The award ceremony took place in King Stanisław's Theatre in Łazienki Park on 6 April 2004. It gathered representatives of NGOs, the state authorities and the world of business and philanthropy. 'Our competition is accompanied by the motto "Do good all year round" with a view to promoting charity work done by Polish companies and to honour the businessmen who help welfare organisations to fulfil their mission. Once a year we award titles and statuettes,' says Artur Ptak from the Academy for the Development of Philanthropy. The President of Poland, Aleksander Kwaśniewski, became the honorary patron of the competition.

The candidates for the title of 'Benefactor of the Year' are entered by non-governmental organisations. The nominated companies are then assessed by the chapter of the competition. The members of this year's chapter were: Henryka Bochniarz - President of the Polish Confederation of Private Employers, Marek Goliszewski - President of Business Centre Club, Jerzy Koźmiński - President of Polish-American Freedom Foundation, Jan Kulczyk - President of Polish Business Roundtable and Iwona Ryniewicz - President of the Kronenberg Foundation.

The chapter selected the following winners from among 473 nominees: ATLAS Foundation from Gdańsk - the title of 'Benefactor of the Year 2003' and a Special Award; Masterfoods Poland - the title 'Benefactor of the Year 2003' in the category: education; Co-operative Bank in Krokowa - the title 'Benefactor of the Year 2003' in the category: culture and art; BP Poland from Cracow - the title 'Benefactor of the Year 2003' in the category: welfare and health care; Sanplast from Strzelno - distinction in the category: welfare and health care; Woko Building Materials from Chorzów - distinction in the category: ecology.

ATLAS Foundation was entered for the competition by Caritas of Archdiocese of Gdansk. According to Artur Ptak, the chapter wished to recognise the Foundation's achievements in a special way. 'The Foundation was entered in the category "welfare and health care". However, the chapter decided that the idea of creating and financing the hospice is one of the most outstanding nominations and therefore decided to present ATLAS Foundation with a Special Award. It has a symbolic form of a statuette,' said Artur Ptak.

'This distinction is a nice token of recognition for the activity of our Foundation. The support it provides to those in need, including those who require hospice care, is, in my view, a citizen's duty. In times when too many people expect the worst, when you can see the immense dimension of poverty and human misfortune, you must not turn a blind eye if you can help. It is a kind of civic duty paid by Atlas Group partners, who have been a little luckier in life then most,' said Roman Rojek, Vice-President of ATLAS GROUP, who received the statuette and the title on behalf of ATLAS Foundation.