CSR Framework launched for youth development

The Natural Resources  Ministry on Thursday rolled out its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Framework 2017-2020 which seeks to foster youth empowerment and community development at the Herdmanston Lodge.
The framework outlines a number of areas corporate partners can choose to invest in to the benefit of the communities within which they operate. Present at the launch were many companies and associations in the forestry, mining and petroleum sectors, including Vaitarna Holdings Pvt Ltd, Puruni Woods, the Forest Products Association, the Guyana Gold and Diamond Miners Association, Guyana Shield Resources Inc, Mid-Atlantic Oil & Gas Inc., and Esso Exploration & Production Guyana Ltd.
Natural Resources Minister, Raphael Trotman, reminded companies that there is a need for a wider cross-section of citizens to enjoy the right to their national patrimony, therefore they have a legal and ethical responsibility to provide services directly or indirectly to the communities they encounter in their operations.

A section of the gathering at the launch
A section of the gathering at the launch

The proposed activities contained in the document were drawn from engagements with various stakeholders including youth, on the development needs and priorities in Guyana.
While the projects will target natural resources industries, it is not restricted to just those entities, and the whole of corporate Guyana is encouraged to take up the challenge of making communities better.
There are many instances of companies in the extractive sector being good corporate citizens; however, it was observed that a more streamlined approach to corporate social responsibility was needed to ensure the greatest impact in the lives of those in the communities served by such entities.
The Framework therefore gives direction on how companies, principally those in the extractive industries, can make a real contribution to the development of all Guyanese. It is divided into four priority areas of focus for demonstration of corporate social responsibility: ‘Greening Guyana – Communities at Peace’, ‘Youth in Natural Resources’, ‘Land Restoration Initiative’ and ‘Green Business Development Fund’.
The Greening Guyana – Communities at Peace initiative aims to support the green development agenda at the community level in mining and newly established towns across Guyana. It was highlighted that this is essential because of the absence of well-kept community recreational spaces resulting in loss of the ownership and a diminished sense of harmony and belonging.
The Youth in Natural Resources initiative is designed to increase youth representation and participation in the natural resources sector. As such the initiative seeks to provide opportunities for training in high-demand areas as determined by the industries themselves. It will also seek to strengthen pathways for out-of-school youth to formally enter the workforce.
The Land Reclamation Initiative is intended to support ongoing efforts to enhance land reclamation and restoration in mining districts and also to reduce land and forest degradation. In a bid to support the land reclamation and restoration efforts of the Government, the Land Restoration initiative will establish or resuscitate plant nurseries in the six mining districts in Regions 1, 6, 7, 9 and 10.
The Green Business Development Fund’s aim is to stimulate the green business sector and demonstrate how the private sector can support environmental conservation and the establishment of Guyana’s green economy.