The Corporate Sustainability Review - CSR 2021

ANSA McAL Limited

Investing in Human Capital

Atlantic

Protecting Human Capital - A case study

bpTT

Raising the Bar to Net Zero - bp’s Giselle

Thompson speaks on the ambitious vision

Methanex Trinidad

Listening and Learning - How Methanex is engaging employees to find sustainable solutions during – and after – the pandemic

Metro Guyana

Metro Gives to Education

National Gas Company

Digging Deeper - NGC investigates belowground carbon sequestration

Republic Financial Holdings

Leading by Example

Scotiabank Trinidad and Tobago

For Every future - a Better Tomorrow

Shell T&T Ltd

A Trip to Nasa and Back - Tevin Achong speaks about a career shaped by STEM

bmobile

Bridging the Digital Divide - bmobile connects young minds to learning

The Corporate Sustainability Review

Our new logo incorporates interlocking shapes to create an abstract image of the letters C, S, and R – an abbreviation of the registered name Corporate Sustainability Review. The embrace of the two semicircular elements, capture the harmony of business and civil society working together; and emphasizes the human element which is at the heart of SDG goals held in common. The swirling ‘S’ linking the corporate with community speaks to sustainability being a constant flow of innovation and adaptation.

The Corporate Sustainability Review features the unique social programmes and experiences of companies from a wide range of sectors including Energy, Finance, Manufacturing, Telecommunication Services, Retail and others as they strengthen communities and transform lives across the Caribbean region.

Is it CSR or PR?

In this issue, we examine how business is investing in human capital as an imperative of good corporate governance. The introduction of the ESGs and the drive for policy changes to generate more meaningful action towards the Sustainable Development Goals, is causing more companies to open up to the notion of purpose and responsible governance. There is a shared accountability by business, governments, and civil society in addressing pressing social and economic issues.

Interrogating this interdependency is a helpful way for businesses to find their purpose and how they might focus their CSR spend. But it is not just about the spending or the giving; it is also about communicating the impact – the positive difference a company is making towards a better society, a better world. To reap the returns of strategic CSR – i.e. likeability, trust and loyalty, a company has to first do good, and to do so in ways that are making a tangible or measurable difference.

Here’s the challenge for business. How do they communicate CSR without it sounding self-serving or like simple PR hype? There is a simple answer – make CSR an integrated part of the business strategy and business plan outcomes. The PR role is to communicate social performance as part of the overall business performance. CSR should underpin a company’s values; and how those values are being lived, needs to be communicated. Unlike traditional PR which aims to put a positive light on issues, strategic CSR takes risks - sometimes addressing controversial issues, or by speaking up in the interest of the greater good, or by sacrificing profits to do business ethically.

The cancel culture is turning up the volume on consumer voices. Today, consumers are canvassing issues that corporations have not had to deal with previously and there is a growing preference to support organisations and brands with credible DNA in social responsibility. Perhaps it is a result of the broken trust generated by the financial crisis, or climate change, or the Black Lives Matter and Me-Too movements; but the rise of social movements is certainly contributing to this shift. The result is that increasingly, more businesses are treating with social investment as an integral part of the business strategy and are creating legacy brands that are attractive to a new age of investors.

In August 2019, the US Business Roundtable amended their Principles of Corporate Governance to address corporate responsibility to the social good. In a summary Statement on the Purpose of a Corporation which was signed by 181 CEOs, they agreed to deliver value to all stakeholders “for the future success of our companies, our communities and our country.” This was underpinned by these five action-driven commitments which I have summarised as follows:

• delivering value to customers - leading the way in meeting or exceeding customer expectations.

• investing in employees - fair compensation and benefits, training, and education and by fostering diversity and inclusion, dignity, and respect.

• dealing fairly and ethically with suppliers - good partners to other companies, large and small, that help us meet our missions.

• Supporting the communities - respecting the people in our communities, protecting the environment, embracing sustainable practices.

• Generating long-term value for shareholders - grow and innovate; commit to transparency and effectively engage with shareholders.

Strategic CSR provides a powerful and differentiating factor for businesses that goes beyond profits. It builds enduring brands and deep customer loyalty. Consumers want to see companies that do good, succeed. Importantly, the good that a company does, has to be seen and understood - and for that to happen, the story has to be told. Done well, the story shares the values of a company, its commitment to ethical business practices and the progress it is making in those commitments.

Donna Ramsammy Editor-in-Chief

Investing in Human Capital

“People are the ones that make sustainability happen… it’s all about the people.” So says Jeana Wirtenberg, the President and CEO of Transitioning to Green, a global sustainability management firm. At ANSA McAL, this notion is well understood. As the Group refocuses its operating framework to be more responsive to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), people are at the centre of that transition.

With the advent of the global Coronavirus pandemic, the attention to Corporate Social Responsibility through strategic investment in people, is driving a ‘new normal’ for business models. This is something that ANSA McAL is actively engaged in, not only in their explicit laying out of HR initiatives that predate the pandemic but also implicit in their commitment to community outreach, sustainability, and nationwide partnerships during a health crisis.

Following the global trend of companies worldwide becoming increasingly sensitive to changing stakeholder interests which do not solely look to traditional investments but also consider the environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) aspects of a company’s business model, ANSA McAL attempts to position itself in accordance with the changing landscape of HR Management to ensure a responsible business culture that can also be relevant and sustainable to the changing times.

In September 2021, the Review spoke with Chief Human Resource Officer, Amy Lazzari and Group External Affairs Executive, Carla Furlonge-Walker about ANSA McAL's role as an investor in human capital. The Group's HR Management places Corporate Responsibility at the forefront of its investment strategy with priorities that include investing in employees, supporting local and regional communities, and assisting governments in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. In each new initiative, one thing remains consistent – look after people like family.

Building a Culture of Family

“Together, we are Family.” This is the signature slogan underpinning ANSA McAL’s Corporate Social Responsibility which looks to investing and looking after its people. This was highlighted during the Coronavirus pandemic and manifested through the Group’s imagination and determination to influence success in the Caribbean.

As Chief Human Resource Officer, Amy Lazzari, explains, The Group's approach to investing in human capital to ensure sustainability and relevance may not be particularly new to its HR strategy, but it has evolved over its three generations of executive management. Celebrating its 140-year-old anniversary this year, the family approach adopted by the Group has been a pillar of its corporate social responsibility from its founding in 1881 to now.

Although the company has experienced three generations of Sabga leadership, one thing has remained consistent – a commitment to nurturing and expanding the ANSA McAL family through a people-value approach. From Dr. Anthony N. Sabga to Mr. A. Norman Sabga to present Group CEO, Anthony N. Sabga III, ANSA McAL exemplifies the family approach to conducting business. This spills into looking after its family of employees and by extension the families of each employee.

The family philosophy informs ANSA McAL's diverse sectors including construction and beverage which tailor its corporate social responsibility to match the needs of the wider community.

Investing in Human Capital

Investing in Talent

At the heart of ANSA McAL's approach to corporate social responsibility is the philosophy of investing in talent. Through an emphasis on developing ‘talentship’ within the organisation, ANSA McAL attempts to not only develop current talent but also aims at active succession coverage to ensure a sustainable investment model.

ANSA McAL recently concluded 2021 Group Talent Day. The sector-wide exercise to address talent gaps in each organisation, was described by Lazzari as a culmination of ANSA’s persistence in the continuous development of talent. It’s a passion that doesn’t stop at honing the Group's capability, but also focuses on individual development plans for high potential employees. She believes that there are tremendous institutional benefits to hiring great people and giving them the tools and space to be incredible.

In addition to promoting Group-wide talent, ANSA McAL also achieved an improvement in the closure of its succession coverage in leadership critical positions from just under 70% last year to 85% this year.

The impetus for developing talent is driven by company-funded investments in professional development programmes such as the Executive MBA programme and JMW Leadership Coaching Programme which was named by Forbes as one of America’s Best Management Consulting Firms. In addition to developing current leaders, ANSA McAL also looks to the future through its Champion’s programme. With an eye to cultivating future leaders, the Group Champion’s programme has, since its inception in 2015, been exceptionally successful in its efforts to develop young talent through the rotational two-year programme which allows young graduates to become future professionals.

Amy Lazzari, Chief Human Resource Officer and Carla Furlonge-Walker, Group External Affairs Executive, ANSA McAL.

CSR STORIES

As it concerns the future of the conglomerate, Lazzari envisions a progressive company with continued opportunities for learning and career development. The continuous investment in human capital places matters such as gender diversity in the workplace as well as supporting same-sex partners as co-insurers at the forefront of its inclusive approach to governance.

Investing in People during a Pandemic

Although ANSA McAL’s Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) predates the pandemic, it stands as a testament to the significance attributed to investing in human capital.

