Caribbean Perspectives
Partnering On Progress
ExxonMobil’s Commitment to Guyana’s Sustainable Development
By Lawrence J. Arjoon
“ExxonMobil’s CSR strategy in Guyana is built on three pillars- The Environment, STEM Education, and Women, Youth and Community Empowerment. The strategy is designed to ensure that the benefits from oil and gas are used to foster multi-sectoral development in as many areas as possible; positively impact lives and livelihood across all regions; and support national development towards a diversified, sustainable economy.”
ExxonMobil is one of the world’s largest publicly traded energy providers and chemical manufacturers; investing in technology to bring the world more accessible energy. Affordable and sustainable energy solutions are required to advance human and economic development. For ExxonMobil, that means achieving objectives while maintaining the highest standards for safety and efficiency, respecting the environment, recognising and managing risk, and being a responsible community partner.
ExxonMobil is helping to meet the world’s energy needs safely and responsibly while building partnerships with key stakeholders that enable progress within their operating territories. In Guyana, ExxonMobil has partnered with the country to explore and develop their oil and gas resources in a mutually beneficial manner. For ExxonMobil, going beyond exploration and production activities in Guyana is ‘the right thing to do’ as a partner in Guyana’s success. At the heart of this partnership for ExxonMobil is acting fairly and responsible to support the sustainable development drive of a people primed for progress.
Guyana’s people are known for their hard work, resilience and determination, so it is no surprise that Guyanese are quickly adapting and maximising opportunities to meet the needs of a growing oil and gas sector. ExxonMobil has supported this by sharing international best practices and expertise. Guyana has also been leveraging a well-educated population who capitalize on national and regional experience and learnings to accelerate their growth in business and industry skills, safety, and other capabilities. The skills and competency coming from experience in the oil and gas sector has had a positive spinoff effect on other sectors within the economy while fuelling holistic development opportunities across the country.
THE RIGHT THING TO DO
The first commercial oil discovery in Guyana signalled the start of a transformative decade in the country’s history. For ExxonMobil, as a member of the corporate community and in its partnership with Guyana, ‘the right thing to do’ is to go “beyond just business”. While there is no legislative or regulatory obligation which requires such action, ExxonMobil has implemented a strong and pragmatic local content push, a diverse sponsorship scope, and a dynamic Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programme that will support Guyana’s overall development as the oil and gas sector grows.
BEYOND BUSINESS – CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) at ExxonMobil goes beyond sponsorships. While sponsorships of numerous value-added activities across the country is important, effective CSR is about making sure that communities are positively impacted and best prepared to sustainably leverage the opportunities that become available as the economy grows. ExxonMobil’s CSR programme is focused on three key areas: The Environment, STEM Education, and Women, Youth and Community Empowerment. The strategy is designed to positively impact lives and livelihood in a variety of ways.
The Environment
Guyana is an ecological masterpiece and one of the world’s most pristine natural habitats; a rich and diverse blend of the flora and fauna spread over the magnificent landscapes. The people of Guyana know and appreciate their unparalleled and valuable biodiversity, and the country has a thriving spirit of environmental conservation and preservation which has also become a core part of ExxonMobil’s CSR focus. This is why ExxonMobile made a multi-year commitment to Conservation International to train Guyanese for sustainable job opportunities and to expand community-supported conservation.
ExxonMobil’s investment in Conservation International supports the Guyana: Resilient and One (GRO) programme to advance Guyana’s sustainable economy through investments in education, research, sustainable management and conservation of the country’s vast ecosystems.
ExxonMobil’s Investment in Conservation International supports the Guyana: Resilient and One (GRO) programme to advance the Guyana’s sustainable economy through investments in education, research, sustainable management, and conservation of the country’s vast ecosystems. Working in partnership, Conversation International, Arizona State University and the University of Guyana will deliver training, research and retention programmes to ensure that economic growth reinforces Guyana’s environmental development goals. In addition, they will also expand conservation areas in the Rupununi Wetlands, aid mangrove restoration and management, and support improvements to community-based fishing on Guyana’s coast.
STEM Education
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, or ‘STEM’ Education is a global focus for ExxonMobil. The idea supporting STEM is an interdisciplinary and applied approach that sees the four disciplines integrated into a cohesive learning paradigm based on real-world applications. Investing in STEM directly helps the development of the oil and gas sector workforce of tomorrow, and ExxonMobil wants future experts to have the strong foundation needed to think critically and help address challenges as the sector continues to evolve. Of even more significance, however, is the fact that investment in STEM not only supports oil and gas, but other sectors within the economy.
