Firm Reiterates Commitment to Deepening Inclusion in Extractive Industries
Omolabake Fasogbo.
Sustainability consulting firm, CSR-in-Action has reaffirmed commitment to inclusion in Nigeria’s extractive industries at the just concluded Sustainability in the Extractive Industries (SITEI) conference.
Now in its 11th edition, SITEI aims to explore possible reforms in critical sectors, focusing on how the rights of suppliers, women, youth, business, and communities’ interests are advanced.
This year’s conference is themed, “Holistic Inclusion in the Extractive Industries”.
The conference is held in partnership with Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Ministry of Environment, Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, Ford Foundation, and Zenera Consulting.
Speaking, Chief Executive, CSR-in-Action, and convener of SITEI, Bekeme Olowola stated that shareholders are becoming increasingly aware of the need for industry players to demonstrate more structured action and transparency on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) issues.
She said that CSR-in-Action had been a frontliner in facilitating sustainability through advocacy, training, and consultancy.
She said, “Equity was the principal consideration whilst developing the theme and thrust of this conference as we sought to examine how key stakeholders can benefit from the wealth of opportunities present or that may be created within the extractive industries.
“The conference is designed to meet the need to develop a safe space for these critical discussions, and we are convinced this event has taken the subregion one step closer to providing the solutions to the issues faced in the sector.”
Chairman, SITEI Organizing Committee, Meka Olowola said, “The conference has continued to yield tangible all-year-round impacts in the extractive industries. We’ve seen it birth initiatives such as the Community Engagement Standards, which was developed to ensure smooth and effective interactions between oil and gas companies and their host communities; Earth Woman Documentary, which was created to highlight the plight of women in extractive communities and The Corporate Sustainable Investor Report (CSIR), amongst others.
In attendance were government agencies, investors, retailers, final users, and local community members.
Some of them are, Canadian Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Teshome Nkrumah; and Director, United Nations Regional Commissions, Rosa Malango, amongst others.