The Group's commitment to looking after the health and safety of The Group's employees, specifically in Trinidad, materialised in a partnership with Acropolis, a local medical facility. Through this partnership, the Group provided company-funded support for employees who tested positive for the coronavirus to ensure that they were actively monitored and cared for throughout their illness.

Other, non-financial employee assistance included shuttling staff to vaccination sites as well as bringing vaccines to staff and covering the cost of PCR tests via the Group Health Insurance plan. This underscored ANSA McAL's prioritizing of its employees over profit. As Furlonge-Walker explained, the pandemic gave the Group the opportunity to demonstrate how the company values family.

A critical component of keeping employees safe was ensuring that people got vaccinated. The Group’s pro-vaccine thrust has consisted of several educational/sensitization sessions with employees to promote the efficacy of the available vaccines as confirmed by scientific evidence. The Group led extensive educational campaigns and informative sessions throughout the region with top medical professionals, scientists, and academic experts to dispel fear and disinformation among employees.

Medical providers such as Acropolis Medical in Trinidad and Tobago and St. Augustine’s Medical Services (SAMS) in Grenada and Alma Jones Medical in Jamaica provided oversight with 24hour coverage and advised and guided our leadership team on the best approach to educate and protect our employees.

There were four major engagements:

Investing in Human Capital

• A Small Dose of Hope Can Bring Us Together

• Pandemic Portraits

• Let’s Give Ourselves A Fighting Chance

• Take Your Life Back – Nationwide promotion for vaccinated persons to win a kitchen makeover from Standard Distributors Ltd.

The Group’s vaccine awareness efforts have paid off as the Group has achieved approximately 80% vaccination rate as of October 2021 across all its subsidiaries.

Valuing Community

The Group's family approach extends its outreach to not just its family of employees but its family of communities. Following the effects of excessive rainfall in later October 2018 which resulted in flooding across communities in East and Central Trinidad, ANSA McAL’s ‘Family First’ - Employee Flood Relief efforts took the form of care packages which included donating mattresses to flood victims. This, along with the ‘Flood of Relief’ Telethon, hosted by Guardian media, a subsidiary of ANSA McAL, encouraged public support efforts at assisting those who suffered property damage. Providing and encouraging flood relief during 2018 has proven The Group's commitment to acknowledging local communities as an important stakeholder in its investment strategy.

Fast-forward to April 2021 where ANSA McAL intensified their community outreach. Furlonge-Walker, who stepped into a Group initiative of the first time manual production of 100,000 bottles of hand sanitizer by Carib Brewery, summed up the exercise as a perfect example of “community work emanating from employees”. The same project was carried out in Grenada and St. Kitts making it a regional initiative rooted in service to the people and their communities.

Collaborating for the greater good

The Group’s commitment to investing in human capital did not stop at ensuring the health and safety of its employees. The Group took the opportunity to engage in multiple conversations and collaborations on vaccine equity and vaccine uptake, with not just government ministries in Trinidad and Tobago such as

Investing in Human Capital

the Ministry of Health and Education, but also the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers’ Association (TTMA), the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) and the Trade Union Leadership. Several public and private sector partnerships also unfolded in countries where the Group operates, from Jamaica all the way to Guyana.

ANSA McAL’s strong sense of corporate social responsibility towards ensuring a vaccinated population also involved providing a mass vaccination site at its Carib Brewery’s suite in East Trinidad, and facilitating educational sessions for employees and the public.

Recognising Caribbean Excellence

Another area of ANSA McAL’s continued investment in people not just locally but throughout the region is evidenced by the Anthony N. Sabga Caribbean Awards for Excellence. As the heart of the ANSA McAL Foundation, the Excellence Awards materializes ANSA McAL’s evolution as a socially responsible regional conglomerate. Founded in 2005 by Dr Anthony N. Sabga, the Excellence awards recognises outstanding Caribbean achievements in such fields as Arts & Leisure, Entrepreneurship, Public & Civic Contributions, and Science & Technology. To date, ANSA McAL has awarded TTD 21.5 million to 49 laureates.

Through an investment in individual excellence, ANSA McAL aims to empower future generations of leaders to progress towards their full potential. As part of its overall placement of people at the centre of its portfolio, ANSA McAL sees its role as building a regional think-tank to ensure its laureates continue to contribute meaningfully to their respective territories: Barbados, Guyana, Jamaica, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and Trinidad and Tobago.

Standing with the region plays out in how the Group deploys CSR. ANSA McAL joined the rest of our local and regional counterparts in providing some measure of support to St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) during the explosive eruptions from the La Soufriere volcano. Group companies such as ANSA Chemicals Ltd., ANSA Coatings Ltd., ANSA Polymer Ltd., ANSA Merchant Bank Ltd., Alston’s Marketing Company

Ltd. (AMCO), Carib Brewery Ltd and Standard Distributors Ltd., much needed immediate relief for the people of SVG.

According to Furlonge-Walker, Carib Brewery USA, based in Florida, is a prime example of how ANSA McAL has now looked beyond the Caribbean while staying true to its local origins in Trinidad.

Growing and Caring for the Environment

The continued drive for growth brings with it a great degree of accountability and the expectation of being increasingly in tune with established guidelines for corporate responsibility. In more recent years, the Group has been using SDG guidelines as a lens for addressing how it operates. This means being mindful of its environmental, governance and social policies and practices. At the lead is Carib Glassworks Ltd. (CGL), the largest recycler of glass and crates in the Caribbean, which is doing its part to ensure the conglomerate acts responsibly in matters involving environmental sustainability. In addition to the ongoing recycling of glass and crates, CGL has previously partnered with the Trinidad and Tobago Solid Waste Management Company (SWMCOL) in 2018 to assist in the International Coastal Cleanup which brought organisations and individuals from Trinidad and Tobago together in a nationwide clean-up of beaches and waterways.

While more can always be done to ensure an environmentally sustainable and socially responsible means of corporate management, the integral role that adherence to ESG criteria plays in the overall investment in human capital is not lost on ANSA McAL. Furlonge-Walker recognises the importance of communicating and measuring ESG goals as it is a must in today’s business environment. A corporate strategy focusing on ESG can add brand value, meet consumer demands, increase efficiency, attract valuable talent and create new opportunities.

For a large conglomerate such as ANSA McAL, matters related to environmental and social sustainability through responsible corporate governance will always be central to its operations. To recall Wirtenberg’s emphasis on people as “the ones who make sustainability happen”, ANSA McAL’s commitment to cultivating a family-oriented CSR approach to business attempts to do exactly this through the continuous investment in human capital.

Atlantic’s Loan for Enterprise and Network Development (LEND) micro-financing agency was established to promote the economic welfare of residents in the south-west peninsula. Through the provision of loans, it aims to encourage entrepreneurial ventures outside of the traditional oil and gas sector, to promote sustainable growth and development among members of the rural communities it serves. These persons may not qualify for financial assistance from traditional banking institutions, and so this venture creates another avenue for the protection of human capital and livelihoods. Since 2014, the agency has worked successfully to assist in transforming lives and enabling the business aspirations of those who wish to become entrepreneurs leading small and medium-sized enterprises.

New Horizons

Renny Birbal, a farmer residing in Los Iros, was one of LEND’s earliest clients. Cultivating a variety of crops on less than 2 acres of land, he often set his sights on a brighter future. After hearing about the LEND agency from a friend, Renny explored the option of accessing additional funding that could help him to expand and increase the profitability of his agricultural enterprise. He successfully applied to LEND, and with the support of the agency Renny was able to increase his access to agricultural land and significantly expand his range and quantity of crops produced. A longstanding client of the LEND agency, Renny’s farming business now covers approximately 7.5 acres of land, and he has extended to growing new crops as well as fruits. Due to his immense success, Renny was not only able to purchase his own vehicle, but even branch out to opening a second business, an agrochemical shop, which is also doing extremely well.

Speaking of the impact of LEND, Renny said, “LEND has played a major role in my success and development as a business owner. Seeing my farming business grow to what it is today, I am filled with pride and satisfaction, and I now employ up to six persons depending on the various stages of production. This success

Protecting Human Capital

– A case study

has also allowed me to start a second business which is also producing excellent returns. Thanks to LEND, I have become even more ambitious, because it has opened new horizons in my life.”

From Friends to Business Partners

Another of these success stories is that of Anderson St. John Junior, a resident of Point Fortin who approached LEND with his dream of becoming an entrepreneur. Although employed, Anderson envisioned owning his own business one day as a means to achieving greater flexibility, financial rewards, and the opportunity to become self-sufficient. Entrepreneurship already existed in Anderson’s family, as his brother owned and ran a tyre shop and hardware. It was upon his brother’s emigration and the subsequent closure of his business however, that Anderson embraced the opportunity to make his own dream a reality. He approached next door neighbour and childhood friend Ravi Sanichara to become a business partner in opening a new tyre shop in the previous location, and together they began the journey to becoming business owners. Having some but not all the capital required to get started, the co-owners would approach LEND with their dream of becoming entrepreneurs.

