KGHM’s managers share their know-how with the heads of schools in the Copper Belt

KGHM is providing support, through subsidies and volunteers sharing their know-how, to the heads of schools in the Copper Belt under the Leaders in Education Academy (LEAd). Participation in this program is one of the many initiatives of the copper giant aimed at providing assistance to local communities as part of the company’s social activities in Lower Silesia in Poland.

Meetings between managers working for KGHM and local school heads are being conducted under the final stage of an intensive, 12-month program to enhance the skills of these leaders. Two of the Academy’s meetings were conducted in physical settings, but most of the lectures and practice sessions were held online. The project is being co-financed by KGHM and local governments.

One of the pillars of the program is mentoring. The meetings are conducted by experienced business managers at the highest level. The role of mentor has been assigned to members of the management boards of companies in the KGHM Group as well as to executive directors in KGHM Polska Miedź S.A. During individual meetings, the mentor’s job is to assist the school heads in the process of carrying out changes or development projects. Thanks to the unique, global scale of the LEAd concept, the participating educational management staff have the opportunity to gain skills at a level which had previously been available only to senior business managers.

Development and reaction to change

- LEAd is an invitation to a long-term process of development. The head of a school is an important driver of development in the educational system, one that, together with the entire ecosystem, and in particular with parents, is engaged in preparing children and youth to independent lives in a dynamically changing reality, and not only for the next test. Today’s world is exceptionally volatile and demands leaders of great flexibility – said Zofia Dzik, the founder of LEAd, during one of the meetings.

- This Program will certainly facilitate the development of leadership skills. It teaches new abilities which are extremely useful to leaders. I’m very interested in this. I think that I have a certain base of experience and I am eager to test it against the knowledge of experts in the business world – says Elżbieta Frankowska-Cyfra, the head of the primary school in Białołęka in the municipality of Pęcław.

We are sharing the best

Amongst the mentors from the KGHM Group are Bernard Cichocki, the President of KGHM ZANAM. – School is an immense responsibility, one which requires responsible leadership and management. Contrary to opinion, a great deal of experience from the realm of business may be carried over to the management of organisations such as schools. I am happy to be able to provide assistance to school heads as a volunteer in the role of mentor. For me it is an opportunity to share my know-how in a good cause.

KGHM is advancing its agreements

The chance for the heads of schools in the Copper Belt to take part in this project is one of the elements of the company’s pro-active social policies. In January 2020 the Management Board of KGHM and representatives of municipalities and counties signed a joint declaration on cooperation. Among others the document calls for cooperation on youth-oriented projects as well as preventative and training programs. KGHM is co-financing part of these activities.