Corporate Responsibility

Afren has developed an over-arching Corporate Responsibility policy which pulls together our commitments in the key areas of;

• the environment, health and safety, social issues, business ethics and human resources.

In each of these areas specific policies and procedures exist to support the achievement of our goals.

We are committed to continuing the development and implementation of our management systems across Afren as the business continues to grow and we seek to effectively manage the inherent risks.  This is particularly true for the Okoro Setu project, Afren's first significant operating exposure.  We have worked closely with our contractors to identify and assess potential risks and to put in place the controls necessary to mitigate them.

With the acquisition of the Côte d’Ivoire assets we have further enhanced our operational capability and we are working hard on implementing Afren’s EHSS standards in this new business.

We recognise the importance of engaging with local stakeholders and taking seriously their concerns regarding oil and gas development.

In line with our stated aim of working to improve the quality of life of host communities, we have conducted a social impact assessment of the Eastern Obolo coastal area adjacent to where the Okoro Setu development will take place.  Working closely with our local partner, we are undertaking sustainable local community projects that provide long-term benefits to host communities and their local environment.  We are continuing with a programme of scholarships for local children and funding for a local microcredit scheme, whilst investigating the potential to develop sustainable clean water projects.

Similarly, a social impact assessment was undertaken in connection with the Ebok drilling programme and the output from this will be used as the basis for the longer term community development programme.

In Côte d’Ivoire, we are continuing to support the local communities around our facilities and are reviewing the options for future initiatives.