GVL Remains Committed to Environmental protection, Communities and Employment

This article was originally published on the GVL website on October 1, 2024. It has been updated to address matters raised by the DayLight in an article published on October 6, 2024.

Sinoe County, October 10, 2024: Recent articles published by The DayLight have raised questions about GVL’s operations, often based on incomplete or misleading information. GVL has investigated these claims and has addressed all of these claims directly to media. Our responses are summarised below:

Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs)
GVL’s view is that the Freedom of Information Act does not automatically cover private contracts between parties. MoUs between communities and GVL fall under this category, along with other commercial contracts entered into between GVL and other entities in the conduct of its business and operations. GVL is ready to share its MoUs if requested by interested parties, where we have the consent of the communities that are party to the agreement

Water pollution and environmental impact.GVL is committed to fulfilling the obligations contained in our Concession Agreement and the Principles and Criteria of the Roundtable on Sustainable Oil Palm (RSPO). This includes protecting water sources and ensuring that communities have access to clean and safe drinking water.

GVL’s environmental performance is independently audited every year as a condition of our Environmental Permit granted by the Liberian government. These permits, including for the Tarjuowon mill, have been renewed every year, most recently following the submission GVL’s Environmental Audit Reports (EAR) in May 2024.

These reports may highlight risks and include recommendations to prevent or reduce environmental impact. GVL has reviewed these recommendations and followed up with action plans to remedy issues and reduce risks. These plans have been submitted to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

GVL reiterates that the specific case of elevated phosphate levels quoted in media reports refers to water in POME ponds. POME is used as a fertilser and is not a water source intended for human consumption.

Media reports also chose to ignore the overwhelming conclusions of the 3rd party report, which commends “GVL(‘s) commitment to maintaining a high level of compliance and environmental performance.”

Construction of hand pumps

GVL’s commitments to communities are outlined in the MoUs agreed with these groups. These MoUs include an agreement to build hand pumps for each population between 25 and 150 people affected by our operations.

GVL has constructed over 40 hand pumps and rehabilitated more than 70 existing hand pumps in six communities in Sinoe County. We believe we have gone beyond our MoU obligations, in some cases building hand pumps for areas below the population threshold outlined in these agreements.

GVL acknowledges feedback from communities that some hand pumps it has constructed are not operating properly and require maintenance. We are working to provide additional support for maintenance and upkeep. Improvements to this process will be reflected in revised MoUs that are currently being negotiated with communities.

Education and Use of CDF

GVL works closely with communities through regular community meetings and engagement with local stakeholders including the communities’ chosen Community Development Fund Committee, who are deemed to represent local interests.

GVL contributes to Community Development Funds (CDF), in line with our MoU commitments, and supports communities in administering these funds. The CDF is one of the mechanisms through which infrastructure and other community development initiatives are funded.

For example, GVL and our community partners in Taryweh/Drapoh have recently agreed to construct a modern teachers’ residence and town halls using CDF funds. Work will begin in Q4 2024. Other communities in Sinoe and Grand Kru including Butaw, Zoloken, Weteken and Garraway beach have already completed phase one projects (modern town halls, nurses’ quarters and four-classroom schools). Discussions are ongoing for other areas.

GVL has also recently constructed an elementary school that will benefit more than 200 schoolchildren in Wiah-Doe community, Numopoh, Sinoe County. The three-classroom elementary school was constructed under the company’s educational support (GES) program which is designed to support the educational needs of both GVL employees’ dependents and children from surrounding communities.

Additionally, GVL has constructed 15 new schools and renovated more than 10 existing community schools in the MoU communities in Sinoe and Grand Counties.

Employment

GVL’s MoUs state that “preference and priority will be given to citizens in terms of jobs”. Currently, around 90% of roles at all of our estates are held by workers from local communities. This includes key decision-making positions in functions including human resources, agronomy, transport, community affairs, sustainability, finance and health and safety.

All decisions about employment and promotions are based on qualifications and merit. Our MoUs do not allocate specific senior roles to applicants from local communities. We strongly support developing talent from local communities and one GVL estate is fully managed by an all-Liberian team. All employees receive annual performance evaluations that guide their career development.

Compliance with RSPO Complaint Resolution Process

Some of the concerns raised by The DayLight were previously the subject of a complaint lodged against GVL with the RSPO. GVL has and continues to work to comply with the RSPO’s decisions and recommendations to resolve the complaint, which is currently closed for monitoring.

GVL submits quarterly reports to the RSPO on the progress of its resolution activities and publishes the status of this Sustainability Action Plan on our website.

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