La Pampilla Social Action Plan
On January 15, 2022, an uncontrolled movement of the Mare Doricum tanker during unloading caused an oil spill on the coasts of 5 districts north of La Pampilla Refinery.
As part of its immediate response to the accident and in parallel to the environmental remediation and cleanup efforts, Repsol designed a Social Action Plan to remediate the negative impacts on the communities caused by the spill. The Social Action Plan was designed in compliance with our Human Rights and Community Relations Policy and according to the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the highest international standards on human rights due diligence.
At the senior management level, the public report of the United Nations Environmental Emergencies Unit on the Peru spill dated February 18, 2022, was shared and reviewed by the company's Sustainability Committee in order to find out and steer the objectives and guidelines to be followed regarding environmental remediation and the Social Action Plan of the La Pampilla Refinery.
The Social Action Plan is divided into three phases: Emergency Phase, Remediation Phase, and Development Phase.
First Emergency Response
The Emergency Phase was launched immediately after the spill to manage the social emergency as soon as possible, demonstrating Repsol's commitment to all the people affected.
The main goal of this phase was to get to know the stakeholders and people affected and provide them with social support to cover their basic needs. The affected groups identified belong to five districts: Chancay, Ancon, Santa Rosa, Aucallama, and Ventanilla. They include associations and people engaged in fishing and sellers related to the activity on the beaches.
As part of this Emergency Phase, 141 basic and emergency aid agreements were signed benefiting more than 4,700 people. The type of support provided and the frequency of the deliveries were previously agreed on and optimized with these communities. Although the people affected initially requested vouchers to be exchanged for basic necessities such as food, the associations later requested through meetings that the vouchers/cards be used to pay for services such as electricity and water. As part of these agreements, more than 10,400 vouchers/cards were delivered.
This emergency phase ended on March 31.
Remediation Phase
During the Remediation Phase, Repsol has developed and is implementing a mitigation and remediation action plan aimed at the impacts on human rights caused by the La Pampilla incident based on international human rights due diligence standards that results in a phase of compensation for adverse impacts.
The main milestone of this Remediation Phase took place on March 4, 2022. Repsol and the Government of Peru signed an agreement to set up a Single Registry of Affected Persons through which Peruvian authorities have identified around 10,300 individuals.
As part of this agreement and in demonstration of its commitment to Peruvian society, Repsol gave advances of the final compensation to the people that were affected to mitigate the impact on their work activities.
In accordance with our commitment to proceed with human rights due diligence, Repsol hired an internationally renowned independent expert company that conducted a Human Rights Impact Assessment. This analysis was carried out according to the highest international standards set out by the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and by applying Repsol's Human Rights Impact Assessment Guide.
As contribution to the Human Rights Impact Assessment, a detailed census of the family units of those affected was conducted by a specialized local company. This information is being used in the final remediation of those affected.
The Human Rights Impact Assessment was developed on a participatory basis through workshops and interviews with the people affected. The people who took part in the workshops were informed and trained on human rights. Afterwards, these same people commented in an atmosphere of trust how they felt they had been impacted by the spill and the needs they had. The results of the human rights impact study were shared, discussed, and validated with the communities of the five affected districts.
The main results of the validated impact matrix showed that the spill impacted the following human rights of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:
- Right to decent living conditions (Art. 25)
- Right to work (Art. 23)
- Right to health and welfare (Art. 25)
- Right to a healthy and balanced environment
- Right to freedom of movement (Art. 13)
The human rights impact assessment identified mitigation measures for these impacts, which were evaluated and validated by the affected communities.
During this phase, informative meetings were held in the five affected districts about the environmental and social remediation underway. The goal of these informative meetings was to explain to the attendees the company's commitments regarding the remediation of human rights impacts, the process of the Social Action Plan and its stages, open channels for grievance mechanisms, and the next steps to be taken. Moreover, doubts were clarified and comments and suggestions on the Social Action Plan were received from the people affected.
