By Marcin Cichy, BPCC managing director

 

The first half of the year has been an intense period for the BPCC, reflecting both the depth of our members’ engagement and the continued strength of the British-Polish business relationship.

Our role as a chamber is to create favourable conditions for two-way trade and investment between Poland and the UK. In practice, this means bringing companies together, giving members access to insight and decision-makers, supporting their business development, and ensuring that the voice of our members is heard in discussions about the regulatory and economic environment. The past few months have shown how important all these elements remain.

March opened with an important step in our ESG and social-responsibility agenda, as the BPCC joined the #GenderEquality initiative, the coalition run by UN Global Compact Network Poland. Equality, diversity and inclusion are not abstract ideas; they are increasingly part of how companies assess organisational culture, leadership, talent retention and long-term competitiveness. For the BPCC, joining this initiative is a natural extension of our role as a platform for responsible business.

Networking also remained central to our activity. On 12 March, the International Speed Business Mixer in Katowice brought together the international business community in Silesia, creating a dynamic format for members and guests to meet new contacts and develop commercial opportunities. A few days later, on 16 March, the St Patrick’s Day Business Mixer in Warsaw brought together the English-speaking world’s chambers together and once again showed the value of informal networking in building relationships that often lead to concrete business conversations.

The BPCC’s regional activity continued in April and May. On 14 April, the International Speed Business Mixer in Gdańsk gathered companies from across the Tri-City business community, while on 19 May the Speed Business event in Poznań strengthened our engagement in Wielkopolska. These events demonstrate that the BPCC is not just a Warsaw-only organisation. Our members operate across Poland, and we want to be present where business is being done – in regional markets, in industrial centres, in ports, in logistics hubs, and in cities where international companies are investing and growing.

A major highlight of the spring was the annual UK-Poland Business Awards, held now for the second time on 28 May. Organised by the BPCC and British Embassy in Warsaw, the awards recognise companies and individuals whose achievements strengthen economic ties between our two countries. This year’s ceremony brought together representatives of business, government and the diplomatic community, highlighting sectors that are essential to the competitiveness and security of both economies. Business relations between Poland and the UK continue to mature, with collaboration increasingly encompassing strategically important sectors. This year’s award winners are compelling evidence that UK–Poland cooperation is practical and results-oriented, as well as being long-term in its vision and increasingly ambitious in its scope. Full coverage of the Awards appears separately in this  issue of Contact Magazine Online. 

The very next day, on 29 May, we held a Better Regulation workshop, continuing the BPCC’s public-policy work. Good regulation matters enormously to business. It affects investment decisions, compliance costs, innovation, competitiveness and the confidence with which companies plan for the future. The BPCC will continue to support constructive dialogue between business and public administration, drawing on British experience where it can be useful and always focusing on practical outcomes for companies operating in Poland.

In parallel with these events, the chamber has also held many substantive meetings with members, partners and stakeholders. Much of this work is less visible than large networking gatherings or awards ceremonies, but it is just as important. It includes identifying barriers to trade and investment, discussing sector-specific issues, supporting members with market insight, and building relationships with institutions that influence the business environment.

Looking ahead to the autumn, the BPCC plans to take part in larger economic events, including the Economic Forum in Karpacz and the Open Eyes Economy Summit. These platforms give us an opportunity to place British-Polish business cooperation in a broader strategic context – covering investment, energy transition, infrastructure, innovation, regional development, regulation and the future competitiveness of Europe.

This issue of Contact Magazine Online, focused on real estate and construction, reflects many of the same themes. Poland remains an attractive market, but it is also becoming more demanding. Investors, developers, contractors, advisers and occupiers are all paying closer attention to risk, energy, ESG, financing, planning, delivery and long-term resilience. The articles and interviews in this issue show that growth is still very much present – but it is growth that requires better data, stronger partnerships and more disciplined execution.

For the BPCC, that is precisely where our value lies: connecting members, sharing knowledge, supporting dialogue and helping British and Polish companies work together more effectively. The coming months will bring more opportunities to do so, and we look forward to working with our members across Poland and the UK.