financing partnership. Besides the money that they offer, we noticed and are very happy about the fact that they also bring other resources: their contact social capital, their professional expertise or the facilitation of some selling contracts", says Zoltan Berezcki, Director of NESsT Romania, strategic partner of Petrom for "Made in Andrei's Country" competition.

Education
And because entrepreneurship needs to be taught, the Education domain was influenced by it in 2013. Therefore, over 12.000 students, 400 teachers, 166 representatives of the local authorities and members of the communities have been educated and trained in entrepreneurship, access to funding, project management and communication, through partnerships with organizations like KPMG, Junior Achievement Romania, Foundation for Civil Society Development.

"Petrom has not been involved only with financial support for the projects, but also through volunteers that were present both in class and online. Thus, the level of social responsibility has grown and, for the future, the continuity of participation in sustaining local communities' projects has easily been assured." - says Stefania Popp, CEO Junior Achievement - Young Entreprise Romania.

More than that, over 650 people attended leadership and personal development courses developed along partners like Leaders Foundation, Aspire Association and Third Millenium Club Association, and 7.500 people benefited from prevention and safety courses developed in partnership with the Inspectorate for Emergency Situations and Habitat for Humanity Organization.

Community development
The company supported people from the communities in which it has business activities by implementing projects which directly addressed local needs. 31 projects for community development were financed for implementation in "Andrei's School" and "Ideas in Andrei's Country" projects competitions, and 24 communities have benefited from the modernization of local infrastructure (rehabilitation of community centers, playgrounds, drinking water systems etc.) The company has also contributed to the development of medical infrastructure capacity for 10 health institutions.

Environmental protection
Petrom's involvement in the community also consisted in supporting environmental projects: plantings, greenings, but also innovative recycling projects or mountain biking tourism.

Also, Petrom's employees, through their voluntary involvement, have actively contributed in sustaining the civil society, over 1.500 employees being volunteers in different projects, while approximately 1.600 have redirected 2% of their income tax  to 137 NGO's.

All results of our community involvement actions from 2013 can be found here:
http://www.taraluiandrei.ro/raport-de-implicare-in-comunitate-2013

OMV Petrom
OMV Petrom is the largest integrated oil and gas group in South-Eastern Europe, with an annual oil and gas production of approximately 66 mn boe. The Group has a refining capacity of 4.2 mn tons / year and owns an 860 MW high efficiency power plant and a 45 MW wind park. OMV Petrom is present on the oil products retail markets in Romania and neighbouring countries through approximately 800 filling stations.

OMV, Austria's largest listed industrial company, holds a 51.01% share in OMV Petrom. The Romanian state, via the Ministry of Economy, holds 20.64% of OMV Petrom shares, the Property Fund holds 18.99% and 9.36% is free float on the Bucharest Stock Exchange.

In the last nine years investments for the consolidation and modernization of OMV Petrom amounted to EUR 10 bn. The annual direct, indirect and induced impact of OMV Petrom in Romania's GDP is around 5%.

Starting 2007, OMV Petrom integrated the principles of corporate responsibility within its business strategy. In this period, the company allocated more than EUR 40 mn for the development of communities in Romania, focusing on environment protection, education, health and local development. Andrei's School is the main platform for community involvement.

distributed by