STEM Guyana is a non-profit organisation supported by ExxonMobil that has a self-directed mandate to unlock the world-class technology potential of Guyanese youth. The goal is to bring the programming, robotics and math enrichment to every community in Guyana so that young people can excel in an increasingly technology-driven world. STEM Guyana currently operates 100 STEM clubs in all 10 Regions of the country and is focused on primary school students.
“STEM Guyana is a non-profit organisation (with) a self-directed mandate to unlock the world- class technology potential of Guyanese youth. The goal is to bring programming, robotics and math enrichment to every community in Guyana so that young people can excel in an increasingly technology-driven world. STEM Guyana currently operates 100 STEM clubs in all 10 Regions”
At the secondary school level, ExxonMobil has partnered with the Volunteer Youth Corps (VYC) to support continuous afterschool interactive math and science programmes for 14-17 years old students in 10 schools and 2 centres. An “Introduction to Robotics” programme has also been rolled out in Region 4 that has seen 200 students actively engaged thus far. In September 2018, VYC established the STEM Academy where full-time students are immersed in STEM programmes over a two year period in preparation for national exams. In addition to this, VYC hosts an annual vacation STEM camp. Teachers assigned to the programme are recommended by the Ministry of Education and benefit from an annual STEM conference where they, and their students, interact in a knowledge-share with ExxonMobil staff employed in various fields of engineering and technology.
Women, Youth and Community Empowerment
ExxonMobil is exploring all possible opportunities to positively impact communities and develop and maximise individual potential. Empowering women, youth and community is a direct way of sustainably helping families and building a stronger foundation for future development. Enhancing the economic opportunities available to women enables them to exercise better control over their incomes while increasing their ability to invest in the health,
education, and well-being of their families. ExxonMobil believes that empowered women also tend to support the development of other women as full participants in both the social and economic spheres of society, thereby creating a powerful multiplier effect that benefits the entire community and country.
Community and youth empowerment also means equipping people with the tools needed to build a stronger future. Specialists in Sustained Youth Development and Research, or ‘SSYDR Inc.’, is a Not-for-Profit organisation that is “Connecting Youth to the Good Life” across Guyana. The organisation supports youth economic empowerment and targets at-risk youth. ExxonMobil has partnered with SSYDR to support outreach activities across the country that enhance development opportunities for youths through education interventions, skills training, and job coaching. SSYDR’s approach is holistic, with programmes to support the whole family including adult literacy through the Adult Education Association. SSYDR has also developed its own curriculum with guidance from USAID aimed at making the youth work ready. Modules include Personal Development, Interpersonal Communication, Work Habit and Conduct, Leadership and Teamwork, Safety and Health, Rights and Responsibilities, and Financial Fitness.
SYDRR also engages in the rehabilitation of youth offenders to prepare them to re-enter the academic school system or enter vocational boarding schools where they learn about fabrication and welding, and participate in other technical programmes. Graduates from the SYDDR programmes are placed in employment through livelihood linkages SYDDR has established with businesses, the protective and military services, and government agencies. The employment programmes sometimes include parents because an employed parent can bolster the domestic support to safeguard against youth recidivism.
SYDDR has also developed its own curriculum with guidance from USAID for making the youth work ready. Modules include Personal Development, Interpersonal Communication, Work Habit and Conduct, Leadership and Teamwork, Safety and Health, Rights and Responsibilities, and Financial Fitness.
LOCAL DEVELOPMENT, GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS
Global best practices Fit for Purpose in Guyana
Local Content is a loaded term with many different definitions. At its core, local content is the utilization of local suppliers and workers, and the development of their capabilities; whether it is upgrading the competitiveness of local vendors or the training of locals. This can take many shapes and forms. Most importantly, this transformation of businesses and workers must take place specific to the Guyanese context.
ExxonMobil took a proactive decision to establish the Centre for Local Business Development (The Centre) before the Final Investment Decision (FID) was made on the initial Liza field development. A first for ExxonMobil globally, this decision gave Guyanese businesses the chance to register and engage with The Centre to understand the opportunities that would emerge and get a head start on acquiring the skills and competency needed to become active players in the oil and gas sector. The Centre was uniquely set up with the support of ExxonMobil and its project co-venturers’; Hess and CNOOC, with DAI’s Sustainable Business Group as the project manager. Guyanese have been benefiting from business training; mentorship; embedded technical advice; industry information; and analysis, to help them connect with the oil and gas supply chain opportunities. Given The Centre’s early launch, local companies have been receiving access and opportunities to do business in the oil and gas sector sooner than in many other projects around the world.
As The Centre’s Deputy Director, Natasha Gaskin-Peters explained, “The Centre’s main mandate is to build the competitiveness of local Guyanese businesses so that they can effectively enter into the oil and gas value chain. We want to ensure that Guyanese companies are able to benefit from the opportunities that arise as the oil and gas sector grows, and at the same time, we want to support sustainable economic growth.”
