ORLEN and Poland’s Territorial Defence Forces have signed an agreement on cooperation aimed at strengthening the security of the company’s critical infrastructure. The partnership will include training, exercises, educational initiatives and the exchange of experience between the energy group and the military formation.
The new agreement is intended to increase the readiness of both ORLEN and the Territorial Defence Forces to operate in demanding operational conditions. Cooperation will focus primarily on the effective protection of production assets that are of key importance to Poland’s energy security. As both sides emphasise, protecting critical infrastructure requires not only appropriate procedures, but also practical skills, continuous preparedness and efficient cooperation between different institutions.
ORLEN points out that energy security is one of the foundations of state resilience. This concerns both the continuity of fuel and energy supplies and the ability to respond to crises, failures, hybrid threats or other events that could affect the functioning of strategic facilities. In this context, preparing the group’s employees to cooperate with services and the military is becoming particularly important.
“Poland’s security and stable energy supplies are inseparably linked. We take responsibility not only for business development, but also for strengthening the country’s resilience. Our employees play an important role in this — their knowledge, commitment and readiness to act. Cooperation with the Territorial Defence Forces will allow us to develop their competencies and translate them into concrete effects, genuinely increasing the security of our infrastructure,” says Ireneusz Fąfara, CEO and President of the Management Board of ORLEN.
Territorial Defence Forces to train in conditions close to real operations
The agreement provides for the development of training cooperation and the preparation of both ORLEN employees and Territorial Defence Forces soldiers for joint action in various operational situations. In practice, this means organising joint training sessions and exercises, including military preparation classes for the group’s employees. As part of the cooperation, selected ORLEN installations will also be made available for workshops and practical activities.
For the Territorial Defence Forces, the possibility of conducting exercises in the environment of real infrastructure facilities is operationally significant. It allows soldiers to better understand the specifics of strategic industrial installations, their organisation, technical limitations and security procedures. Such activities may strengthen the formation’s ability to cooperate with entities responsible for key elements of the economy and the state security system.
“Protection of critical infrastructure is one of the key elements of the state security system. Cooperation with ORLEN enables the Territorial Defence Forces to improve operational capabilities in the environment of real infrastructure facilities and to build an effective model of cooperation with a strategic partner from the energy sector,” emphasised Maj. Gen. Krzysztof Stańczyk, PhD, Commander of the Territorial Defence Forces.
Training, education and exchange of experience
The cooperation between ORLEN and the Territorial Defence Forces will not be limited to practical exercises. The agreement also covers knowledge exchange, competence support and educational initiatives. The parties announce activities aimed at raising public awareness in the areas of security, civic responsibility and the role of critical infrastructure in the functioning of the state.
ORLEN will also enable the Territorial Defence Forces to conduct information and recruitment activities among its employees. This is intended to support the development of the formation and increase the social engagement of people employed by the group. From the company’s perspective, strengthening the competencies of its own staff is also important, particularly in responding to emergency situations and cooperating with institutions responsible for security.
The agreement is systemic in nature and forms part of a broader approach to building state resilience. It assumes cooperation between public administration, the armed forces, the business sector and civil society. In ORLEN’s case, the fact that the company manages assets of strategic importance to national energy security is particularly significant.
Strengthening the protection of key facilities
The partnership is intended to create a durable framework for cooperation between the defence potential of the Polish Armed Forces and the resources, infrastructure and competencies of a strategic energy-sector entity. The cooperation is expected to make it possible to effectively use the complementary capabilities of both sides. This concerns both better preparation for protecting key facilities and increasing response capabilities in crisis situations.
Events and initiatives addressed to local communities will also be an important element of the agreement. Their aim will be to increase awareness of security issues and to show that the protection of critical infrastructure is not solely the task of specialised services. It is also an area that requires responsibility, knowledge and cooperation among many different groups.
