Concerns about safety and environmental performance meant we lost the trust of regulators and some of the neighbours at our refinery in Geelong. In 2004, we agreed an environment improvement plan with the community and the regulators. However, it quickly became clear that the plan promised improvements that were impossible to meet fully in the time set, further reducing trust.

In 2005, Shell’s central Social Performance Management Unit (SPMU) helped us, bringing experience and best practice from around the company. Together we carried out a social performance review that identified what needed fixing and how to do it.

Research showed that our existing community forum no longer accurately represented the neighbourhood. Helped by the SPMU, we worked with local organisations to create a new Community Advisory Panel. The panel now meets regularly, advising us on community engagement, environmental improvements and our social investment programme.

The panel’s first priority was to provide advice on our Environment Improvement Plan. Panel members, together with an independent auditor, now monitor our progress. By the end of 2006, the plan’s actions were about 85% complete. We worked hard to restore relationships and, with the panel, are now working on completing the remaining tasks and moving to a new plan to help us go beyond legal compliance.

We also sought the panel’s advice on how to improve our communication. Our aim was to hear our neighbours’ views and help them better understand our operations and improvement plans. So on the panel’s recommendation, in addition to our newsletters and monthly newspaper columns, we established a mobile information booth. Refinery staff use it to listen to the public’s concerns, provide information and answer questions.