In 2001, the ConocoPhillips Humber refinery’s relationship with the neighboring community was tested when an explosion and fire in the saturate gas plant caused damage to area homes. Although the plant was quickly and safely shut down and no major injuries resulted, relationships with the local community were seriously affected.
As a result of the incident, a community liaison team was formed to help residents repair property damage and to reassure them of the refinery’s commitment to safety. In an effort to further strengthen the relationships built by the community liaison team, the Killingholme Area Advisory Group (KAAG) was formed in 2003. The group is comprised of a mixture of local citizens and representatives from refinery management, who meet monthly. The KAAG members voice any community concerns or issues to the refinery management, who also keep the KAAG updated on operations.
The KAAG members disseminate to the community the information discussed in the meetings and provide an opportunity for other neighbors to ask questions by producing a quarterly newsletter and erecting a KAAG village notice board. The newsletter promotes awareness of the refinery’s operations, any problems that may have arisen and how they were solved, and includes questions asked and answered. The group continues to work on better means of communication. For example, they have launched their own extranet site (www.kaag.co.uk), administered by one representative each of the ConocoPhillips refinery and the community.
The KAAG also has leveraged the refinery’s investment in community projects. The group has helped to identify where the refinery’s involvement in the community can be of greatest benefit, which has contributed in 2004 toward community effort being included in the Humber refinery’s key focus areas. A total of 614 community projects were carried out by refinery employees during 2004, many of which center around employees’ volunteer efforts in the community. As a result, relationships with the local community have dramatically improved, achieving a key community goal identified by the KAAG – increasing neighborhood pride.