Corporate Social Responsibility?(CSR), which 1s sometimes also referred to as corporate conscience,?corporate citizenship,?social performance, or?sustainable responsible business is a form of corporate?self-regulation?integrated into a?business or company. CSR policy functions as a built-in, self-regulating mechanism whereby a business monitors and ensures its active compliance with the spirit of the law, ethical standards, and international?norms.
The goal of CSR is to embrace responsibility for the company’s actions and encourage a positive impact through its activities on the environment, consumers, employees, communities,?stakeholders?and all other members of the?public sphere?who may also be considered as stakeholders.
Oil and gas companies are increasingly aware of the need to pay greater attention to ongoing concerns about global warming, social development, environmental disasters, human rights and business ethics. Company actions, policies, and strategies are referred to under the umbrella concept of CSR.
It is to this end, that the Ghana National Gas Company (Ghanagas) has crafted its ?CSR strategy, for successfully implementation that will improve the socio-economic and environmental welfare of inhabitants in its project catchment areas, that Ghana Gas Company (Ghanagas) has developed a series of interventions that will result in sustainable growth and development.
Using ?effective stakeholders management strategies, compensation and grievance procedure? Ghana gas is determined to ensure that it operations and business do not affect the people in the community, the environment and other stakeholders negatively. Its website has shown. In furtherance of these, the company developed a series of social interventions and approaches to effectively engage its stakeholders for a harmonious co-existence and operations.
One of the social interventions established is a Livelihood Enhancement and Employment Program (LEEP) designed to be implemented when the company begins commercial productions fully. LEEP will focus on Agriculture & food security, Education and Training, Capacity Building, Small & Medium sized Enterprise building. Others are Community Health, Water & Sanitation and Strategic Partnerships for Sustainable Community Development, and Protection of Local Culture & Heritage.
The term “corporate social responsibility” came into common use in the late 1960s and early 1970s after many multinational corporations formed the term?stakeholder, meaning those on whom an organization’s activities have an impact. It was used to describe corporate owners beyond?shareholders?as a result of a book by?R. Edward Freeman,?Strategic management: a stakeholder approach?in 1984.?Proponents argue that corporations make more long term profits by operating with a perspective, while critics argue that CSR distracts from the economic role of businesses.
To capture the inputs of all stakeholders to enable it fashion out policies and social interventions that are relevant to the people in its catchment areas, Ghana gas conducted a stakeholders meeting.? The company has in furtherance also reserved some job opening for local residents in the areas of Community Affairs, Health & safety,
??????????? On Health Safety, Security and Environment Policy, the site say Ghana Gas?s policy is to conduct business in a manner that ensures the health and safety of people, and the protection of the environment, their assets and reputation.??we integrate health, safety and environmental protection into every aspect of our business. We protect the environment by contributing to global flare reduction, using materials and energy efficiently, and minimizing our emissions and discharges?.
Adding that the company recorgnises the importance of indigenous culture and are committed to collaboratively ensure that potential conflicts arising from culture misunderstanding is minimised.
Source: Joshua Sowu
