By far the fastest growing and most needed area of development is helping communities build the capacity to meet their basic needs such as infrastructure development, training, job creation, health education, sanitation and water supply. Many API member companies with global operations are forming more effective partnerships with communities, regions, host governments and international organizations to address these needs. The oil and natural gas industry plays a key role in cooperative technology development, transfer and capacity building. Often this means helping host communities in many different ways as illustrated in these partnership examples. Capacity building partnerships provide constructive “win-win” relationships between the public and private sectors, with the aim of developing the capability and skills to achieve sustainable development through the use of modern technologies, management systems, a competent workforce and appropriate laws and regulations.
There are numerous examples of capacity building. The Shell Oil Company Foundation recently announced the establishment of the Shell Center for Sustainability at Rice University in Houston. The Center with a $3.5 million endowment will be a hub for collaboration by experts dealing with societal and environmental issues arising as a result of economic activities. The Center will foster opportunities for improvement through new technologies, market-based incentives, and other initiatives. An ExxonMobil affiliate in Nigeria is partnering with the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) to support micro-enterprise development and provide small business skills training through IFC’s Support and Training Entrepreneurship Program (STEP). ChevronTexaco is helping transfer western entrepreneurial knowledge to hundreds of local businesses in Kazakhstan. Joining with the United Nations, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the U.S. Government, ChevronTexaco created the Small and Medium Business Enterprise (SME) program. An infrastructure partnership involves BP Solar and the Brazilian Government’s PRODEEM program to address the challenge of providing access to energy in rural areas. Through PRODEEM, stand-alone, clean solar energy is being installed for community-based applications.
-
Petro-Canada’s MacKay River in situ oil sands development near Fort McMurray, Alberta is creating a wide range of business and employment opportunities in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB).
COM-PC-8
Read More »
-
Under the banner of its Volunteer Energy Program, Petro-Canada has created initiatives that recognize the value of employee and retiree volunteerism and encourage involvement. This program was created to support the efforts of Petro-Canada employees and retirees and recognizes their personal choices to be involved in their communities.
COM-PC-9
Read More »
-
The Shell Oil Company Foundation announced the establishment of the Shell Center for Sustainability at Rice University in Houston. The Center with a $3.5 million endowment, announced in July 2002, will be a hub for collaboration by experts dealing with societal and environmental issues arising as a result of economic activities. The Center will foster opportunities for improvement through new technologies, market-based incentives, and other initiatives.
COM-SL-12
Read More »
-
Shell has operated in the Gamba region in Gabon for nearly 40 years, but oil activities are declining. Today, a quarter of the local population of Gamba, about 2,000 people, are dependent on Shell for basic social amenities such as education and sea transportation (for food and other materials).
COM-SL-4
Read More »
-
In 2000, Shell commenced an external stakeholder review of its community projects. The review, which is now conducted annually, provides independent advice and verification from external development experts, such as the World Bank, UNICEF, Pro-Natura and Nigerian Government agencies to help the company improve its community development performance.
COM-SL-5
Read More »
-
Two billion people worldwide, living mostly in poor and remote rural areas, have no access to electricity. Shell Solar is bringing solar electricity and equipment directly to remote households, on commercial terms in six developing countries.
COM-SL-6
Read More »
-
A joint venture between Shell, China National Offshore Oil Corporation and Guangdong provincial government is investing $4 billion in a major petrochemicals complex in Daya Bay, Guangdong Province, Southern China. By late 2005, the plant will be producing more than two million tonnes of plastics and chemical intermediates each year for China’s growing economy. The challenge is to develop the project while protecting the environment and creating real benefits for local communities.
COM-SL-7
Read More »
-
Shell Canada is developing the Athabasca Oil Sands Project – a joint venture set to boost the GDP of the province of Alberta by C$2 billion in 2002. The company is helping build the community’s capacity to supply business services so that locals can benefit from the economic development. Training initiatives include the Aboriginal Apprenticeship Programme, devised to increase the participation of aboriginal people in high-demand trades.
COM-SL-8
Read More »