Measures to support the Strategy

Supporting activities are an important element in achieving the targets specified in the Strategy and generating substantial productivity improvements. These include the transport and logistics area, development of IT infrastructure and systems and introduction of solutions that reduce environmental impact. Support activities are performed within programs and specific functional strategies.

PROGRAM AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT METHODOLOGY OF THE JSW GROUP

The project-based management of the investments, research and development activities and organizational efforts of key importance for the JSW Group is an integral part of execution of the Strategy. Adopted in 2018 and updated in successive years, the Program and Project Management Methodology (hereinafter referred to as: MZPP, Methodology) makes it possible to manage strategic projects in a structured manner uniform for all Group companies. Thanks to the implemented project-based management system, regular information is obtained about the status of execution of the strategic objectives defined in the Strategy.

The transformation of the JSW Group into a project organization is associated with the dynamic development of the project management process at the whole organization level, the increasing number of projects implemented, their complexity and interdisciplinarity contribute to the constant expansion of knowledge in the area of project management, which directly translates into an increase in the competences of the entire Group.

Functional strategies

Environmental Strategy

With the JSW Group’s Environmental Strategy up to 2030 with an Outlook to 2050 adopted in February 2022, Jastrzębska Spółka Węglowa joins the global climate agenda. As part of the adopted Strategy, a 30% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 relative to 2018 and achievement of climate neutrality by 2050 are planned. 

The JSW Group has been involved in environmental activities for many years, in four main areas: protection of the air, respect for water and biodiversity, circular economy and reclamation of land, which is aligned with the main environmental goals of the UN 2030 Agenda and the so-called Taxonomy and is a response to the challenges of the environmental and energy and climate transition of Poland and the EU.

Read more here about the measures we take.

Financial strategy

A major challenge for the Group in the area of capital structure management is the ability to obtain financing in the market environment which is highly cyclical. This results from the perception of the mining industry as a high risk area, which translates into more difficult access to stable short- and long-term debt financing. In addition, in accordance with the ESG policies implemented, financial institutions make financing contingent on a positive ESG rating, which, given the industry in which the Group operates, will present additional challenges. It will be more difficult to obtain financing for unsustainable operations, financing will be more expensive, and in the perspective of a few years unavailable.

Due to the high cyclicality of financial results, the Group strives to maintain diversified financing sources. Equity and debt (loans, borrowings, leases etc.) are the main sources of financing for the Group’s assets.

The major objectives of the strategy for financing the Group’s activity include:

  • ensuring a stable financing structure by striving to have equity achieve and maintain a level of at least 50% of liabilities, and cover non-current assets with fixed capital, too,
  • attempting to match the average maturities of debt financing with the payback periods on the financed assets,
  • taking actions to ensure the amount of financing which allows for maintaining continuity of operating and investing activity processes at the assumed levels,
  • seeking the most effective forms of financing at a given time, while ensuring the most appropriate maturities,
  • endeavoring to obtain products to finance the green transition,
  • sourcing ESG-based financing, lending support (e.g. through direct financing of projects) and providing goal-based motivation (KPIs),
  • aiming to maintain in the Group a cash buffer to ensure that the key liabilities may be covered, including in particular liabilities for salaries,
  • setting up a stabilization fund in periods of favorable coal market conditions so as to provide for an appropriate level of financial liquidity during coal market downturns.
  • effective financial risk management in the Group.

Innovation strategy

As part of the Strategy and the R&D&I Policy, JSW S.A. tests and implements innovative solutions across the coal and coke product stream. This pertains to both the Company’s core segments of activity and the areas that support the Group's operations, such as reduction of emissions and commercial methane utilization, maintenance and manufacturing of machinery and equipment, research and analysis, water desalination, reclamation and activities.

In order to finance the innovation activities, JSW actively seeks aid funds from the EU and other domestic and foreign sources. This mainly applies to newly implemented tasks in the field of environmental protection, reduction of methane emissions, energy efficiency, reclamation of brownfields and innovative technologies in the mining industry.

Read more here about the measures we take.

Strategy IT/OT

The IT/OT strategy specifies the construction of an enterprise architecture with three main layers: business, application and data, and technology.

The architecture model adopted takes into account the progressive convergence of information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) occurring in all JSW Group companies. One of the key requirements for the model is to develop a balance between ensuring the availability of IT systems and an adequate level of their security.

Accordingly, the division into the following four key strategic areas is up to date: Security, Integration and Automation, Development Technologies, and Organization and Competence.

Strategic and tactical objectives of the IT/OT Strategy

Quality strategy

The Product Quality Strategy for the JSW Group for 2020–2030 determines the business context and key efforts regarding product quality, the overriding and strategic objectives, and the key challenges and stakeholder expectations.

The deposit exploration and product quality management policy in the JSW Group defines the responsibilities and framework principles pertaining to the deposit exploration and product quality management policy in the entire coal and coke production cycle in the JSW Group and follows through the guidelines of the Business Strategy of the JSW Group for 2018–2030.

The overriding objective of the Quality Strategy is to increase the effectiveness of the deposit and product quality management in the JSW Group through: stabilization of coking parameters of coal and coke in successive supplies, achievement of the intended level of quality parameters of the JSW Group's commercial product, optimization of the costs of the feedstock blend, standardization, automation and integration of online coal quality parameter testing and analysis processes.

Transport strategy

Areas of transport activity in the JSW Group:

  • Railway infrastructure management;
  • Operation of railway stations and sidings (shunting and freight services);
  • Transportation and forwarding.

The management of the entire rail infrastructure of the JSW Group will be carried out by JSK Sp. z o.o. The operation of railway stations and sidings in the JSW Group will be carried out by JSW Logistics Sp. z o.o. Transport and forwarding activities focus on handling the sales process of JSW Group’s products and include, among other things, the purchase of transport and port handling and forwarding services. This activity will be carried out by the JSW S.A. Forwarding Department.

Mine waste treatment strategy

The purpose of this functional strategy is to determine the directions and specify the methods of handling the waste generated in the Mines. The Strategy constitutes a consistent and comprehensive concept of JSW’s policy regarding mine waste and makes it possible to take measures aimed to protect the environment from the adverse impact exerted by accumulated mine waste and restore natural biological and landscape conditions by optimum management of space and natural environment resources with special emphasis on reclamation and revitalization of terrain and land transformed by mining activity.  This Strategy clearly points to the need to continue the current methods of waste rock management, including in particular the provision of the capacity of the available structures and the production and sale of mining rock aggregates, but it also provides for the need to seek new directions and solutions for waste rock management.