WTI $69.58
+0.12
Brent $73.65
+0.11
MAHA-A SEK8.60
-0.07
MahaConnect

Social

Community Relations

We recognize and value the importance of respecting the rights of local communities. We want to be a good neighbor and we strive to engage with local communities in a transparent and respectful way. In 2021, we spearheaded the MahaConnect program – a two way communication channel that allow local stakeholders to formally connect with Maha. MahaConnect helps Maha understand local questions, concerns and inquiries as well as allow for the opportunity to address them. The information about the program has been distributed to local communities through the educational pamphlet and community meetings, and can be found on Maha’s website. All inquiries may be submitted anonymously, but Maha encourage all individuals to identify themselves to facilitate a proper two-way transparent conversation.

We work hard to minimize potential negative impacts our operations may have on our neighbors. We also strive to ensure that the local communities benefit from our operations, both directly and indirectly. We believe a good relationship between Company and the local community supports the overall success for both entities. 

We contribute to the local communities through directly hiring and encouraging our subcontractors to hire local suppliers wherever possible. We have connected with local Community Associations that are led by local leaders to maintain an open dialogue with the communities near our operations. Part of this dialogue led to our support towards local hiring in the region. 

Local Economic Development

Part of being a good global corporate citizen requires Maha to contribute to the local economy. We view economic development as the broad concept of contributing to the economical and societal growth in the region. We directly contribute to economic development through local hiring, the use of local goods and services, government payments, and engaging with communities. Maha also helps the region indirectly by creating a value chain of goods and services in the region. As the Company grows and expands field operations, economic benefits trickle into the local economy through the purchasing of local goods and services, royalties, taxes, and local employment. Local hiring and contracting integrates Maha into the local market and community, thereby creating good standing economic relations.

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Local Community

Local Community Associations have also approached Maha for support in local events. Partaking in these events, integrates Maha into the community. This helps create relationships between the Company and the community that ultimately fosters growth and development for both the local economy and Maha.  

While many community meetings and events were postponed in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19, we still took initiatives to connect with nearby communities. One way we reached out to the nearby communities was through the creation and distribution of an educational pamphlet. This pamphlet provides information on our activities, values, and goals, as well as environmental and social programs we are involved in. More importantly, the pamphlet had information on how community members can connect with us. The pamphlet was written in English and Portuguese and was directly distributed nearby community members in Brazil and the US. This Pamphlet and the MahaConnect Program is also planned to be published in Arabic and distributed to the nearby communities in Oman.

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Tie Field - Brazil

For the past four years at our Tie Field, we have celebrated the Dia das crianças together with local communities. Dia das crianças, otherwise known as Children’s day, celebrates and honors the children around the world. In Brazil, the Children’s day is celebrated on the 12th of October and the local Community Associations organize an event with food, drinks, games, and music. We donate toys and take part in the event by sending employees to the event to help distribute the donated toys. Last year we distributed a variety of toys to 120 children who took part in the event.

Infrastructure

We also undertook a transportation infrastructure project that was requested by the local communities near our Tie Field. Approximately 2 kilometers of road was paved between the Tie Station and the national highway, to aid in local traffic to access to the Tie Field and local communities, as well as to preserve the integrity of the road. We committed to provide financial, engineering, and construction support for this project. Our HSE team also set out guidelines to ensure local hiring was done for this project. Construction for the road began in mid-October 2020 and took a few months to complete.

Tartaruga Field - Brazil

Similarly, at our Tartaruga Field, we listened to our neighbors when they asked for economic development support in their area. We not only hire and contract local talents from the community, but have also set up a program that will help train the community in economic development. The community wanted to focus on sustainable tourism as part of their economic portfolio. We partnered with SENAI, a local technical school, and planned a few workshops that helped train community members in sustainable tourism. The first workshop held was a Local Culinary Training event. The Local Culinary course aimed at teaching local community members the skills to cook local cuisine. These skills can be used to support the regions culinary tourism and support the sustainable tourism sector as well.

Sapoti – A Cultural Enrichment Project 

In 2021, we had an opportunity to support a cultural enrichment project in Aguilhadas and Lagoa Redonda, Pirambu, two communities near the Tartaruga operations in Brazil. The project, Sapoti Projetos Culturais, support nonformal education in reading, public speaking, and theatrical performance through theatrical story-telling, reading lessons, and book rentals. This multifaceted six month project together with local schools support children and young adults to become engaged in reading and storytelling. The Project opened two temporary libraries at two of the schools, whereby students and local community members are welcome to borrow books. Each school also transformed two classrooms into two decorated reading rooms filled with books and children-friendly theatre props.

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Supporting Tomorrow’s Generation

Tomorrow’s generation will play a role in the shaping of tomorrow’s society. Through supporting the future generation with education and team sports, Maha hopes to create an opportunity for curiosity, innovation, and collaboration for young people.

Education and Team Sports

  • Promotes problem-solving skills
  • Develops critical thinking
  • Values team-work
  • Teaches leadership skills
  • Shows the importance of each individual role in a team
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LAK Ranch - USA

Part of being a good neighbor and good global citizen is to support local communities and economic development in the region. One way we do this is through the sponsorship of higher education. Each year in Newcastle, Wyoming, USA, we support a well-deserving High School student with a monetary scholarship to their University of choice. Local senior High School students are encouraged to submit a short essay about their goals and ambitions for further education. One candidate is selected a year and we provide a check directly to the University of the candidate’s choice. Since launching this initiative in 2018, 16 scholarship applications have been submitted to Maha. Three students have received sponsorship support from Maha; two students went to the University of Wyoming and one recently went to BYU Hawaii. All three students took different academic paths: one student went on to pursue a degree in Kinesiology, the other went on to pursue a Bachelors in Biology, and the most recent student went to pursue a degree in Business and Marketing. By sponsoring higher education, we hope to empower the individual and create economic opportunities and development for both the individual and the local economy.

Sweden

In Maha's home country of Sweden, Maha is an avid supporter and sponsors a local Division II ice-hockey team. The sponsorship has helped support approximately 800 young hockey players. The financial contribution provides financing for bus accommodations to and from tournament games as well as purchasing of needed hockey equipment.

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