122
8 Participants’ Recommendations for O&G Social Investment
When asked if they believed governments had a role to play in O&G social
investment, P14, a government expert, replied:
But I think in general in [name of country], the government, the national government approach
is not to force or compel companies to undertake social investment or particular … and as
previously I said, I think, we see that … what the government requires is slightly different
or in fact quite different. It’s the taxes and the royalties, which we then of course use to pay
for infrastructure, social services and welfare. (P14, Government expert)
P14 believed that if the government does not compel companies to develop social
investment with local communities, the government, in turn, should not have a role to
play in O&G social investment. As a government expert, P14 represented a country
where legislation does not require social investment in its sets of conditionalities.
This might explain why s/he held the belief that the government should not interfere
in O&G social investment.
When I asked government experts about their views of the government’s role in
O&G social investment, they all shared the opinion that the government should not
interfere in O&G social investment. In fact, none of the three government interviewees considered that governments had a role to play in O&G social investment. This
understanding might imply that a partnership approach towards social investment
was not conceptualised by the government experts interviewed. If other government
experts around the globe share the views of the government experts involved in
this research, this might explain social investment experts’ perception of government absence in partnering with O&G social investment. Notably, the three government interviews in my research do not represent the views and understandings of
governmental experts around the globe, but they nevertheless illustrate how these
government experts perceived their role in relation to O&G social investment.
In contrast, seven social investment experts considered that governments had
important roles to play in O&G social investment. These experts considered that
the governments’ roles were to ensure that the social investment, (1) followed the
country’s relevant laws; (2) followed the government’s development plans; and (3)
provided a favourable environment, such as an appropriate policy framework and fair
tax regimes. P6, P10 and P3 illustrate the experts’ understandings of government roles
in O&G social investment. For example, P6 said, “[Governments should] make sure
that social investment projects are in line with the district medium-term development
plan” (P6, social investment expert). While P10 commented:
I think they [government] have a huge role that sometimes they don’t always take on. … I
mean they [government] should be the one to ensure that no company comes into do projects
that the government is against. … I think they [government] should be the ones to really
ensure that companies follow all the applicable laws and procedures and they really have a
big role to play in communications speech I think to, so spread the word about the benefit
about a particular investment, or the benefits of particular projects, you know, and really be
there as a partner for the company that is making the investment. (P10, social investment
expert)
Finally, P3 commented:
8 Participants’ Recommendations for O&G Social Investment
When asked if they believed governments had a role to play in O&G social
investment, P14, a government expert, replied:
But I think in general in [name of country], the government, the national government approach
is not to force or compel companies to undertake social investment or particular … and as
previously I said, I think, we see that … what the government requires is slightly different
or in fact quite different. It’s the taxes and the royalties, which we then of course use to pay
for infrastructure, social services and welfare. (P14, Government expert)
P14 believed that if the government does not compel companies to develop social
investment with local communities, the government, in turn, should not have a role to
play in O&G social investment. As a government expert, P14 represented a country
where legislation does not require social investment in its sets of conditionalities.
This might explain why s/he held the belief that the government should not interfere
in O&G social investment.
When I asked government experts about their views of the government’s role in
O&G social investment, they all shared the opinion that the government should not
interfere in O&G social investment. In fact, none of the three government interviewees considered that governments had a role to play in O&G social investment. This
understanding might imply that a partnership approach towards social investment
was not conceptualised by the government experts interviewed. If other government
experts around the globe share the views of the government experts involved in
this research, this might explain social investment experts’ perception of government absence in partnering with O&G social investment. Notably, the three government interviews in my research do not represent the views and understandings of
governmental experts around the globe, but they nevertheless illustrate how these
government experts perceived their role in relation to O&G social investment.
In contrast, seven social investment experts considered that governments had
important roles to play in O&G social investment. These experts considered that
the governments’ roles were to ensure that the social investment, (1) followed the
country’s relevant laws; (2) followed the government’s development plans; and (3)
provided a favourable environment, such as an appropriate policy framework and fair
tax regimes. P6, P10 and P3 illustrate the experts’ understandings of government roles
in O&G social investment. For example, P6 said, “[Governments should] make sure
that social investment projects are in line with the district medium-term development
plan” (P6, social investment expert). While P10 commented:
I think they [government] have a huge role that sometimes they don’t always take on. … I
mean they [government] should be the one to ensure that no company comes into do projects
that the government is against. … I think they [government] should be the ones to really
ensure that companies follow all the applicable laws and procedures and they really have a
big role to play in communications speech I think to, so spread the word about the benefit
about a particular investment, or the benefits of particular projects, you know, and really be
there as a partner for the company that is making the investment. (P10, social investment
expert)
Finally, P3 commented: