Engagement with affected communities varies depending on the stage of the project and its level of establishment. For new business projects, engagement with affected communities would normally be through their legitimate representatives, while for mature projects such as at the refineries or production sites, engagement may also occur directly with the affected community. Regular dialogue is maintained with various stakeholders, including individuals from our local communities, whom we regard as crucial partners in achieving our objectives. We engage with them on our human rights impacts through the Social and Human Rights Impact Assessment process and regular consultation sessions. Local needs identified through this process and feedback received during consultations guide our social investment priorities.
Our community relations and development management process is based on centralized policies and targets and is implemented by locally responsible persons using local resources. In line with our community relations and development procedure, which is applied in all countries in which we are active, we engage with local communities through tailored programs. For instance, all projects from OMV’s Energy segment require community consultation in the development phase.
We maintain regular communication with the communities that live where we operate and strive to inform them in advance of any planned business activities that may affect them. For example, in the vicinity of our refineries, stakeholders such as local authorities and neighbors are proactively informed in advance of any work that may cause a disturbance (e.g., noise from turnarounds) by way of stakeholder meetings, social media, leaflets, and other channels as appropriate. An example of this in action is the “green phone” at the Schwechat refinery, which has ensured 24/7 direct contact for all neighbors for several years now. Every call is answered by the shift supervisor, and in cases of perceived noises or odors, the shift supervisor checks the refinery immediately for potential sources so that the issue can be resolved as quickly as possible.
When plants are decommissioned or we exit a location, our community relations team ensures that potential social impacts are addressed by drawing up targeted community engagement plans, a Social and Human Rights Impact Assessment, management plans, and exit strategies for ongoing community development projects. Protection against retaliation is a preventive measure to address negative impacts related to communities’ rights, disturbance of the cultural heritage, and inability to avoid involuntary resettlement.
We engage with local communities at every stage of our business projects, ensuring their perspectives are integrated into our operations. Our engagement process begins with conducting a Social and Human Rights Impact Assessment before project initiation, including pre-emptive, informed consultation and consent from local stakeholders. This continuous engagement extends throughout the project life cycle – during commissioning, operational phases, decommissioning, and even abandonment – to ensure community viewpoints are consistently integrated and addressed. The frequency of engagement is based on the Stakeholder Engagement Plan and varies by project and depends on several factors, such as the size and nature of the project, geography, and specific characteristics of each project. For example, in some locations, engagement may be less frequent because the projects are already well established or OMV is already recognized as a valuable partner, while in others, it may occur more often due to the need for ongoing development and communication.
The Community Relations and Development function within Group Sustainability has the most senior role that governs and steers community relations at Group level and implements development activities in the countries in which we operate. It also receives quarterly reporting and feedback from social responsibility teams including human rights experts and local teams, and monitors and ensures adherence to the Group’s guidelines on community relations and development. We hold quarterly structured alignment meetings and, where necessary, on-demand meetings with our local community relations managers to monitor and steer local implementation of our site-specific global community relations and development commitments, as well as organizing regular exchanges between all countries in order to share challenges and best practice experiences as a supplement to the guidance provided. According to our Sustainability Directive, each business area and all subsidiaries can act as an initiator of community development investments and social investments within the framework of the OMV’s Sustainability Strategy processes.
Stakeholder engagement involves enhancing measures for the positive impacts that we have on our surrounding communities. Constant dialogue with communities is a valuable source of support for local employment and business development and promotes respecting the right to expression of opinion by tailoring our initiatives to meet the community’s needs.
The effectiveness of our stakeholder engagement is systematically assessed through the collection and evaluation of stakeholder feedback, which is gathered after resolving an issue or launching a social investment program. This feedback is collected through surveys, or direct engagement, and is then consolidated and summarized in the annual stakeholder engagement report. This process enables us to measure the impact of our engagement activities. By analyzing this feedback, we identify areas for improvement, track progress against our engagement objectives, and ensure that our interactions with communities are productive and meaningful. Our community and social investments are guided by the needs identified as part of Social and Human Rights Impact Assessments and ongoing community consultations. Each year, we prioritize collaborative projects with local stakeholders in an effort to maximize the social return on our investments.