Repsol has assumed the responsibility to remedy the effects produced without the need for any public institution to require it to do so. In this way, it has proposed to more than 10,300 people directly affected an economic compensation to remedy the main impacts they have suffered. This financial compensation has been individualized through a detailed database that has made it possible to treat each person individually.
A participatory negotiation process was designed to which all the people affected are invited. This is a voluntary and mutual agreement process based on the good faith of all parties.
By the end of May 2023, the company has signed compensation agreements with more than 9,600 people, which represent more than 90% of the people in the Single Registry of Affected Persons, and will continue to compensate all the people listed in this registry created by Peru’s Presidency of the Council of Ministers (PCM) and the National Institute of Civil Defense (INDECI).
Currently, this phase is still ongoing. All actions outlined in this Social Action Plan are being carried out as part of a continuous dialogue with the associations and representatives of these stakeholders to optimize the process and verify its effectiveness. The company maintains a continuous and transparent dialogue with the affected communities and authorities.
Development Phase
During the Development Phase, Repsol is designing, developing, and implementing a strategy of social investment and sustainable development projects that will be part of the social and economic reactivation program for the affected area. This strategy is based on project proposals in keeping with the needs of the people affected, which stem from the workshops and multiple meetings held in the various districts, and in collaboration with the affected communities, associations, social entities, national and international organizations, as well as the corresponding authorities.
The Social and Economic Reactivation Program will include several sustainable development projects that will promote the training of the people affected, improve economic activity, drive entrepreneurship, and foster social welfare with greater community cohesion.
In order for this Development Phase to be successful, the participation and feedback of all agents involved will be critical to optimize the program, while promoting community empowerment and ensuring that the wealth generated stays in the region.
These projects will be aligned with Repsol's commitment to the United Nations 2030 Agenda that the company has demonstrated since its approval. Repsol is aware of the company's important role as a multi-energy company, contributing to sustainable development while meeting the demand for energy, which is essential to cover people's basic needs in a safe, affordable, and sustainable way.
In parallel to the Social Action Plan, communication channels have been set up to ensure that any affected person can contact the company to voice their claim, complaint, or concern without fear of retaliation and with the commitment to protect personal data.
A grievance mechanism adapted to the circumstances of the context and the people affected was designed and implemented. This grievance mechanism was designed to be accessible to anyone through different communication channels. It has also been adapted and updated based on observations and analysis of interactions with the affected people using these different communication channels.
The necessary communication channels that were identified, demanded, and noted by the affected people are as follows: email, social media, a form on the website compromisorepsol.es, ongoing telephone assistance, WhatsApp with our community liaisons. All people who cannot access any of these means may submit their complaint in person, through a representative at the Mesa de Partes at the La Pampilla Refinery, or through our community liaisons working in the different affected districts.
The grievance mechanism was explained during the information sessions carried out for the people affected and also by the community liaisons present in the five districts. All individuals have access to the grievance mechanism without fear of retaliation. Repsol pledges to analyze each claim on a case-by-case basis and to respond as soon as possible.
The number of claims received in 2022 through the website, e-mail, and social media was 3,932 and 100% of them were answered.
In 2022, the number of people affected and the extent of the spill led to a considerable amount of claims, requests for information, and concerns that were mostly related to the compensation process for people affected.
Moreover, community liaison officers have resolved by the end of May 2023 more than 10,600 inquiries from the population submitted by telephone and WhatsApp. Also, over 6,700 dossiers related to the compensation process that were submitted by the Mesa de Partes are being processed.
These communication channels have been available since the launch of the Emergency Phase and will be active throughout all phases of the Social Action Plan.
Furthermore, the company has a specific website, compromisorepsol.pe, where all the information regarding the progress and recovery efforts can be found. The progress is also shared on the company's social media profiles.
Our commitment
Repsol is continuing to work to compensate over 10,000 families in Ventanilla, Aucallama, Chancay, Ancon, and Santa Rosa and to carry out social and sustainable development projects for the social and economic reactivation of the affected areas.