Schlau operates predominantly around the communities. The communities are our stakeholders, thus contributing to their well-being is of utmost importance to us. Therefore, we ensure strong community engagement, manage the negative impacts of our operations, and deliver host community development/improvement projects.
Our businesses are conducted around the communities, it is essential to have good relationships and open dialogue with our local communities, so we can understand their priorities and concerns, and respond or take action. Courteous engagement with host communities is critical to the success of long-term business relationship. We create atmosphere of trust between us and our host communities, address the concerns or grievances people may have and prioritize their needs as stakeholders.
Schlau Energy has open channels of communication with people in communities. Through these channels, feedbacks are received and responses or action from us are provided. Schlau has emplaced host community feedback mechanisms to receive, track and respond to questions and complaints from community members before they can escalate. To show our commitment to our host communities, we design our engagement plans in line with IPIECA (the global oil and gas industry body for environmental and social issues) recommendation to helps improve our management of host communities.
Unavoidably, certain operations affect indigenous peoples who hold specific rights for the protection of their cultures, traditional ways of life and special connections to lands and waters. In countries indigenous peoples also hold specific rights recognized by law that protect their cultures and ways of life. We support United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, therefore, we continue to seek the support and concurrence of indigenous peoples potentially affected by our operations. Schlau Energy employs mutually agreed, transparent and appropriate consultation and impact management processes. In accordance with principle of free, prior and informed consent (FPIC), this requires open dialogue, good faith negotiations, and, where appropriate, the development of General Memorandum of Agreements (GMoAs) that address such needs.
Typical of an energy company operating in the Gulf of Guinea, most of our operations are located close to communities. Managing the impact of our operations on people is crucial. Through dedicated specialists, we provide host community impact management support required for our operations.
Our operations with local communities are carried out referencing international standards as our benchmark, including the International Finance Corporation’s Environmental and Social Performance Standards. We have social performance plans for all our major project, which includes a summary of our impact assessment findings and close-out options.
Schlau Energy projects planning methodology involves conducting an impact assessment to ascertain the potential impacts on local communities, including health and the environment. Our impact assessments are usually conducted by external specialist, under the management of our experienced impact assessment professionals.
We carry out several review stages during the project to consider identified impacts and decide whether and how best to proceed. The assessment of these impacts may lead to the revision of project plans or re-scheduling project activities to avoid disrupting seasonal community events.
We have dedicated team of personnel who are experienced in engaging with communities, including indigenous peoples, managing impacts related to resettlement and livelihoods, and identifying and managing impacts on cultural heritage. This team works with our project teams to consider opportunities to first avoid or minimize impacts where avoidance is not practicable.
We know that cultural heritage is treasured for generations of people, from language, traditions to precious artefacts. Schlau Energy’s team of specialists has been resourced to work with host communities to preserve cultural heritage in and around our business operations areas.
It is a known fact that our operations sometimes may require temporary or permanent access to areas where people live or work. Our preferred option has never been to resettle people, however in unavoidable cases, through our Resettlement Action Plans, or Livelihood Restoration Plans, we support our host communities to relocate, maintain their standard of living and find new livelihoods.
Schlau Energy will continue to contribute to the well-being of her host communities globally. As an energy company that offers employment opportunities and pays taxes to authorities, we support a lot of social investment programmes in different regions globally.
Schlau’s social investment programmes focus on contributing to the communities and countries of operation. These programmes help us to tackle important social issues, strengthen relationships with our host communities and build trust in Schlau Energy.
The peculiarity of our host communities require bespoke programmes focusing on issues that are important to respective host communities, such as road safety and agricultural livelihood development. We also provide humanitarian aid to support local communities impacted by disasters such as flood, earthquakes and epidemics.
We offer voluntary social investments. However, these social investments are sometimes required as part of a country’s laws or performance obligations within omnibus agreements.
We understand that local content is about more than meeting legislative requirements and regulatory guidelines. Our objective is champion local economic development, create shared value for countries and host communities, inspire diversity, equity, and inclusion in the supply chain.
We support local communities differently around the world. The distinctive needs of countries mean that there is no one-size-fits-all model for local content development strategy.
Schlau Energy provides competitively paid employment opportunities at a range of skill levels and invests in long-term skills development programmes.
Our emphases is on bringing competent, diverse suppliers into our procurement process and helping local contractors to join our supply chain. Supplier diversity is an important part of creating and sharing social and economic benefits.
Schlau collaborates with governments, the industry and educational institutions to promote long-term innovation and technology development. Globally, we are leveraging innovation and explore collaborative business opportunities in the new energies and technologies that deliver Green House Gas reductions, employment and economic advancement.
We work with partners to help strengthen local businesses and provide skills development and support for entrepreneurs. Workforce capability development helps us improve resilience amid global economic uncertainty and stimulate sustainable growth in local markets.
