EHSS Management Assessment and Strategy Implementation

Environmental Guidance Plans
Acorn International prepared guidance documents for a development project for a major international oil and gas company in Kazakhstan to help the client meet requirements of its Management System.  The documents were prepared to assist the company’s contractor in ensuring that all local, international, and corporate requirements for protection of the environment in areas of biodiversity, waste management, air emissions and environmental design basis were met.  For each topic, Acorn International identified relevant regulatory or corporate requirement references, information that the contractor would need to meet those requirements, suggestions for minimizing or mitigating potential environmental impacts and recordkeeping requirements.  Where possible, Acorn International recommended international best practices for environmental protection.

HSE Management System Development, Gap Assessment and Benchmarking, India Acorn International worked as part of an international team to develop a world-class health, safety and environmental (HSE) / sustainability management system for a national oil company in India.   Our work included leading the overall management system design and benchmarking of relevant best practices, and participating in a diagnostic of current HSE/sustainability management practices, gap assessment of current vs. relevant best practices, interviews and workshops with managers throughout the company operating units and administrative divisions, recommendation of key performance indicators and development of an implementation plan.  Acorn International was the primary facilitator and presenter at the kick off meeting and initial workshops, and shared experience with other team members to help them prepare for later stages of the work as well as future implementation support.  

Sustainability Reporting Guidelines Feasibility Study, Worldwide
Acorn International was selected by the International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA) to perform a feasibility study of applying more common sustainability reporting practices across the international oil and gas industry.  We developed converged definitions for selected performance indicators, performed a gap analysis for six selected companies, and identified the issues and level of effort oil and gas companies will face if they decide to develop and follow more precise, common guidelines for comparable sustainability performance reporting.  The study was done for a committee of international oil and gas companies under IPIECA’s direction.  Acorn International presented the initial study results to the committee and IPIECA in early December 2007.  Acorn International was chosen for this important assignment in part because its Principal was the leader of a 2002 effort to study and publish current industry sustainability reporting practices.  That study and more information regarding IPIECA’s sustainability reporting initiative can be found at www.ipieca.org.

Benchmarking and Recommending Best Practices in Oil and Gas Exploration and Production in Sensitive Areas Worldwide, Brasil
Acorn International is working as part of a team to identify current practices and study and recommend applicable best industry practices for environmental and sustainable development management for the National Oil and Gas Company in Brasil. Our work involves facilitating client workshops, benchmarking best practices in areas of interest, and recommending a plan for how the client can integrate the best practices into its operations.

In a separate study, Acorn is working as part of the same team to identify best international practices for exploration and production activities in sensitive marine areas. This assignment will help the company better understand what level of controls are appropriate for operating in sensitive marine areas worldwide, and what criteria should be used to determine when an area is too sensitive to enter.

Safety and Environmental Incident Tracking Management System Implementation, Mexico
Acorn International is providing expert support to a consulting team that is responsible for helping an oil company implement an HSE information tracking/management system. Our work includes providing advice and actively facilitating the application of best international practices related to HSE performance improvement program implementation. This includes identifying likely barriers and catalysts of change, guiding and “coaching” line and senior management in directing the implementation effort, and developing key performance indicators and implementation oversight support mechanisms. In all of the work, our Principal integrates best practices from his experience of working with more than a dozen international oil and gas companies on designing, implementing, and strengthening HSE management and performance improvement programs.

Review of Sustainable Development Valuations to Support Market Research for a Major International Electronics Company, Worldwide
Acorn International supported a consulting team of former Arthur D. Little colleagues that was responsible for identifying the position of global industries in sustainable development valuation and award programs. The teams work was being performed to help a Fortune 50 electronics company build a market evaluation of its position relative to others on its sustainable development performance reputation and its importance to their market. Our Principal’s responsibility was to research the SD valuation and award programs in Brasil (an important market for our client) and identify the companies that have been rated or recognized by these programs. Examples of programs identified include the in-country stock market sustainability index and annual business recognition awards – in SD categories – sponsored by leading in-country business news services.