Social Sustainability in the Oil and Gas Industry in the Niger Delta Region

Abstract

Social sustainability is a critical component of the Sustainable Development Goals and net zero targets. This research establishes the major principles and main elements of social sustainability, its theoretical and practical underpinnings, investigates its implementation and provides a framework for its implementation in the oil and gas industry in the Niger Delta region. Qualitative case study was employed for the study and thematic analysis was conducted on multiple sources of data. Using the oil and gas industry in the Niger Delta for empirical analysis, the research explored social sustainability through a synthesis of its major principles and elements alongside the socioeconomic characteristics of the region. The research established that social sustainability is a multidimensional concept and its major principle is the wellbeing of society within and across generations. Due to its multidimensional nature, the elements of social sustainability need to be derived on a case-by-case basis for effective implementation of the concept. In the oil and gas industry in the Niger Delta, equity and social justice, partnership, employment and human capacity development, and social services and infrastructure emerged as the major elements of social sustainability. Stakeholder theory was used to frame the research and consistent with stakeholder theory, the adoption of partnership with the host communities suggests a partnership with resources to gain legitimacy. Novel approaches to social sustainability implementation such as the GMoU pioneered by Chevron, and new models of partnership based on the concept of value creation in stakeholder theory, are recommended. The research contributes to an emerging body of knowledge by showing the application and manifestations of a global concept at the local level. The findings have practical and theoretical value for practitioners and researchers of social sustainability.