Sustainable development policies and management systems
(Corporate Social Responsibility-CSR & Local Content –LC)

AFRECOM's Lead expert Chief Fred Nguime Ekollo has managed External Affairs (including Reputation Management & Corporate Social Responsibility) for Pecten Cameroon Company (Shell subsidiary for EP in Cameroon) for 4 years during which he (a) conducted the elaboration and the implementation of the 2006-2010 Social Performance Plan, (b) elaborated the Local Content policy, (c) designed and launched the Mangrove Program which aims at restoring mangroves ecosystems and training communities on alternative livelihood opportunities other than mangrove deforestation and overfishing in wetlands areas of Cameroon, and d) trained communities on water hyacinth clearing and economic transformation. He was associated in managing very complex stakeholders and reputational issues involving hostage- taking crisis and staff clashes with management.

Training program

Module A: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Fundamentals, theory and practice

This course is designed for high level participants of administrations and business like senior managers, Board-level influencers or decision makers, Senior and non-executive directors, CSR committees and foundations. The course provides theoretical and practical skills :

  CSR fundamentals.
  Managing stakeholders.
  Knowing and assessing issues that affect businesses.
  Building and delivering a CSR plan of action.
  Delivering CSR activities.
  Measuring and monitoring CSR activities.
  CSR reporting.

Key benefits & opportunities in corporate Social Responsibility.

  Business improved image
  Sounder license to operate
  Increased credibility
  Employee & consumer loyalty and trust.
  Brand value & reputation
  Improvement in human capital
  Revenue generation

Module B: Stakeholders Engagement

This course will cover the following critical issues to your business but we can configure your agenda according to your needs.

  Identifying and building stakeholders relationship
  Understanding your stakeholders
  How to engage your stakeholders
  Avoiding state subrogate syndrome
  Tools and information to be used in planning effective stakeholder engagement.

Module C: Employees Engagement

Engaging employee is a critical ingredient of a responsible business. Many employees though in a corporate environment are still mentally subjected to non-corporate and personal habits. Thus this course is fashioned on using the concept of corporate responsibility to engage employees using sensitized employees to embed corporate responsibility.

Training consistency

  Introduction on Sustainable development
  Business reputation notions
  Why engage employees: business case & key drivers of engagement
  Building an engagement strategy
  Creating a culture of engagement
  Involving & empowering employees
  Linking business values and missions for employee superior performance
  Integrating sustainable development in business programs and projects
  Efficient change & conflicts management
  Measuring employees engagement

Key benefits & opportunities in Stakeholder Engagement.

  Achieving relevant lasting change in projects, policies or programs.
  Ownership: a sense of ownership can facilitate acceptance, minimize conflicts and resistance while promoting long term acceptance of change.
  Quality-project qualities to meet genuine needs, values, opportunities and demands.
  Avoiding conflict and time saving in projects-effective dialogue in the initial phase of project development can identify potential conflicts and provide early resolution.
  Credibility/Reputation - building trust in relationship between stakeholders and an organization.

Module D : Communication

Communicating well is essential, therefore communication skills have to be developed, mastered and improved on an ongoing basis. Communication is at the heart of interpersonal relations within and beyond the company. Successes and failures are resulting, in most cases, not from contents, but rather from the ability or inability to come across, to influence and to persuade. AFRECOM proposes a training session on essential aspects of communications:

  Verbal communication.
  Non-verbal communication.
  Presentation techniques.
  Negociation skills.
  Stakeholder engagement & management.
  Relations publiques & gestion of Reputation.

Module E: Local Content (LC)

The Local Content concept addresses policies, strategies and processes which aim at maximizing, in a sustainable manner, the use of local human resources, materials, equipment & services in operations without compromising the business principles, quality, health, safety & environmental standards. It is a powerful strategy for creating jobs & value for local communities and economies. LC reduces costs and increases, on a structured basis, business impacts on local economy & communities.

This master class is intended for managers, senior executive board members, government officers and non-governmental organizations. The objectives of this course are:

MODULE A: Understanding the concept, strategies, principles, rules and regulations of Local Content

  Developmental objectives vs. commercial interest of Local Content.
  Local Content components: domestication, domiciliation, transfer of technology and jobs creation.
  Strategies, principles, process & procedures to deliver local content goals.
  Approach for Local Content in engineering, procurement of equipment, materials and services and construction
  Local Content limitations/exclusions.
  Challenges & solutions in Local Content compliance.

MODULE B: Accessibility, operationability, measurability and accountability of Local Content

  Benefits and costs of adopting corporate strategy on Local Content and building local competitiveness.
  Securing Local Content through public-private participation.
  Measuring (KPI's), evaluating and reporting Local Content.
  Line between Corporate Social responsibility of private companies and Local Content expectations/targets of State corporations.
  Necessities of real engagement of private companies, national corporations and Governmental bodies with the Local Content.
  Duties of Government bodies, public companies & private corporations on Local Content.

Key benefits & opportunities in Local Content.

  Community development through social investments
  Capacity building
  Economies due to the use of costless local resources
  Jobs and value creation for the local economy
  National growth