Why is this important?
The Grievance Management Process at OMV Petrom Group is part of the Compliance Management System, which ensures compliance with applicable legal provisions and internal regulations to reduce noncompliance risks and financial consequences for the company as well as increase efficiency and effectiveness of dialogue with stakeholders and communities.
Our company has consistently emphasized the importance of stakeholders’ engagement in creating thorough social risk management procedures. Building connections with the local community will increase trust and encourage local support for our programs.
It is essential that the grievance process operates transparently, credibly, and fairly for all parties involved. Good grievance management builds trust as part of wider community relations activities and contributes to the success of OMV Petrom Group’s social performance. The process establishes how the managers of the specialized departments within the Organizational Units (OU) handle the grievances, respectively receiving, registering, reviewing, establishing measures, resolving grievances, as well as transmitting the responses in time. When our business determines that it has contributed to or caused detrimental effects, we pay for or help with their redress through legitimate processes.
Our commitment
- We register the number of Grievances, by category
- We measure the number of received grievances vs. number of resolved grievances
- We measure the number of grievances resolved through remediation
All concerns are addressed effectively, transparently and in a timely manner.
All grievances are investigated and resolved in a non-judicial manner, with community members having access to remedies, depending on the case. Our Compliance department audits the data in the database to ensure the information accuracy and, where applicable, makes recommendations for improvement. Grievances are closely monitored to ensure they are resolved in a timely manner.
Compliance department trains and supports all grievance management employees and provides ongoing support and guidance.
Asset Valahia (E&P)
In 2022, we started a process of grievance assessment to determine the underlying reasons and in particular are assessed recurrent grievances from Asset Valahia. The steps carried out so far are:
- We performed an analysis of historical data regarding recurrent grievances
- We looked into studies on previously polluted areas conducted to assess the state of natural attenuation in the present, aiming to reduce the number of complaints
- We updated information in the grievances database (such as property related griever’s documents vs. the field visits followed by drawing up updated plans)
- We implemented GDPR protocol for safer management of grievances’ correspondence
Petrobrazi Refinery (R&M)
The call center is running at peak efficiency:
- There were 80 calls received, out of which 72 were answered.
- 84 emails were also received and responded to
- The call center (green line) was linked prominently to OMV Petrom/ Petrobrazi Refinery webpage
- The call center was promoted between February and May 2022 through media channels (Facebook, Google Ads – Display Adds and Responsive Add) with landing page leading towards OMV Petrom/ Petrobrazi Refinery webpage
In 2022, we registered a total of 701 grievances related to society, human rights and environmental issues (total grievances), 403 of the grievances were related to social impacts generated by the operations and 298 grievances were related to environmental impacts (out of which 284 related to land contamination). 557 were solved, together with an additional 110 from the previous year. Out of the 557 solved grievances (for 2022), 30% of them were solved through remediation.
Out of the total number of 701 grievances received, a total of 79.5% were resolved.
The target is to assess Community Grievance Mechanisms of all sites against UN Effectiveness Criteria by 2025. As the COVID –19 restrictions have been lifted, we plan to assess at least two sites in 2023.
Asset Valahia (E&P)
The assessment performed to identify root causes of grievances registered, especially for the recurrent complaints, is to be completed by the end of 2023. The main steps planned are:
- Ongoing investigation and analysis of root causes based on historical data from internal database (SNOW) and investigation studies performed in 2022
- Additional investigation studies at selected historically polluted sites are to be performed to evaluate the current status of natural attenuation
- Update and monitor of information in the grievance database (griever’s documents – i.e., property related – vs. our updated drawings and plans based on most recent field visits)
- Improve linkage of information from the internal Land management system and the SNOW grievances databases for better management of claims related to land rentals and environmental compensation
Petrobrazi Refinery (R&M)
At the Petrobrazi Refinery, the call center service:
- Will continue to be rolled out in Prahova County communities in 2023. An assessment of the results will be completed after one year of implementation
- The working procedure will be slightly adjusted to endorse the actual flow
- Based on the assessment for one year of functioning, the call center will be actively promoted in the community through media channels