A special guest at the chemical industry's meeting was Mr Włodzimierz Karpiński, Polish Minister of the State Treasury. 

"Polish chemical producers are an important part of the European fertilizer market, where they sell the vast majority of their products. Grupa Azoty ranks as the second largest producer of fertilizers in Europe. Its development mirrors that of the entire Polish economy, as it underwent a profound transformation into a modern business well placed to successfully compete with other market players," said Włodzimierz Karpiński, Minister of the State Treasury."The certificate we have received today confirms that production of mineral fertilizers at Grupa Azoty is entirely safe to human health and the environment. It acknowledges that we meet the highest global standards. Few companies decide to undergo this strict audit process, looking into many aspects of their operations," said Paweł Jarczewski, President of the Grupa Azoty Management Board. "It is important that Grupa Azoty be perceived not only in terms of its huge production capacities, but also its effective marketing strategy. Not only do we place products on the market, but we also shape the market," Mr Jarczewski added. 

The audit was performed between April 23rd and April 30th 2014 at Grupa Azoty S.A., Grupa Azoty Zakłady Chemiczne Police S.A. and Grupa Azoty Puławy S.A. The fourth pillar of the Group – Grupa Azoty Zakłady Azotowe Kędzierzyn-Koźle S.A. – is still awaiting the audit results. The auditor took particular notice of the commitment of the Grupa Azoty Group's employees to meeting the strict Product Stewardship standards.

"We underwent the audit performed by DNV experts with full confidence in our services and the high quality of our products," said Marek Kapłucha, Vice-President of the Grupa Azoty Management Board and Vice-­President of Fertilizers Europe.The certificate is awarded by DNV (Det Norske Veritas), an independent certification body responsible for auditing candidates for and granting Product Stewardship certificates in 2014.The programme is coordinated by Fertilizers Europe, an association of the major European fertilizer manufacturers. Known under the Polish name of ‘Opieka nad Produktem’, the Product Stewardship initiative covers all stages of the fertilizer lifecycle, from product development, through production, distribution, and application in the field, to verification whether it has the properties declared by its manufacturer. The certificate represents a commitment for fertilizer producers to process and transport materials in a manner that is safe to human health and the environment.