In 2019, the friends presented a business plan to open the tyre shop and received approval for the purchase of stock. It was the first financing institution to consider their proposal. Heartened by the support and guidance they received, they put in the required effort to ensure the profitability of their new venture and opened the 316 Tyre Shop. On the heels of their success, the new business owners once again approached the agency seeking to expand their services and were granted a second loan to purchase an alignment system towards the venture. Today, the shop not only completes suspension works, but provides full auto repair services to their customers. With the expansion of the business, the owners were even able to permanently hire two employees.

Protecting Human Capital – A case study

Speaking of their success three years later, Anderson said, “LEND has helped us to start and move along the journey to achieving greater things in life – things we only dreamed of, have become a reality. Our enterprise has grown and become very successful, not just because of the loan but the business development guidance given to us by the agency. Because of their support, we can dream of achieving even greater things.” Co-owner Ravi, who manages the shop on a daily basis said, “The LEND agency has brought a level of stability to our lives and families which we did not have before. Particularly with the uncertainty experienced in recent times, being independent and in control of our livelihoods has made this journey even more rewarding.”

Since its inception, LEND has issued some 696 loans across the manufacturing, services, retail agriculture and fishing sectors, at a value of TTD $24.5M. In 2020, LEND achieved its largest cumulative loan to MSMEs, with 120 loans valuing TTD $7M. In addition to financial assistance in the form of loans, training interventions for their development are provided to LEND clients, to ensure that their businesses can become economically independent and self-sustaining. With this objective at the heart of its operations, Atlantic’s LEND agency embraced the opportunity to make a positive impact by providing support to its clients when economic disruptions occurred due to COVID19. To curb the negative impact on these businesses due to reduced income, the agency worked to extend leniency within existing credit arrangements, offering restructured loans as well as moratoriums to clients. This level of support would not only

have directly benefitted the MSMEs funded by LEND, but also were made in an effort to protect the livelihoods of some 500 persons employed within these businesses across the region.

As a more direct means of supporting incomes during the pandemic, Atlantic has also worked alongside the agency to source produce from LEND clients, as part of care packages to community groups and homes that continue to support the most at-risks persons in their community. These efforts not only provide a measure of comfort to clients struggling to deal with the economic fallout of the pandemic but support long-term customer value and business resilience by allowing businesses to continue earning income during this challenging period. This is at the heart of protecting human capital and successfully stimulates sustainability and growth for those involved in keeping their businesses afloat, their staff employed or even those venturing into establishing new businesses – all with a helping hand from LEND.

Despite the economic fallout, the agency was able to realize an increase in new businesses, through their ongoing networking and business development sessions with organisations within the region. Over the period, 11 new MSMEs were established, most of these belonging to the fishing sector. This growth included the establishment of small businesses by persons who lost employment as a direct result of the downturn. Atlantic’s LEND agency remains committed to working as a force for good, and a beacon to those navigating the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“The LEND agency has brought a level of stability to our lives and families which we did not have before. Particularly with the uncertainty experienced in recent times, being independent and in control of our livelihoods has made this journey even more rewarding.”

Renny Birbal sits in his agro supply shop.

Ravi Sanichara & Anderson St. John at their business.

Raising the Bar to Net Zero

bpTT’s Giselle Thompson speaks on the ambitious vision

A global challenge requires concerted effort towards global solutions. Multinational bp is leveraging its reach, adopting a single-minded approach across all business units in all territories to keep global temperature rise within 1.5 degrees C above pre-industrial averages. Its aim is to reduce carbon emissions to net zero and to use its influence in the rest of the world (cities, countries, communities and companies). Its strategy and process will see bp transforming away from oil and gas to an integrated energy company. Here’s the vision, in the world and in Trinidad and Tobago.

“We have retired the upstream/downstream business model that has served bp very well. In its place we have introduced a leaner, flatter structure, stripping away tiers of management and lowering the workforce towards a target of around 10,000 fewer jobs. My role is now five layers at most away from more than half of our employees. That means people’s ideas and voices can be more easily heard – and decisions taken much faster. We are now more centralized, more agile, and better integrated. This enables us to maximize value creation in a rapidly evolving market through economies of scale, and by exploiting synergies and driving continuous improvement in operational performance,” said Bernard Looney, CEO, in the 2020 Annual Report. The new vision articulated in the 2020 annual report consolidates the position of the multinational giant with respect to climate change and the Paris Agreement.

Giselle Thompson, Vice President Corporate Operations at bp in Trinidad and Tobago (bpTT) is optimistic and believes in the possibility that bp articulates: “It’s an exciting time as big corporations are stepping up to put sustainability at the core of their operations.

“We have an ambitious vision and we have committed to the aspiration to be ‘net zero’ by 2050; and to help the rest of the world to get there. We have created a strategic plan that is moving our operations to net zero emissions. We are also investing in the production of other lower carbon energies including renewables.”

Thompson echoes the position taken in the 2020 annual report which is bold and focused. bp states its intentions:

To transform from an IOC (international oil company) to an IEC (integrated energy company);

To produce net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and to work with the rest of the world to achieve this status; and

To protect people and the planet through its operations. • • •

Giselle Thompson, Vice President, Corporate Operations

Raising the Bar to Net Zero

bp’s Giselle Thompson speaks on the ambitious vision

bp has been operating in TT since the 1960s, producing oil in the 1970s; and was subsequently involved in the capture and monetization of Trinidad’s substantial gas reserves. bp currently holds exploration and production licences covering 3,600 square kilometres off the east coast of Trinidad. With 15 offshore production platforms, bp is the country’s largest hydrocarbon producer. bp holds interests in all of four LNG production trains operated by the Atlantic LNG Company of Trinidad and Tobago.

Global Energy Outlook

The company’s 2020 energy outlook considers three main scenarios for transformation and transition over the next 30 years. “The uncertainty is substantial, and these scenarios are not predictions of what is likely to happen or what bp would like to happen. Rather they explore the possible implications of different judgements and assumptions concerning the nature of the energy transition.”

A business-as-usual continuation of recent trends without major change in the pace or direction is not ‘consistent with the Paris Agreement’ and results in a reduction in global energy greenhouse gas emissions of only 10% by 2050 versus 2018.

In any of many possible scenarios that can be considered ‘consistent with the Paris Agreement’ – aimed at keeping global temperature rise below 1.5 degrees C - emissions from energy use must fall by around 70%, with a fall of approximately 80% in the developed world and 65% in the emerging world.

Net Zero is the bp ambition that aligns the company with the deliberate strategic push by global energy systems to reduce emissions by 95% by 2050 versus 2018, in line with the ‘1.5 degrees’ advice from the world’s scientists. Changes in societal actions and behaviours are key drivers. bp intends to be a transparent leader in effecting this change.

“According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the world needs to cut emissions by 7.6% each year between 2020 and 2030 to be on track for limiting warming to 1.5oC,” said Claire Fitzpatrick, Regional President bpTT, at TT’s Climate Change symposium in June 2021.

“To put this into context there was an estimated 5.8% drop in emissions in 2020 as COVID-19 lockdown measures were implemented globally to curb spread of the virus. What’s concerning is that this emissions' reduction target of 7.6% yearly needs to be achieved without bringing the global economy to a standstill. We also know that the world demand for energy will continue to grow.” Not only grow, but it is also anticipated that energy demand is likely to change over the next three decades.

Energy systems will have to change in response to the evolving demand.

Projections by bp predict: The world will electrify, with renewables a clear winner. Customers will redefine convenience and mobility, driven by electrification, digital and fleets. Oil and gas will be challenged but will remain part of the energy mix for decades.

Some mitigations will come from these areas: digital technology will transform lives – creating opportunities to drive innovation, unlock value and engage new customers and markets. Customers – countries, cities, industries and corporates – will demand more specialized and tailored energy solutions. Energy systems will become increasingly multi-technology, integrated and local.

What bp Means by Net Zero

Helping the world get to net zero means achieving a balance between sources of anthropogenic (human generated) emissions and removal by sinks of greenhouse gases, as set out in Article 4.1 of the Paris Agreement.

bp becoming a net zero company by 2050, or sooner, in the context of the new ambition, means achieving a balance between emissions associated with bp’s operations, emissions associated with carbon in bp’s net share of production of oil and gas, and the total of applicable deductions from activities such as sinks, for example carbon capture, use and storage (CCUS) and land carbon projects, subject to some limits and exclusions.

