Debriefing- Royal Dutch Shell

Why is shell at the center of controversy and criticism?

- Ties to Nigerian Government (dictatorship)
- Oil is economic driver (how didactic holds power)
-90% of foreign exchange
-Government seen as oppressive (exploits natives)

Oil companies' involvement a symbol of major world problems

-exploit land and people
-powerless natives
- activists linked to oil industry

Campainging

-Mobilization MOSOP- linkage to world issues- help native population
-Media engagement
- Greenpeace and other groups (activists)

Why was Shell the focal point?

-one of largest global companies
-Long history with Nigeria
-JV with Nigerian government since 1973
-Appears to be one of the Most powerful forces in Nigeria
-Saro-Wiwa cast Shell as a villain - "the genocide and systematic extermination of the Ogoni people"

Shell's environmental record

-environmentalists argue that oil spills pose a threat
-111 oil spills
-natural gas flaring

Shell's Key Points

difficulty to upgrade infrastructure, Sabotage by Ogoni (to get more work for ogoni people), world bank study says that oil-related impacts are small

Delta residents have limited opportunities

SPDC has harmed Delta residents, Delta residents ignored, $4 million annual community development

Social Responsibility Includes:

pay taxes, obey laws, avoid harm, economic responsibility, provide employment, assist delta residents, balance economy and ecosystem

Should provide Ogoni with basic necessities

generate goodwill with ogoni, ogoni are fragile compared to the power of shell and government

What could Shell have done better?

-community development
-better pollution control
-better media relations

What action should Shell take about the Saro-Wiwa conviction?

do nothing more, pursue quiet diplomacy, threaten the nigerian government, threaten to pull out,

Conclusions

political "non-involvement" is very difficult in this land of great poverty, need to develop principles of some humane involvement, pursuing profit is important but should not be everything, good corporate citizens should step up and be counted

What happened

Shell's Chairman sent a letter to General Abacha pleading on humanitarian grounds for clemency for Ken Sahrawi but was rejected; Shell was shaken by Saro-Wiwa's death and revised its noninvolvement principle and has added in provisions on human rights, trial agains shell in NYC