Partnerships for development: the value of working together

Faced with increasingly complex global events, such as poverty and inequality, health emergencies, political instability and the climate and migration crisis, we have chosen to extend the scope of our development initiatives going beyond the boundary of our operational areas, by building alliances with leading internationally recognised partners in the area. This joint action and sharing of know-how can contribute to improving the living conditions of people in the countries where we are present, in line with the United Nations' 2030 Agenda, country level plans and the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). 

It is an enormous challenge that requires everyone's support: governments, international organisations, the private sector, investment funds, universities, research centres and civil society organisations – including the faith based organisations sector – that know the area and understand the fragility and primary needs of the people in the places where we operate. This is where the value lies and therefore there is a need to identify partners capable of guaranteeing longevity to activities.

Enrico Mattei's instinct and Eni's “vocation” to support the growth of communities and people, our dual flag approach, is more relevant than ever in this historical moment, a fertile ground for acting in accordance to the role that the international community, with growing awareness, is attributing to the private sector.

The partnerships we have developed with international agencies and organisations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the World Bank (WB) are all steps in this direction. As are the relationships and collaborations with Italian and European institutions, financial institutions and development banks, civil society organisations, faith-based organisations, universities and research centres.

We have been working with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) since 2018, to promote water access in Nigeria through the construction of wells powered by photovoltaic systems, for domestic use and irrigation, contributing in particular to Sustainable Development Goals 6 and 13.

Eni and FAO: together for safe clean water in Nigeria

In 2018, Eni and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at helping the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and, in particular, universal access to energy, activities to combat climate change and the protection, restoration and sustainable use of the planet's ecosystem (SDGs 7, 12 and 13). On 23 April 2021, Eni and UNDP in Kazakhstan signed a Cooperation Agreement to set up a project aimed at using renewable solar technology and improving energy efficiency in a secondary school located in the city of Turkistan in southern Kazakhstan.

Collaboration for the opening of the Musée du Cercle Africain (2018), he first Pointe-Noire Museum in Congo, to promote and strengthen African culture and art, with a particular focus on the new generations, and for participation in the first Biennial in Luanda, Angola - Pan African Forum for Peace (18-22 September 2019).

We have been working with the World Bank and GHACCO (Ghana Alliance for Clean Cookstoves and Fuels) since 2020, to encourage the use of more efficient wood-burning stoves that reduce exposure to toxic fumes and prevent forest exploitation. In line with the Government of Ghana's strategy and SDG 7, these activities aim to ensure access to clean cooking technology for over 600 households in the western region and to promote awareness campaigns.

Women's empowerment is at the heart of partnerships signed in Angola with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the NGO Aid for People-to-People Development (ADPP) to promote economic diversification in rural areas as part of the Women's Global Development and Prosperity initiative.

In Mexico, a Cooperation Agreement was signed with AVSI and the government of the State of Tabasco to support the training and educational activities of teachers and students. Activities include the distribution of school materials to primary schools, skills development through courses and workshops and the involvement of local communities in educational activities.

The Collaboration Agreement put in place with the E4Impact Foundation in 2020 aims to develop a business incubator in Nairobi, Kenya, as part of an initiative involving the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart (UCSC) in Milan to promote entrepreneurship (especially among women) and youth employment and in doing so stimulate the international development of new businesses.

The business accelerator in Kenya

In 2019, Eni Mozambique and the Instituto Superior Dom Bosco in Maputo signed a collaboration agreement for the implementation of a comprehensive vocational training plan at the industrial and commercial institute in Pemba. The four-year partnership offers certified training for trainers and provides scholarships for vocational courses, degrees, master's degrees and PhDs in technical-vocational disciplines.

In collaboration with the Politecnico di Milano, Eni has developed different methodologies to measure its impact on areas, assessing the economic value its presence has brought and analysing the social benefits generated. The methodologies are defined in accordance with the metrics already used by international bodies and validated by research institutes and academics. The main tools developed are the Eni Local Content Evaluation (ELCE) Model and the Eni Impact Tool. ELCE quantifies the Local Content of Eni's business activities in the local area in economic and employment terms. To date, the model has been applied to various projects: OCTP in Ghana, East Hub and West Hub, Quiluma & Maboqueiro in Angola, Zohr in Egypt, Coral South in Mozambique and Area 1 in Mexico, as well as the Italian operating sites in Ravenna (upstream/downstream), Sannazzaro de’ Burgondi (R&M) and Val d’Agri (upstream). The Eni Impact Tool measures the social, economic and environmental impact of local development projects on communities. The tool has been used for energy access projects in Congo (Central Électrique du Congo) and in communities in the Niger Delta (SDGs 4, 7, 8, 9, 12 and 13).

In Angola, Eni has signed a cooperation agreement with the Institute for Agronomic Investigation and the Secretary of Agriculture and Fisheries of the Province of Cabinda to support small farmers affected by the pandemic with food security activities to improve crop quality with more productive and resistant varieties.

In Ghana, collaborations have been put in place with the GEA - Ghanaian Entrepreneurship Agency (formerly NBSSI) for the entrepreneurial and managerial training of 800 people, mainly women and young people from 10 coastal communities in the western region, and with the Diocese of Secondi-Takoradi for vocational training courses and job placements for 90 girls from Nyakrom and nearby villages.

Eni has been supporting the Halo Trust's "100 Women in Demining" project in Angola since 2017, with the aim of providing women with job opportunities, training and the necessary skills in the demining sector, as well as contributing to the country's security.

We care about people's lives, and our current business model, which reflects the company’s original characteristics, has given rise to a cooperative model that takes into account the value of Eni's people and, more generally, of the countries in which it operates. This approach, as we have seen, has resulted in a number of collaborations that have been wide-reaching in terms of both territory and action, from access to energy to education, from economic diversification to food security, from access to water, health and sanitation, from protecting the environment and ecosystems to the rights of the peoples and communities concerned.  These partnerships are designed not only to promote a sense of personal dignity but also to improve the understanding and protection of human rights and the sharing of lessons learned and best practices in keeping with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) and the 10 principles of the Global Compact.

Eni was among the participants from the world of energy and investment funds in the Vatican Dialogues on Energy Transition and care of our Common Home, held in the Vatican in June 2018 and 2019 by Notre Dame University and the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.