Ambitious Goals

In the world of energy, bp has built a resource of knowledge, skills and talent over more than 110 years. This includes thousands of expert scientists, engineers and technologists; people with outstanding capabilities in trading, shipping, marketing and innovation; strong relationships with leading companies, universities and governments. It extends to understanding energy markets and how they move; developing energy transition, convenience and mobility partnerships and businesses growing all over the world.

CSR STORIES

All rests on the structure of a robust and resilient financial frame and a disciplined approach to capital allocation.

In Trinidad and Tobago, says Thompson, “We are pursuing global goals locally with technology and efficiencies in our operations with a view of reducing greenhouse gas emissions year on year.

“Since 2019, we formed a ‘low carbon squad’, a multidisciplinary team to develop strategy and plan the business’ approach to lowering emissions here. It involves employees, investment in low carbon projects and working with others.

“Year on year, we have already delivered targets; In 2020, TT operations had a reduction in carbon emission of 20,000 tons. In 2021, we expect reduced emissions by 28,000 tons … we are already achieving sizeable reductions by changing equipment, efficiencies in generating power and transportation (marine especially).

“Our local ambition is no different to our global ambition and we are broadening our view of sustainability to find ways to improve the lives of people and the environment here in T&T. In doing so, this is how we demonstrate care for the planet. The energy transition needs to be a just transition so that no one gets left behind. There are still places that have no access to energy, and no electricity, so we see a need to create more focus on this. In addition, we need to help people develop the skills required for the future. And the planet: there must be sustainable use of water, protection of biodiversity, as well as more support for circularity.

“This is a big change for us globally and we believe that this can have a positive impact on TT. Already we have begun engaging with the industry and a number of stakeholders locally to share our business’ net zero ambition, and we have started bringing like-minded persons together.

“We continue to lend our voice to the issue of climate change because as an energy company we believe we can be a part of the solution. The country has been exploring the changing energy landscape and we have been able to bring bp’s global expertise into the discussions on hydrogen and renewable energy; and we will continue to lean on that expertise to help the evolution of energy in TT.

Raising the Bar to Net Zero bp’s Giselle Thompson speaks on the ambitious vision

“We have opportunities to partner with other companies and stakeholders to embed practice as well as principle in business. We will focus more on building sustainability into what we do and will look to grow our focus beyond the charters we have signed for things like local content, to include more on sustainable livelihoods, and on environment and social issues.”

Creating Value Growing Business

The organisation has also changed and gone are the days of upstream and downstream. Looney reported, “We are now organised around four business groups. Production & operations is the operating heart of the company – and is focusing our resilient hydrocarbons portfolio on value. Customers & products is growing our convenience and mobility offers for an increasing number of customers. Gas & low carbon energy is growing to help meet rapidly increasing clean energy demand. Innovation & engineering acts as a catalyst, opening up new and disruptive business models and driving our digital transformation. And our trading & shipping business and regions, cities & solutions team knit together the offers of our four core groups to drive greater value creation.”

Customers remain at the heart of bp business. Their demand for convenience and mobility sets the pace for future business. Growth for the future will depend on flexibility and diversity. Low carbon electricity and energy will grow in scale, complemented by integrated gas, which has an important role in the energy transition.

The renewables portfolio, including offshore wind and solar, will build an integrated low carbon electricity position in select developed and emerging markets. The high-value equity upstream gas, LNG portfolio and marketing capability will be maintained. Innovation in the bioenergy business, focusing on biofuels, biogas and biopower will be encouraged. Early positions in hydrogen and carbon capture, use and storage will be enhanced.

Through the Production & operations business, bp will continue to produce the affordable hydrocarbon energy and products the world needs, and generate cash to fund innovative operations and the transformation to an Integrated Energy Company.

Raising the Bar to Net Zero

bp’s Giselle Thompson speaks on the ambitious vision

Sustainability and Safety

Safety is still a core value. it underpins bp’s business model. With the new sustainability frame, Thompson said, “Space is being created for other areas: biodiversity; with a focus on ‘restore, maintain, enhance.’ We are having conversations with environmental stakeholders including NGOs and CBOs. We are in the early stages of realigning our social investments and CSR, looking to have a positive impact.

“Our partnerships are also progressing well. The solar project –a partnership with Shell and Lightsource bp is progressing and there have already been initial public consultations.

“We have part-sponsored an online science and conservation programme which has been a hit with both teachers and students. The programme is a collaboration between the Ministry of Public Utilities, Pennacool.com, bpTT and Shell. It’s been very exciting to see the younger generation get into the conservation and low carbon conversation using the online platform, especially during covid when learning transitioned online.

“We’re also continuing to look at longer term pathways or opportunities for Trinidad and Tobago as we navigate the energy transition. bp’s Advancing the Energy Transition (AET) team has studied existing energy systems in TT for the past year to identify opportunities and pathways to a low carbon future and we have engaged with stakeholders including the government to share what we have learnt.

“Our longstanding relationship with Mayaro will endure, creating opportunities for sustainable livelihood. We have helped development in Mayaro by raising educational levels through

long standing programmes such as the Brighter Prospects tertiary level scholarships for university level education. Since 2003: we have provided 700 A level student grants; 600 more to industry training.

“MIPED the microfinance programme started in 2002, has provided over TT$120 million in loans, sustaining livelihoods in retail, trade, transportation, supporting entrepreneurship; and very importantly, food production in agribusiness and fishing.”

Caring for our Planet

The sustainability frame includes a focus on making a positive difference to the environment in which bp operates. The scope of care for the planet covers biodiversity, water management, nature-based solutions including those that reduce or remove carbon, circular economy and sustainable purchasing.

According to the 2020 report, “Our aim to enhance biodiversity focuses on making a positive impact through actions to restore, maintain and enhance biodiversity where we work. We expect that from 2022 all new bp projects in scope will have plans in place aiming to achieve net positive impact (NPI), with a target for 90% of actions to be delivered within five years of project approval. We also aim to enhance biodiversity at our major operating sites and support biodiversity restoration and sustainable use of natural resource projects in the countries where we have current or growing investments. In 2020 we launched our new biodiversity position and focused on sharing it with our stakeholders and putting in place the resources to deliver it. We also started work on defining our NPI methodology with Fauna & Flora International, which we expect to complete at the end of 2021.”

Brighter Prospects-volunteers. MIPED expo.

Listening and Learning:

The world is still reeling from the massive disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Companies had to adapt on the fly, and in many instances, implement technological solutions that had been on the drawing board but now had immediate realworld implications. As widespread availability of vaccines offers hope to a return to pre-pandemic life, companies are realising that the future of work will require a hybrid approach of the new normal and traditional office culture. Most importantly, though, they are understanding that the only successful solution will be one that involves collaboration with employees, and which seeks to bring balance between work and well-being. Methanex pays particular emphasis on employee engagement and being open to receiving feedback from employees – positive or otherwise. Methanex has taken a lead in this consultative approach to the new business reset. From the onset of the pandemic, the company has employed channels to keep connected with employees – leveraging technology to making this work. Using virtual platforms and corporate channels, Methanex has conducted regular organisational town-halls and department meetings as well as on-line wellbeing surveys to provide continuous and open access to two-way conversations, work tools, information exchange and general support. By fostering healthy dialogue, the company benefitted from the direct input by employees, into the policies designed to keep them safe, secure,

and well during this challenging period. Services extended to employees included regular health and safety briefings; resilience building workshops; access to independent expert medical advice and mental health services; flexible working times; virtual family day and team builders; virtual yoga sessions and digital tools to build and sustain community – even as the pandemic kept people physically apart. The result, according to Communications Specialist Taryn Samaroo, is a workforce that, as far as reasonably possible, was able to face the pandemic –and to journey through the transition.

The Human Element

“The shifts in the ways that employees are working are very much linked to business viability and community sustainability,” so says Ms. Samaroo, when she spoke to CSR Review. Manager Commercial and Stakeholder Relations Ms. Leiselle Harripersad reinforced this ideology - “It’s not just in an operational sense, but in a philosophical sense. When we speak of community, it’s about those who work in Methanex, our fence line neighbours and the wider society. It’s about creating a sense of togetherness and fostering meaningful partnerships.” Harripersad explains that as a Responsible Care company, Methanex is always cognisant of working in ways that improves the quality of life for all its stakeholders – internal and external.

How Methanex is engaging employees to find sustainable solutions during –and after – the pandemic

Panoramic view of the Methanex Trinidad Site.

Listening

and Learning: How Methanex is engaging employees to find sustainable solutions during – and after – the pandemic

What is becoming increasingly obvious, is that in the face of so much unpredictability fuelled by the pandemic, that companies now need to go beyond the traditional compensation and benefits arrangements, to meet the psychosocial needs of employees in a very fluid business environment. “We regularly have sessions on resilience and personal development,” says Samaroo. But, she explained, the company increased these at the height of the pandemic and has since included coaching on self-awareness and leadership for all levels of staff from frontline to senior management.