Social and Human Rights Impact Assessment
The Social and Human Rights Impact Assessment (SHIA) framework mandates consultations at the outset and during each project phase, so as to promote continuous dialogue. Additionally, our community grievance mechanism facilitates prompt feedback and addresses concerns. The frequency of these engagements is determined by the project’s timeline and the evolving needs of the community. We start by conducting a SHIA, which includes the free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) of local stakeholders. Sometimes, the SHIA is integrated into an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) to foster synergies and efficiencies. The purpose of the SHIA is to ensure that the views of the affected communities, especially of indigenous peoples, are incorporated into and addressed throughout all phases of the project life cycle: commissioning, operation, and decommissioning or abandonment. We also pay particular attention to any possible impact on human rights, particularly of individuals and groups that are more likely to be in vulnerable situations, such as indigenous peoples, women, and children. Whenever possible, we conduct Social and Human Rights Impact Assessments in a participatory manner by directly consulting with potentially affected communities.
Based on the internal guidelines for conducting SHIAs, we include a baseline study, community needs assessments, stakeholder analyses, and a study of social risks associated with the project. Where possible, SHIAs are conducted in a participatory manner by directly consulting with potentially affected communities. Our standards require the outcomes of the SHIAs to be communicated to affected stakeholders. Based on these outcomes, site-specific strategies for community relations and development, stakeholder engagement plans, and Community Grievance Mechanisms are developed and implemented. In addition to the SHIAs, we conduct cultural impact assessments for specific communities, such as indigenous communities. For instance, to avoid negatively impacting culturally significant sites, we have altered the initial planning of business projects, including adjusting well drilling trajectories.
Community Engagement
We engage with NGOs through various social projects, sponsorships, and donations to gather insights into the vulnerabilities of specific groups within our communities. Our stakeholder dialogue, grievance mechanisms, and SHIAs facilitate the collection of direct feedback from communities, ensuring their concerns are heard and addressed. This collaborative approach allows us to identify and protect vulnerable groups, such as children and women.
In some countries where we operate, such as New Zealand, the affected communities are indigenous peoples. Our commitment to respecting and fulfilling their human rights, specifically, their cultural, intellectual, religious and spiritual property, the activities affecting their lands and territories, and the legislative or administrative measures that affect them, is stated in our Human Rights Policy Statement. We are committed to community consultation and recognize the principle of free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) in accordance with International Finance Corporation (IFC) Performance Standard 7 and ILO Convention 169. OMV recognizes and respects legitimate tenure rights related to the ownership and use of land and natural resources (including water) as set out in IFC Performance Standard 5. We are committed to avoiding involuntary resettlement and follow a zero-tolerance policy for illegitimate land grabbing, while respecting the right to water. In the event of OMV interference with the rights of local communities, especially those of indigenous peoples, we are committed to developing adequate mitigation, reparation, and compensation plans in close consultation with all relevant stakeholders, including the host government.
OMV New Zealand’s assets have long been established, with affected communities identified as including farming neighbors and indigenous groups connected to the land and sea. Māori, recognized as the original people of New Zealand and governed by the Treaty of Waitangi, retain the right to protect their way of life and resources. The Treaty influences OMV NZ’s operations, emphasizing close collaboration with iwi (tribes) and hapū (sub-tribes) to maintain an ongoing license to operate. A long-standing relationship with iwi and hapū is built on mutual respect and two-way communication, with iwi preferring to engage separately from broader community groups at times. Engagement methods include phone calls, face-to-face meetings, multi-group forums, site visits, and emails. The frequency of these interactions depends on the activities at the site or ongoing projects, with some occurring monthly and others on an as-needed basis. Discussions address impacts and mitigation measures, particularly cultural impacts, and often require cultural impact assessments from the indigenous group. Opportunities for collaboration, such as cultural monitors, cultural inductions, and employment opportunities, are also explored.