Shell Failed Community Engagement in Niger-Delta Region and Implications for CSR Practices: Towards Global Best Practices for Sustainable Stakeholders’ Involvement

Abstract

The study examines the experience of Shell Petroleum Development Corporation (SPDC) in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices. The study observes that the experience of SPDC is one of deep frustrations occasioned by inappropriate and ineffective stakeholders’ engagement. The study also observes that aside from making host community encounter repeated deprivations, the SPDC in the Niger Delta fails to adequately involve stakeholders in its CSR agenda in ways that are acceptable. All these raised the challenge of designing best CSR practices for stakeholders’ engagements to address communities that perennially suffer the negative impacts of business activities. The study concludes by attempting a template for global best practices for sustainable stakeholder engagement with hostile host communities in CSR practices in order to achieve sustainable business practices.

Keywords: CSR, Niger-Delta, Relationship Management, SPDC, Sustainability

DOI: 10.7176/IAGS/93-03

Publication date: January 31^st 2022