In addition to the ongoing sessions, the company had to pivot very early on into the pandemic during the Atlas Turnaround in 2020. A turnaround, on its own is no easy feat – include into the equation Covid-19 and it was a totally different ballgame. Manager Turnaround, Mr. Theron Alexis noted that “The company’s top priority never changed – safety, however there were now several additional layers of personal safety that had to be swiftly and effectively addressed.”

Methanex relied on the power of agility to implement health guidelines, policies and procedures. With global guidance and support, technological solutions were implemented to conduct remote (international) assistance during the turnaround, pandemic protocols and Covid-19 Safe at Work guidelines were mandated, detailed Risk Assessments were regularly conducted and of course, via Employee Assistance Programmes - wellbeing services were provided to all staff and contractors for the duration of the project. With the proper planning, a one-team approach to safety and reliability, and a consistent focus on people - the Atlas turnaround was concluded in November 2020 without a single Covid-19 case contracted on site.

Wellbeing and two-way communication are recurrent themes within Methanex. They set the stage for collaboration and innovation and continues to play a fundamental role in the way in which the company meaningfully responds to change.

Into the Community

Methanex’s distinctive “collaborative leadership” leadership by collaboration also governs its CSR footprint. Employees and stakeholder groups have a say in how CSR is delivered in the local community. Methanex operates in the Couva/Point Lisas area, and it is grateful for the acceptance and support it receives

from the local community. As such, the company makes it a point to reach out to the community, by facilitating frequent and meaningful discussions on ways to best engage positively. Community engagement is not ad hoc or nice to do at Methanex. The company measures the impact of its CSR investment programmes and audits its social performance. This requires input from representative community groups who form a Community Advisory Panel, and who advise on the best or most relevant programmes needed by the community. Every three or so years, the panel is refreshed. The panel comprises diverse persons such as teachers, coaches, religious leaders, businessmen – people who know the area well and who all submit to a background check by an independent agency. One such person is Mr. Keith Williams, who coaches a community-based football group targeting persons within the 12–18-year-old age group. This interaction gives him access to the needs and priorities of this subsection. Teachers provide insight into educational needs, and religious leaders into some of the psychological and social needs of the community. Collectively, the information feeds into the annual CSR strategy of the company. .

Adapting and Evolving CSR

CSR strategy is integrated into the way Methanex does business and to its culture of ‘Responsible Care’. The company subscribes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) as part of its blueprint for sustainable practices and that is now a feature of how people work and how that work is done. The company’s flagship community outreach programme, Mentoring Our Children, is the brainchild of an employee who has since retired but remains part of the programme. The programme which runs every two years, pairs 15-20 Methanex employee mentors with about 25 mentees who are students from the neighbouring six high schools in the host community. Employees volunteer their time – weekends and holidays included – to spend time with their charges, helping them with homework, sharing their experiences, or just being there to listen. There is a learning element as the company promotes STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) subjects, especially for girls, and also emphasises life skills, resilience and motivation, however, with COVID-19, the programme has had to adapt. Meetings and mentorship have moved online, with new virtual activities, like an online robotics class, but, Samaroo noted, that hasn’t stopped the impact and the bond between mentor and mentee. “We’re still doing the normal classroom meetups and mentorships in

the evenings, just now over WhatsApp or social media. We’ve learned that we must adapt. We challenge ourselves to think and engage in new ways of working that maintain growth and development without compromising the human element”. And it doesn’t just stop after the two years – some of the mentees even go on to apply to Methanex’s graduate programmes.

Looking to the Future

Methanex is now looking at ways to incorporate a hybrid strategy as the company adapts to a post-pandemic world. And listening and learning from all its stakeholders – especially its human capital – is fundamental to purpose-driven growth. According to Manger Human Resources Mr. Adrian Vincent “It’s going to be flexible. That’s something that was always in the cards. We’ve really seen how and where employees need support – for example, we have a younger workforce, many with small children or teens in high school who have been doing online classes for almost 2 years. We must be cognisant of that.” During this time, the company has invested in upgrading its information communication technology systems, including cyber-security, to keep people connected even when they are out of office. And for those who have to work from home, it is also about open lines of communication between employees and managers. But the company isn’t discounting the value of the personal touch –even in an age of social distancing. As Vincent shared, “We like that our employees can connect to each other globally, but we would still – when we can do so safely – like to have that faceto-face interaction. So, we look forward to also being able to get employees back travelling to meetings, international assignments and site visits as these are all useful experiences in their personal and professional development.”

Responsible Care is also making sure employees have accurate information to make personal choices, especially as the country encourages people to get vaccinated to reopen the economy. For Methanex it’s about dialogue and access to information. Facilitation of this two-way communication enrols employees and contractors into making choices that keep the organisational plan operating rather than receiving a directive. The company added COVID-19 information to its Employee Assistance Programme, and shared statistics, official updates and scientific articles, tips to stay safe and data on the internal network, as well as held town hall meetings where everyone had a chance to ask medical professionals about COVID-19 concerns. The

Listening and Learning:

How Methanex is engaging employees to find sustainable solutions during – and after – the pandemic

company also enlisted the support of Dr Maryam AbdoolRichards, the Principal Medical Officer who participated in an internal virtual meeting and answered any follow-up questions. Externally, Methanex hosted its first public live event in August 2021 whereby members of the community were invited to participate in a COVID-19 information sharing session hosted by a live panel of experts in the medical and mental health fields. Methanex then went a step further by (1) facilitating in-house vaccinations to employees, contractors, and their families at the company’s Medical Centre on site, (2) sponsoring vaccines for the wider community via the Point Lisas Energy Association and (3) providing volunteers to the Ato Boldon Mass Vaccination site in September 2021.

The approach has been working well. Today many of employees have voluntarily participated in the national Covid-19 vaccination programme and have met the company at the table to engage in open conversation about the pandemic, its impact, and the way forward. This speaks powerfully to Methanex’s philosophy of inclusion and collaboration – that leadership is not top-down but driven by all the people who work for the organisation.

Methanex employees Recycle to Restore at the company’s August 2021 Team Builder activity titled Restoration Station.

“It is all about giving back. It’s a symbiotic relationship where the benefits are mutual. If the youth of Guyana do well, we can do well. We want more and more youth to pursue higher education, and that’s a key focus of our Corporate Social responsibility (CSR) strategy...”

Ron Ramnarayan, Founder and Company President

Metro Guyana

Metro Gives to Education

The Metro Guyana team has created a CSR strategy that places a strong and determined focus on the education sector in Guyana. Mr. Ron Ramnarayan, Metro’s founder, posited the social investment agenda derived from his education from attending high school in Berbice, Guyana. “Having a proper education and easy access to resources is extremely important for any society. Before migrating to the US, I was able to complete high school in Guyana. My experience at school provided me with a good foundation for what was to come. Certainly, it taught me the value of working hard and the importance of lifelong learning. Because of the preceding, it was the primary reason why I wanted to give back to my home country, Guyana.”

Metro Service and Standards

Mr Ramnarayan is President and owner of US-based Metropolitan Office & Computer Supplies Inc, Metro Office & Computer Supplies in Guyana and Complete Discovery Source Legal or CDS located in the US, UK and Europe. They all form part of the Metro Group, registered in Long Island City in New York, in the United States. According to commercial data and analytics organisation Dunn and Bradstreet, the Metro Group is part of the Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing Industry, employs well over 300 persons, and generates almost USD 20M per annum in sales.

Metropolitan Office & Computer Supplies (Metro) commenced operations in Guyana in 1996, with just five employees. Since then, the company has expanded over the next two decades to include outlets across counties. Dubbed locally as the Office King, Metro provides a wide range of quality office, schools supplies and document reproduction services. In 2011 Ramnarayan realised his dream to set up an outlet in his hometown of Berbice. Fully equipped with an internet connection and backed up with a 130-kilowatt generator, students and customers have access to web café services to conduct research and do homework after hours. The facility even has a wheelchair ramp as the company’s inclusive policies cater to the differentlyabled.

The local company forms part of the Metro Group. Metro Guyana employs some 50-plus employees and has five outlets across the country. Ramnarayan explains that with the success of the Metro brand in the United States, he has been able to “do a bit more for Guyana”.

The company is committed to setting global standards of service in Guyana and continuously trains its staff to respond to customers’ needs. Metro Guyana is currently implementing ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System and is on the cusp of becoming ISO certified. The company’s “one-stop-shop” philosophy offers customers single-source shopping for stationery, office, janitorial, computer supplies and document reproduction services, including after-sales care and support.

