Seven Energy reaffirms its commitment to the voluntary principles on security and human rights initiative

Seven Energy reaffirmed its commitment to implementing the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights initiative (VPI) when it hosted the Steering Committee of the VPI at the Seven Energy Security Forum in Eket, Akwa Ibom State.

The Seven Energy Security Forum is a monthly stakeholder engagement held in Akwa Ibom state to facilitate dialogue and flow of information between oil and gas companies and related government security agencies in Akwa Ibom State.

The delegation from the VPI, led by the Chairman of the Global Steering Committee, Ronald Roosdorp, included representatives from the Netherlands, Switzerland, Ghana and the UK as well as from International and Nigerian companies and non-governmental organisations who are signatories to the VPI.

The Voluntary Principles are the only human rights guidelines designed specifically for extractive sector companies, and provide guidance on risk assessment, public safety and security, protection of human rights and the interaction between companies and private security. Seven Energy was admitted into the Corporate Pillar category of the VPI in February 2016 and is the first and only indigenous (Nigerian) oil and gas company to be admitted, and the first ‘junior international oil company’ globally.

Through its participation in the VPI, Seven Energy has aligned its corporate policies and procedures with internationally recognised human rights principles in the provision of security for its operations. 

  “We are delighted to host the Voluntary Principles delegation, and particularly pleased to welcome the delegation to the Security Forum.

We are fully committed to upholding human rights and ethical behaviors, and central to this is engaging communities and stakeholders proactively and consistently. The Security Forum is an important part of this ongoing engagement – our membership of the VPI is not just lip service. We have a strong focus on and commitment to compliance issues and human rights and our membership of VPI is a confirmation of that commitment.  We are indeed living up to the tenets”, Ian Brown-Peterside, Managing Director Midstream, Seven Energy, said.

In his remarks Ronald Roosdorp, Committee Chairman of VPI, highlighted that “collaboration is helping to achieve more synergy and better results and companies have a big role to play in engaging communities. The VPI has come a long way in 15 years. We engage organisations, government and other stakeholders. We also have sessions with government where we discuss issues such as outreach. This forum with Seven Energy is a giant step in the right direction and we shall be taking back a lot of ideas and suggestions to the Steering Committee.”