The Economy Award of the President of the Republic of Poland is an excellent way to single out companies that “do things right.” BIC Electric is one such organization that also “does the right thing.”
Established in 2004 in Szczecin, BIC provides technical services all across the world and has some impressive projects in their portfolio: they contributed significantly to world’s largest mobile arch – the reactor’s new safe confinement in Chernobyl, largest offshore wind farm – Hornsea Project One, biggest automated car park in Aarhus, giant data center in Denmark or grain silo system along the Nile in Egypt. They have international blood running in their veins.
However, it was their unique understanding of business that grabbed the attention of the award committee this year – it is not just about the money. They “do the right things” on all the key levels: for staff they have a comprehensive development and well-being policy including financing language courses and higher education, funding bicycles to commute to work or provide transparency and accountability via their whistle blower webpage. At the local and national levels, they are active as ambassadors of both Denmark and Polish Western Pomerania – their little homelands. They also support local charities and cultural initiatives and foster environment based on business value creation. Finally, across borders, BIC has supported Doctors Without Borders, Polish Humanitarian Action and, most recently, Ghana Greentech Academy in Mim. This latest ambitious endeavor is an attempt at immediate and lasting improvement of value-creation opportunities in West Africa – a vocational school in a poor region receives material support from BIC to give their graduates an edge on the job market. This is further strengthened by the post-graduate training program carried out by BIC in Europe. We also employ talented Nigerians and plan to create jobs there via our newly opened branch in West Africa.
A beneficial “side effect” will be supplying the West African economy with professional technicians and administrative staff who will capture more of the value chain locally by setting up spin-offs or acting as local experts. In essence, BIC is realizing a “trade, not aid” agenda – they help Africa make money instead of just sending it there. Only sustainable business is a sensible long-term strategy.
The project touches upon some very important issues in Ghana and West Africa, namely job creation, knowledge transfer and creating economic growth but also at the same time exploring the many opportunities that lies in the Sub-Saharan Africa. With the dedication that BIC has shown I’m confident that BIC will succeed.
– Søren Robenhagen – Commercial Attaché, Embassy of Denmark, Accra, Ghana
The plan to create sustainable high competence jobs for West African professionals is very ambitious but I’m sure BIC will succeed. There have been made many preparations so far, incl. market studies, recruitment process preparations, establishment of the business operation hub in Ghana, etc. BIC is on a good track and we fully support this fantastic project. –
Per Christensen, Consul General, Consulate General of Denmark in Lagos, Nigeria.
Read more about our CSR commitment.
“We have an ambition to become a significant benefactor that will visibly and sustainably improve the life quality in countries which have, until now, been largely neglected. Through our recruitment and training program, we aim to help the talented technicians from Ghana and Nigeria spread their wings and learn cutting edge technical and business processes during their outplacement in Europe. Upon completing the training and on return to their homelands, we are sure that they will become not only leaders and trendsetters there, but will elevate local economies by creating new, attractive jobs that will attract foreign investments to their countries and keep the money there.”
– Jens-Christian Møller, CEO of BIC group
Polish Market, no. 11 (290)/2019 – https://issuu.com/polishmarket/docs/pm_11_290_2019
Download PDF