Mr. Ron Ramnarayan, Founder and Company President, Metro Guyana

CSR STORIES

Metro Guyana Metro Gives to Education

But Metro goes even further in providing free delivery. With the advent of Covid-19 and mandatory safe-distancing, delivery services became even more critical.

Investing in education

However, Metro is not all business and investing in social impact programmes is in its DNA. The company invests both time and money in fostering a learning culture within the schools’ community. Metro recognises that lack of proper supplies and commuting to school is a barrier many Guyanese students face – particularly in the more rural areas. In a structured partnership with the Ministry of Education, the company provides stationery supplies and awards scholarships across the country.

Over the last 25 years, the Metro Guyana team has created multiple computer labs for primary and secondary schools and has worked closely with the Ministry of Education in donating supplies to schools – particularly on the West Coast, Demerara. Over the past two and half decades, we’ve dedicated ourselves to helping schools access technological resources. This effort was to facilitate equal opportunity for students to explore online resources.” says Avia Lindie, CEO of Metro Guyana. Metro Guyana’s vision is to continue extending technology to the nation’s people due to the rapid technology transition in education triggered by the pandemic. Ramnarayan underscores Lindie’s statement - “In this way, as the company grows, the people and the country will benefit. So it is a win-win for Guyana.”

When asked if there were any particular projects that the company was particularly proud of, Lindie shared a few. “I am particularly proud of the collaboration between Metro and the Ministry of Education in the launch of the Teachers Welfare Benefits Programme. Metro is providing Stationery Gift Vouchers for teachers in Guyana, valued at GY $1 million”. The Teachers’ Welfare and Benefits programme launched in September 2021 as the Ministry of Education’s (MoE) initiative to provide GY $200 million in a national housing revolving fund. This effort assists teachers and includes a mortgage and insurance plan, healthcare, and reward programme. Upon signing up, teachers receive a card for use at several stores and business entities collaborating with the MoE to provide services for the teachers. MetroGuyana is participating in the rewards programme.

Metro Office and Computer Supplies was the 2016 recipient of the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) Corporate Citizen Award for demonstrating ethical leadership, good corporate governance, and community investment.

Leading with technology

Leading the way in technology, the company has pivoted through the pandemic challenges to digitalise its operations by

introducing e-commerce to its service portfolio in Aug 2020. That means cashless transactions and online shopping via its virtual storefront. In what Metro terms “High Tech - LowTouch” systems, customers now benefit from safer methods of payment and delivery using PayPal, MMG, and Credit or Debit Cards. Ms. Avia Lindie says Metro’s mission is to identify and meet the evolving needs of our customers while anticipating and responding to them with agile business and operation solutions. It’s that kind of strategic thinking that sets Metro apart and makes it a respected market leader.

Metro also supports sporting and social programmes – including religious-based programmes. For example, in July of 2021, the company renewed its 13-year collaboration with Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC). As a result, it is the only cricket club in Guyana to have a full-time female cricket team.

Ron Ramnarayan says, “It is all about giving back. It’s a symbiotic relationship where the benefits are mutual. If the youth of Guyana do well, we can do well. We want more and more youths to pursue higher education, and that’s a key focus of our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy. As the country builds an oil and gas sector, the demand for new skills sets will increase. Guyana’s youth need to position themselves for roles in the industry. A sound education is the first step.”

Ms. Avia Lindie Chief Executive Officer, Metro Guyana

Trees are widely recognised as important carbon sinks, with an important role to play in the carbon mitigation strategies of the future. However, the climate fight is in many ways a numbers game - balancing carbon outputs and offsets to slow the net rise in greenhouse gas (GHG) levels and the pace of global warming. This means that we need accurate assessments of both our emissions and the volumes of carbon we subtract through capture and sequestration.

Digging DeeperNGC investigates below-ground carbon sequestration

Photo credit: Shaun Rambaran

Digging deeperNGC investigates below-ground carbon sequestration

We know that trees store carbon, and we have good estimates of how much they sequester; but those figures can vary according to species, age, climate, soil and geography. In light of this, there is merit in conducting region-specific studies to determine how much carbon is sequestered by trees in a particular area. Since 2018, The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited (NGC) has been partnering with The University of the West Indies (UWI) on a pioneering carbon sequestration study with that goal in mind.

Programme Background

In 2005, NGC launched a reforestation exercise to replant an area of forest equivalent to the acreage cleared for construction of the Cross-Island Pipeline, Beachfield Upstream Development and Union Industrial Estate. This project was aligned to the Company’s policy of achieving ‘no net loss’ from business operations. With the guidance of the Forestry Division, the project was executed in seven (7) phases across sites in the south-west and southeast forest conservancies: Rousillac, Guapo-Parrylands, Moruga, Rio Claro and Mayaro. Over 100,000 saplings were planted, with 17 different species of fruit and tropical hardwood trees.

At the close of the seventh project phase in 2018, a team from The UWI, led by Professor John Agard, was contracted

to calculate the tonnage of carbon sequestered in the aboveground biomass (trunk/shoots) of the trees planted since the start of the programme. They were also asked to estimate the volume that would be sequestered by the year 2030, and the value of that carbon at prevailing market prices.

Based on the results of that study, and recognising that it told only part of the sequestration story, NGC returned to The UWI to commission a below-ground study in 2020, looking at the root systems of the trees planted. This would be the first study of its kind ever conducted in the Caribbean. Despite having a formula for calculating below-ground biomass from existing scientific literature, the team needed to verify that the ratio held true in the domestic context. A license was obtained from the Forestry Division for a small sample of seven (7) trees to be felled to enable root excavation and weighing. This also allowed for sampling of root biomass to determine the carbon density. The felled trees were subsequently earmarked for donation to an NGC CSR partner organisation for woodworking projects. The field measurements and lab analysis confirmed the ratio documented in previous studies. Accordingly, the team was able to calculate the below-ground biomass, and thereafter revise the carbon estimates for NGC’s Reforestation Programme to include the underground stores. The cumulative results of both phases of the study are summarised in the table below.

Digging deeperNGC investigates below-ground carbon sequestration

The co2e tons captured equates to thousands of cars’ emissions saved per annum. The US Environmental Protection Agency estimates that “a typical passenger vehicle emits about 4.6 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. This assumes the average gasoline vehicle on the road today has a fuel economy of about

22.0 miles per gallon and drives around 11,500 miles per year. Every gallon of gasoline burned creates about 8,887 grams of CO2.” Therefore, for the period 2020-2030, NGC’s reforestation would sequester co2e equivalent to an average of 20,559 cars per annum over the decade.

Digging deeperNGC investigates below-ground carbon sequestration

Study implications

Contribution to future projects

NGC’s carbon sequestration study is a groundbreaking effort by a local and state company to quantify the carbon impact of one of its interventions. When the above-ground results were first shared in 2019, they attracted attention from as far afield as Fiji. The International Development Bank and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) even made contact with The UWI team to discuss lessons learned as they try to develop a project along similar lines to measure blue carbon (i.e., coastal mangrove sequestration) in the Caribbean. With the results now expanded to include below-ground carbon stores, this has become an even more valuable benchmark study to guide regional and international projects.

implications for national forests

According to the World Bank, around 44% or 226,000 hectares of Trinidad and Tobago’s land space lie under forest1. NGC’s reforestation project sites represent just 0.1% of that area. NGC’s data cannot be extrapolated to calculate the carbon stock held in national forests because the age and species of trees affects how much carbon they sequester. However, there is no doubt that the national forest carbon stock is hundreds of times greater than that of NGC’s planted trees.

As our country works to bring emissions down by 2030 in line with Paris Agreement commitments, it should be evident that sequestration by natural forest is a major offset to consider in our carbon accounting. That said, we will need to know what the real numbers are. NGC’s study should demonstrate the value of conducting similar investigations at the broader national level, and gives a template for how it can be done. It should also provide evidence to justify investment in national reforestation programmes.

Value of young trees

Another takeaway from this research is that younger trees sequester carbon at a faster rate. Looking at the numbers for the Rio Claro sites, planted between 2014 and 2017, versus Rousillac sites which have trees over 14 years old, we see that the younger trees are projected to store more than 70,000 times the carbon they do today by the year 2030, compared to a six-fold increase for the older trees. Since carbon is stored in biomass, trees tend to accumulate more carbon during the growing phase. This supports the widely-held belief that planting trees is a good way for our time-pressed planet to remove carbon from the atmosphere. NGC’s carbon sequestration study now forms part of an extended programme called ‘Beyond 315’, through which the Company is looking to expand its initial reforestation project. Among the objectives of this programme will be knowledge-sharing to encourage other entities to invest in tree-planting exercises on an equal or even larger scale. It will also include training and empowerment of members of the site communities to develop entrepreneurial ventures based on sustainable forest management.

