“85 years ago, the Second Republic of Poland has adopted a solution establishing a national institution with state guarantees with the sole purpose of caring for social security, i.e. for issuing benefits to people who have worked their entire lives, or to people who for some reason, mostly independent of them, are unable to work” - said President Andrzej Duda during the ceremony.

Deputy Minister Marcin Zieleniecki read Minister Bożena Borys-Szopa's letter addressed to the event participants.

“Recently, the Social Insurance Institution has been the main actor in the government's key reforms in the field of social policy in Poland. I am referring in particular to the restoration of the retirement age - 60 years for women and 65 years for men.” - wrote the Minister Borys-Szopa. She added: “A lot has changed during the 85 years of the distinguished institution's operation. One thing however, has remained unchanged - the mission of the Social Insurance Institution, which is to ensure that all eligible Polish citizens will receive the benefits on time. That task is being carried out flawlessly.”

Deputy Minister Zieleniecki has also accepted, on behalf of the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy, the honorary distinction for the Social Insurance Institution “Leader of Cooperation.”

The Social Insurance Institution was established by an Ordinance issued by President Ignacy Mościcki on 24 October 1934. Earlier, on 28 March 1933 - the Polish Sejm had integrated the social security systems as part of the modernization of the state.

In 1924, legislation on unemployment insurance was introduced, and in 1927 saw the introduction of a uniform insurance for white-collar workers. In 1933, the Consolidation Law of the Sejm had established the Social Insurance Chamber, which coordinated insurance companies and established four insurance companies within the system: one for sickness, one for accidents, one for pensions and for white-collar workers. President Mościcki’s Ordinance amended the law and established the Social Insurance Institution, thus merging the state insurance chambers.