Sustainability

stakeholder engagement

Stakeholder engagement is a key element of NBPOL’s continuous efforts to improve the environmental and social performance of oil palm production in Papua New Guinea. Stakeholder engagement is recognised as an integral part of our sustainability strategy. Stakeholders are engaged at various platforms and help us gauge our performance in meeting expectations and provide feedback. Our key stakeholder groups have been identified through our activities in the palm oil sector and include shareholders, customers, employees, non-governmental organisations, industry groups, and government agencies. Our engagement approach varies from formal to informal, but all issues are given due consideration and evaluated on the impact they make on both NBPOL and the stakeholder. Much of our stakeholder engagement is wrapped around the NBPOL One Hour Partnership aiming to facilitate basic health, education and water services within a 1 hour walking distance for communities in our general area of operation. Key examples of our engagement efforts in 2018/2019:

  • – Engagement with NGOs: NBPOL recognises the value of engaging with external parties through an open and transparent platform. Recent engagements include ongoing work with Earthworm Foundation focusing on the implementation of FPIC procedures in the Solomon Islands. Our engagement and financial contribution to YWAM, since 2017, has delivered vital medical services to thousands of people in rural areas of Papua New Guinea. NBPOL has also financed the construction of a health centre and medical staff accommodation for communities at Ranara in PNG’s Raicoast. We continue to engage with conservation organisations such as WWF and Conservation International to seek their input and feedback on our conservation efforts. In 2019 a WWF delegation has visited our operation in Ramu and a Conservation International delegation has visited West New Britain;

 

  • – Industry platforms: NBPOL and its senior staff actively engage and contribute to numerous government, regulatory and industry organisations. Examples include:
    1. – NBPOL continues to hold the presidency of the Business council of PNG;
    2. – Deputy Chair PNG Rural Industries council;
    3. – Coordinating committee of the PNG Sustainable Palm Oil Platform;
    4. – Deputy Chair West New Britain Provincial Health Authority;
    5. – Project executive board of the PNG REDD+ programme;
    6. – Project executive board and technical advisory committee community based-forest and coastal conservation and resource management (CbFCCRM) project;
    7. – Council member of the PNG Institute of National Affairs (INA);
    8. – Managing agent for the PNG Oil Palm Research Association;