Natural technology

NGC continues to demonstrate its deep commitment to sustainability and climate action with a variety of carbon mitigation projects. In recent months, the Company began to leverage infrared and satellite technology to track methane emissions from its infrastructure; entered into a partnership with the University of Trinidad and Tobago for the execution of a Climate Change Mitigation Project; entered the green hydrogen and solar energy space with subsidiary National Energy; launched a consumer targeted app Energy SmarTT to raise awareness around energy efficiency; and introduced drone technology and smart reporting to reduce the carbon footprint of field operations. The NGC Reforestation Programme and pioneering carbon sequestration study are part of this broad and impactful portfolio of initiatives. As NGC has shown, while it may not be cutting-edge technology, reforestation is a proven-effective carbon capture solution we can readily mobilise and scale up. The humble tree belongs on the frontline of the climate fight, and we need as many of them as we can get.

Photo credit: Mark Lyndersay

Leading by Example

As the world adapts to a more sustainable future, and as consumers become more candid about supporting companies that embrace sustainable operations, corporations are tuning into the shift. The 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have outlined the blueprint for a better, more equitable world – one that encourages environmentally sound, gender-balanced and resilient practices for the benefit of everyone – and everything – on the planet.

Within the banking sector, specifically, the UN Environmental Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) has laid out the Principles of Responsible Banking (PRBs), which recognise the influence and ability of the banking sector to lead the change and encourage communities and countries to embrace more altruistic and holistic objectives as laid out by the SDGs. The PRBs challenge banks to meet the SDGs, as well as the Paris Accord climate change goals by incorporating sustainability as a core mandate. By their very nature, financial institutions are uniquely positioned to steer society towards sustainability by proving that good – and green – governance is also good business.

Republic Financial Holdings is proud of its track record as a market leader in the Caribbean and is the region’s largest indigenous banking operation. With that pride comes a deep sense of responsibility to lead by example, and show the communities in which it operates how much the organisation values these principles. With its trademark visionary approach, the group immediately recognised the significance of the PRBs, and in October 2020, became the first signatory in the Englishspeaking Caribbean to sign on to the PRBs and has pledged to set targets in line with the six PRBs that will guide the group’s trajectory over the next decade – and underscores its commitment to making a positive impact in the community. The PRB focus areas are: , Alignment, Impact, Clients & Customers, Stakeholders, Governance & Target Setting, and Transparency & Accountability. Commenting on the Group’s signing, RFHL president and CEO Nigel Baptiste said, “We hope to make a

difference in poverty, education, the role of women in society, climate change, sustainable agricultural practices, the blue economy and more. From a group perspective, our commitment is to make a positive difference.”

And it’s no idle promise. Republic Financial Holdings quickly followed up its commitment, when in April 2021, along with 42 other global banks in 23 countries, it became a founding signatory to the UN-convened Net-Zero Banking Alliance, colaunched by the Financial Services Taskforce (FSTF) of the Prince of Wales’ Sustainable Markets Initiative. “Our continued focus will be on aligning our brand, operations, and the Group’s lending portfolios towards achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The initiatives we introduce and the relationships we establish through the NZBA will also contribute and deliver the goals of the PRBs” Baptiste said.

“Republic Financial Holdings makes sustainability a cornerstone of its service – to customers and the community.”

Nigel Baptiste, RFHL President & CEO

In June 2021, the bank pledged to lend and invest US$200 million by 2025 to support projects that would help achieve major Climate Finance Goals by promoting, encouraging and incentivizing clean energy and green technology. Among the projects RFHL will support include loans for electric and hybrid cars, clean fuel, renewable energy, and energy efficient and climate-resilient construction.

Baptiste said on the announcement that given the negative impact of climate change on the Caribbean and its dependence on fossil fuels, Republic Financial Holdings identified SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy) and SDG 13 (climate action) as priority goals. “We believe that through our climate finance lending and investment packages, we will be on a path to a cleaner, greener and more sustainable future.”

Most recently, in August, Republic Financial Holdings partnered with business consultancy firm BPD Associates Ltd, to launch a programme geared to the development of female entrepreneurs, the Entrepreneurs Business Builder programme, to help 150 established women in business from around the Caribbean create technology-enabled, sustainable, and profitable businesses.

“Investing in the development of our SMEs, especially our women-owned businesses, ensures that we as a region continue along our path to Sustainable Development,” said

Republic’s Executive Director Derwin Howell, at the launch of the project. “This group-wide initiative aligns with our commitments to the UN Principles for Responsible Banking. By training our female entrepreneurs to create avenues for technological advancement and innovation in their business practices and by ensuring that these practices are environmentally safe and sustainable, we ensure that the future of our Caribbean is in good hands.”

CSR and responsible governance

PRB accountability and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) both intersect with Republic Financial Holdings’ values. Social responsibility has always been a cornerstone of RFHL’s operations and the Group’s programmes have always been a collaborative process between it and its community, in the drive towards a better society and a better way of life for all. For RFHL, it is a social dialogue that identifies the problems within a society and engages with all stakeholders to fix them in ways that benefit everyone.

“We believe that being socially responsible requires more than the mere handing over of a charity cheque; it means getting involved – making these crucial investments in time, skills and money,” says Karen Tom Yew-Jardine, General Manager, Group Marketing and Communications.

Republic Financial Holdings’ flagship CSR initiative, The Power to Make a Difference (PMAD) programme, which started 18 years ago was a direct result of that sense of responsibility. The programme’s longevity and scope underpins the organisation’s vision for stronger, more resilient communities, and provides a perfect foundation on which Republic Financial Holdings’ evolved environmental, sustainability and governance targets can build.

“The PMAD objectives are clear - to enhance the quality of life of disadvantaged people in society; support the enhancement of health, with a key focus on cancer; provide opportunities for young people to realize their true potential; build and encourage entrepreneurialism amongst members of society; foster community spirit and togetherness; and alleviate some of the ills of society,” says Tom Yew. The programme is supported by four main pillars.

Leading by Example

Republic Bank continues its longstanding partnership with Habitat for Humanity Trinidad and Tobago with the signing of a new contract.

(left) Karen Tom Yew-Jardine, General Manager, Group Marketing and Communications and (right) Jennifer Massiah, National Director, Habitat for Humanity Trinidad and Tobago.

The Power is Ours

Beyond the brand, Republic Financial Holdings is fundamentally its people – the engine of growth and the heart of its inspiration. The organisation’s CSR does not, then, happen in a vacuum; rather, employees are encouraged to participate through Branch Community Project grants.

Branches are given funds to create and sponsor projects that will have meaningful impact in their communities. As people who often live and work in the communities they serve, staff are therefore well-placed to understand the nuances of what is truly needed, and advise on ways that grants can help fill the gaps in areas like poverty alleviation, education, culture and literacy. These passion projects not only help engender a spirit of charity, but also camaraderie, pride and well-being.

As Republic Financial Holdings expands beyond Trinidad and Tobago to become a global force, its commitment to CSR has strengthened. The Power to Make a Difference Programme has grown to be the conduit for expression, with its core tenets adaptable and applicable across countries and cultures.

“With new markets and communities regionally and internationally welcomed into the Republic Financial Holdings family, their heartfelt and diverse stories of challenge and triumph help define the Power to Make a Difference Programme and contribute to building successful communities.”

Managing Director of Republic Bank, Nigel Baptiste, hands over a Samsung tablet to Minister of Education, Dr. Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, as part of the Bank’s contribution to the Ministry’s ‘Adopt-a-School’ programme.

Leading by Example

There are four PMAD Pillars each related to different Sustainable Development Goals.

Power to Care

This is linked to SDG 3 and addresses health issues and caring for the differently-abled and the elderly.

• The Trinidad & Tobago Cancer Society: Improving cancer awareness and education campaigns (Trinidad & Tobago)

• Pharma Wellness International Inc.: “Workplace and Lifestyle Wellness Programme” (Barbados)

• Support to Koforidua Technical University towards the building of a Clinic for University community. (Ghana)

• Ministry of Health COVID-19 Vaccination Awareness Campaign (Grenada)

• Ministry of Health - Vaccination Drive at Select Republic Financial Holdings Branches (Guyana)

• Mise en Place Meal on Wheels Food Supply initiative and Ragazzi Restaurant COVID Meals Supply (Cayman)

• Establishing the first dialysis unit/centre for children in Suriname (Suriname)

Power to Help

This is linked to SDG 11 and addresses poverty alleviation and assisting the socially marginalized.

