2011
AMBATOVY SUSTAINABILITY REPORT
9
Stakeholder Engagement
Stakeholder Identification
Ambatovy identifies stakeholders based on multiple criteria,
but the following three factors are the most significant:
Level of Impact
Certain stakeholders experience or exert significant impact
as a result of our construction and other activities. These
stakeholders are identified and prioritized based on the level
of impact. For example, we are aware of the immense impact
caused by relocation and therefore consider the resettled
communities to be high priority stakeholders.
Geographic Zone
People who are geographically close to Ambatovy sites
are often automatically affected and thereby become
stakeholders. For example, we consider the people living
along the port-to-plant railway to be our stakeholders. We
have conducted numerous public safety sessions to raise
awareness on transportation activity to and from the plant.
Our operation may affect their daily business in the form of
traffic diversion and safety precautions.
Area of Expertise
Certain stakeholders have expertise that can augment our
positive impact and help us minimize the negative. We have
identified local, national and international non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) that can offer technical knowledge
in areas such as HIV/AIDS prevention or biodiversity
management.
Stakeholder Groups
In 2011, Ambatovy conducted an inter-departmental
stakeholder identification process. We performed stakeholder
mapping, which will continue in 2012. We conducted these
exercises around specific issues in order to identify and engage
the right stakeholder at the right time. It gave us a clear picture
of which stakeholders should be engaged on a particular topic.
Stakeholders identified fall within seven groups:
3
Local communities
3
Civil society
3
Government and regulatory bodies
3
Media
3
Financial community
3
Business community
3
Workforce and contractors
Public Consultation
Consulting and informing people affected by our
activities in local communities are critical aspects to
our engagement strategy. For those people living in
the isolated communities located near the pipeline,
Ambatovy launched a series of “roadshows” to increase
awareness about our construction and activities.
Since 2009, there have been 10 roadshows with more
than 18,000 members of the community participating.
Similarly, to consult and inform people living near
National Route 2 (RN2), the highway connecting
Toamasina to Antananarivo, Ambatovy conducted
education campaigns using the Ambatovy Info Van. The
Info Van’s first mission took place in Ampasimadinika, a
rural village near Toamasina in November 2011.
Stakeholder engagement is the overall manner with which we relate to the people and groups impacting or impacted
by our business activities. How we relate to our stakeholders manifests itself in a range of activities, from providing
information to involving stakeholders in decision-making processes. Most often, it takes the form of consultation –
a dialogue between the company and our stakeholders. We want our stakeholders to understand why and how we
operate. We especially want input from relevant stakeholders when a particular aspect of our operation will directly
affect them. Our approach is founded on the belief that the more a stakeholder impacts us or is impacted by our
activities, the greater our engagement should be with them.