Although The Centre was established with the advent of the oil and gas sector, its services are not limited to oil and gas. Participants from all sectors in Guyana, including agriculture and manufacturing, can register at The Centre, utilise services, and participate in training programmes free of charge.
The Centre operates in three functional areas:
- Engagement – engaging companies through seminars and outreach that allow “smart business decisions”, and registering companies in the Supplier Registration Portal, which connects them with business opportunities.
- Enterprise Development — building competency and capabilities through training courses to enable businesses to be more competitive.
- Supplier Development – directly working with businesses towards international compliance or management systems.
“Smart partnerships” is a continual mantra of The Centre. This model allows the transfer of skills and know- how from companies with the requisite expertise entering Guyana, which can be absorbed by Guyanese. The Centre itself operates with several unique, high-performing partnerships which prove the benefit and impact of the concept. The Institute of Private Enterprise Development Limited (IPED), a Guyanese company that provides microfinancing and training, delivers The Centre’s courses in Financial Management and Human Resource Management, and The Centre also operates from the IPED building in Georgetown. Empretec, a small women-led Guyanese entity, conducts The Centre’s supply chain course, and BrainStreet, another Guyanese company, built The Centre’s unique Supplier Registration Portal and is now working globally with DAI.
As of September 2019, there have been over 700 walk-in visitors at The Centre desirous of registering a local business or seeking guidance. Support is available at The Centre to help companies identify and fill gaps that may exist to enable them to be more competitive. The Centre also hosts Supplier Forums in conjunction with prime contractors in Guyana; inviting Guyanese businesses and allowing ExxonMobil and its prime contractors to explain upcoming procurement opportunities. This “fit-for-purpose solution” blends global best practices in procurement with the Guyanese business culture so that when issuing a tender for supplies and services, ExxonMobil can edify prospective bidders to understand their needs and requirements. Fundamental for ExxonMobil in any proposal that is submitted is understanding of current local participation, and capacity building opportunities. This, of course, is in addition to the necessary certification and compliance systems required to operate in conformity to global oil and gas standards.
As part of supplier engagement, the Centre offers three fundamental seminars to Guyanese: Introduction to Offshore Oil and Gas, Procurement for Local Suppliers, and an Introduction to Health, Safety Security and Environment (HSSE). The seminars last approximately three hours, providing crucial information and basic expectations of businesses keen to service the oil and gas sector.
In 2017, an in-depth baseline study was conducted and based on the findings, key longer-term business courses were rolled out to support sustainable development across all local businesses in country: Supply Chain Management; Financial Management; or Human Resource Management. These business courses are available free of charge and are multiple-month courses.
Natasha Gaskin-Peters says, “The Centre has been building a strong safety culture among participants and the results have been significantly noticed in the workplace and at homes around Guyana. The use of safety equipment has increased,” she explained, “and people are really recognising their value as an asset to the organisations and the importance of protecting their lives and those of their co-workers.
Organisations are also recognising the value of people to their business and are actively working to improve their safety culture.”
The team at The Centre has been working to ensure that people across Guyana have access to the opportunities being created, and have delivered outreach learning programmes in nine of ten administrative regions in Guyana. As demand for training grew, the Centre took a new approach by launching a free Computer Based Training on Offshore Oil and Gas. This significantly increases the ability of The Centre to create valuable learning opportunities and enables people from all ten regions – including those in remote communities- to learn about the oil and gas industry.
The Centre has succeeded in creating a training system that is responsive to Guyana’s unique needs as it ramps up to become an oil producing nation. As companies improve their capabilities and become qualified suppliers, they will need to access funding to transition their businesses. This could mean upgrading facilities, acquiring new equipment, or perhaps investing in new technologies and staff training. To facilitate this next stage of the transformation process, ExxonMobil and The Centre are now working with various partners to provide banking and finance packages to support the growth of Guyanese businesses to meet the oil and gas sector’s needs.
The Centre is a unique partnership with ExxonMobil, DAI’s Sustainable Business Group, and the people of Guyana, to provide business training, mentorship, embedded technical advisors, industry information, and analysis to help connect local suppliers with oil and gas supply chain opportunities.
The Centre for Local Business Development is an example of ExxonMobil’s commitment to bringing a sustainable supply base to not only benefit the oil and gas industry, but the broader economy. Today, The Centre serves as a hub for business development and knowledge transfer; it is a dependable and highly transparent resource for connecting buyers and suppliers, and more importantly, it is a proven model for local content creation that can be replicated by other oil and gas economies.
