About us

 
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Polish Confederation of Private Employers Lewiatan (PKPP Lewiatan) was established in January 1999 as a nation-wide representation of employers to the state and trade unions. Today it is an organization of 59 sector and regional associations of private employers and 25 individual members. Thus in total there are about 3500 companies employing over 650000 workers. Each association is an autonomous organization that associates individual enterprises, each possessing its own statute and management. The representatives of the associations form the Main Board that elects the Management Board, the President and the Consultation Council consisting of the representatives of regional associations. The Management Board is headed by the President and supervised by the Main Board.

PKPP Lewiatan runs its own office and employs professionals experienced in a wide range of issues such as: labour relations, macroeconomics, small and medium-sized enterprises sector, and the European Union. The Confederation participates in Social Dialogue, taking part in the Tripartite Commission for social and economic issues.

Polish Confederation of Private Employers Lewiatan contributes to many international activities. As a member of BUSINESSEUROPE PKPP Lewiatan is able to influence regulations at the international level.

PKPP Lewiatan supports day-to-day activities and interests of its members and provides trade organizations with expert reviews. PKPP Lewiatan facilitates business contacts and, owing to the membership in international institutions, offers its members an access to international standards and know-how.

Lewiatan in Poland

Polish Confederation of Private Employers Lewiatan delegates its representatives to numerous institutions, including the Supreme Employment Board, the Supervisory Board of the State Fund for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled, and the Supervisory Board of
the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS). We participated in the activities of the institutions negotiating Poland's accession to the European Union.

Key issues of PKPP Lewiatan platform:

  • lower and more transparent taxes,
  • lower labour costs,
  • flexible labour law,
  • less bureaucracy,
  • better laws for business,
  • enterprise-friendly environment,
  • more cost-effective state,
  • development of social dialogue,
  • securing equal terms of activity for Polish and EU companies on both Polish and EU markets,
  • implementation of the social partnership principle.
Lewiatan works effectively to ensure favourable conditions for the growth of industry. We also offer support for solutions that encourage economic growth and competitiveness in business, as this is the only path leading to improvement in the nation's standard of living.

We enthusiastically supported Poland's entry into the EU. Today we are the sole Polish employers' association with a permanent representative in Brussels and we strive to participate actively in the European debate. We track changes in European law and are the first to spread information about them.

Lewiatan is also one of the leading Polish economic think tanks. We have a team of outstanding experts in law and business, whose reports and analyses are highly valued by the Government, Parliament and Public Opinion. Our opinions are cited by the media an average of 60 times a day, the most often quoted from among all business organisations.

The private sector is responsible for 70% of Poland's GDP and as a result of transformations it is present in the most cutting-edge sectors of the Polish economy. Members of Lewiatan enjoy a dominant position in the majority of them.

PKPP Lewiatan as a member of the Entrepreneurship Council
The Entrepreneurship Council is an informal body, which brings together the most important employers and business organizations as well as entrepreneurs.

The following organizations participate in The Entrepreneurship Council:

  • American Chamber of Commerce in Poland
  • Business Centre Club
  • Foreign Investors Chamber of Industry and Commerce in Poland
  • Confederation of Polish Employers
  • Polish Chamber of Commerce
  • National Association of Trade and Services
  • Polish Confederation of Private Employers Lewiatan
  • Polish Business Roundtable
  • The Association of Managers in Poland
  • Polish Craft Association
  • Polish-German Chamber of Commerce
Major Achievements
  • reduction of the personal and corporate income tax rates (for businesses) to 19 % in 2004,
  • enactment of the “Economic Freedom Act" in 2004, which included the binding ruling principle in fiscal matters,
  • revision of the Commercial Company Code in 2003,
  • liberalization of the Labour Code in 2002,
  • numerous cases won at the Constitutional Court,
  • enactment of the Law on the Tripartite Commission for Social and Economic Affairs in 2001,
  • revision in the industry-specific laws, including revision of the industrial property rights law, transition periods for Polish generic drug manufacturers and tobacco producers, and a lower VAT rate for the building industry.
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