• Habitat for Humanity: Providing shelter for those most vulnerable in society; construction training programme (Trinidad & Tobago)

• Jabez House is a registered charity that is a haven of hope and empowerment for female sex workers (Barbados)

• St. Lucia Social Development Fund (SSDF) organisation – partner to provide food and grocery hampers to families (RBEC)

• Sponsorship to the Cayman Islands Angling Club for Diamond sponsor of the 2021 Cayman Islands International Fishing Tournament (Cayman)

Power to Succeed

This is linked to SDG 5, 10, 13 and 14 and addresses development of sport, protecting the environment and fostering entrepreneurial growth

• Institute of Marine Affairs: Improving the conditions of the oceans/Decade of the Oceans 2021-2030 (Trinidad & Tobago)

• National Learn to Swim Week (Grenada): Promoting water safety awareness, where local volunteer swim coaches provide basic swimming lessons

• Barbados Youth Action Programme – (BYAP): The Bank has sponsored a programme titled “Value Improvement Project” (Barbados)

• Women Across Differences - Comprehensive Empowerment Programme for Teen Mothers (Guyana)

• T. A. Marryshow Community College – Upgrading ICT, Electrical and Security Infrastructure (Grenada)

• Sponsorship of 2020 Caribbean Transitional Energy Conference (CTEC) to promote green lending opportunities (Cayman)

• Adoption of the AU Square (Ghana)

Power to Learn

This is linked to SDG 4 and addresses youth development through education, culture and the arts.

• Adult Literacy Tutors Association: Developing an online learning portal for adults; providing remedial classes in Trinidad and Tobago (Trinidad & Tobago)

• Schools Block Programme: The Schools Block Programme was designed to foster partnerships between the Bank and educational institutions across the country (Barbados)

• Berase ICT Centre: Commissioning of an ultra-modern ICT Centre for the AME Zion Basic School (Ghana)

• Hands Across the Sea Literacy Programme (Grenada)

• University of Guyana - Four (4) year University scholarship (Guyana)

• The sponsorship of awards and cash prizes distributed to 30 students from 3 local high school graduations (Cayman)

For Every Futurea Better Tomorrow

“So far in 2021, Scotiabank Trinidad & Tobago has invested in projects that supported community and youth development, impacting the lives of approximately 85,196 individuals, 54,717 youths in 570 schools, organisations and communities.”

The Covid-19 pandemic has changed the world in pivotal ways. The negative impacts on social and economic structures will be felt for a long time to come, but these impacts also provided realistic yardsticks to assess the ability of current global systems to withstand and adapt to planet level events such as pandemics and Climate Change. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has suggested that many Caribbean states are also at risk as most countries rely heavily on tourism and/or single source export. Due to their small size and limited room for maneuver, Caribbean economies were among the most affected by the pandemic.

The financial sector has a critical role to play in the region’s economic, social, and environmental recovery and wellbeing, especially in light of changing patterns of CSR formats, which are now moving from short-term corporate donations towards multi-pronged projects which fulfill the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and consider Environmental, Social and Governmental (ESG) metrics and reporting.

Scotiabank worldwide has been a frontrunner in mainstreaming the SDGs into its philanthropic investments and this has been

demonstrated very tangibly in Trinidad and Tobago, through the Scotiabank Trinidad and Tobago Foundation, and the wider Caribbean.

Gayle M. Pazos, Managing Director of Scotiabank Trinidad and Tobago, as well as senior VP and head of the Caribbean South and East shared the following view, “Scotiabank believes that the long-term success of our Bank and the planet are fundamentally intertwined. By systematically assessing the areas in which we have the biggest impacts, especially given the force of Covid 19, we create economic, social and environmental value for our customers, employees, communities and our environment, while delivering returns for our shareholders. So far in 2021, Scotiabank Trinidad & Tobago has invested in projects that supported community and youth development, impacting the lives of approximately 85,196 individuals, 54,717 youth in 570 schools, organisations and communities.”

Combatting Covid 19

Covid19’s strain on resources globally, directly challenged SDG achievements - specifically, that of Good Health and Well-being,

Scotiabank employee working with the Families in Action’s (FIA) young adults online.

No Poverty, Quality Education, Decent Work and Economic Growth, and Reduced Inequality. Scotiabank recognised the gaps and set out to assist in closing them. Consistent with its commitment to deliver on the SDG goals through strategic partnerships with local charities, Scotiabank has provided protective equipment, food, medical and relief supplies to more than 26,000 persons in need throughout Trinidad and Tobago.

The organisation also addressed some of the “invisible” but critical social issues emerging from the pandemic. One such intervention was the delivery of counselling services to victims of domestic abuse as case numbers were heightened during the lockdown periods. Scotiabank also recognised the efforts of frontline healthcare workers and the risk they faced for burnout at the height of the pandemic by providing 10,000 meals to these essential medical workers.

engaged employees

Scotiabank employees are very involved in its sustainability programmes. Employees have been engaged in service to the community to alleviate the impact of Covid-19 on lives and livelihood. Many workers gave their time to managing the Government’s Assistance Programme Hotline. This service provided much needed comfort to people trying to navigate these unprecedented times, and in many cases, just needed a voice at the other end of the phone.

Other employees were on hand to assist the various charities in the packaging and distributions of meals and essential items across communities while other staffers worked with relief organisations, such as the United Way to package masks for school distribution to help students cope with the “new normal.”

Scotiabank’s workers also led an employee donation drive for frontline charities which was matched by the bank.

Vaccinate to Operate

With the emergence of more dangerous variants of the Covid 19 virus, recurring shutdowns and more stringent measures, vaccine access and distribution are of increasing importance for Trinidad and Tobago.

The Government called for assistance from the private sector to ensure that each eligible citizen was given a choice to vaccinate. Scotiabank rose to that challenge, and not only encouraged its workers to become vaccinated, but also partnered with UNICEF in its vaccination drive throughout the Region.

Investing in the Future

While taking a leadership role in Trinidad and Tobago’s fight against the spread of Covid 19, under the SDG Goals, the Scotiabank TT Foundation continued to purposefully execute ongoing programmes in Youth Development and Education, Environmental and Food, Sustainability, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Climate Action, Life on Land, Life Below Water and Non-Pandemic Health issues such as Cancer Awareness, and of Good Health and Wellbeing.

Scotiabank volunteers working hard at a United Way TT project.

No Student Left Behind

Access to technology remains a challenge, testing educational norms in extreme ways. During Covid-19, remote learning became the only option for many parents, already stressed by pandemic limitations in their economic status. In addition to its existing education initiatives, the Bank worked with various educational institutions and schools to provide computers, laptops, printers, and other electronic devices to ensure no child was left behind. So far, Scotia has assisted 1,160 students in adapting to new learning formats.

Additionally, since 2011, Scotiabank has collaborated with the local NGO, Families in Action (FIA), with the objective of equipping young adults between the ages of 16-19, with skills needed to transition to the world of work. Students are trained in areas such as goal setting, entrepreneurship, social responsibility, and financial management. Staff members also volunteer their time to mentor students.

Back to School

With vaccinations scheduled to be on target before the beginning of the new school year, students are gearing up to return to the physical classrooms. In anticipation of this, Scotiabank is currently assisting in the safe reopening by improving and expanding washroom facilities, constructing handwashing stations and in supplying masks.

University and Beyond

At the tertiary education level, for the past 12 years, Scotiabank regionally has funded 19 UWI scholarships yearly across all UWI campuses to qualified students who are unable to meet the financial costs of further education. Additionally, Scotiabank provides 10 scholarships annually to eligible candidates to the UWI St. Augustine Campus, for studies in Banking and Finance, Economics, Accounting, Computer Science, and Information Technology. The Bank is also the lead sponsor of the UWI Toronto Benefit Gala, which since inception, has raised over 2.3million CAD and produced over 600 scholarships to deserving students.

Two secondary students working diligently with their laptops donated by Scotiabank through the No Student Left Behind initiative

For Every Futurea Better Tomorrow

CSR STORIES

Support for the Written Word

Scotiabank’s commitment to Youth Empowerment extends to the Bocas Lit Fest. The Write Away! Young Adult Literature Project is designed to encourage students and educators to remain engaged through online learning, while providing access to dynamic and culturally relevant books across genres, to foster a lifelong passion for reading.

Participating schools are given access to virtual creative writing workshops, receive guided writing support from renowned authors and are provided with books for their school’s library to facilitate book clubs. The best writing from students are expected to be published in an e-book sponsored by Scotiabank, launching the next generation of writers-to-watch from Trinidad and Tobago.

Living Purposefully

Scotiabank’s donation to Caribbean Kids and Family Therapy Organisation (CKFTO) supported a 10-week therapy programme for children with disabilities. Recognizing the dire need to support NGOs that provide therapy for families with children with disabilities, Scotia ramped up its efforts to assist this vulnerable group, by providing a programme for children and caregivers to assist with learning and improving motor skills over the long-term.

Environmental Stewardship

Scotiabank believes that sustainability is key to the planet’s integrity and is committed to supporting initiatives which influence diversification, food security and sustainable development.

Caribbean Kids and Families Therapy Organisation (CKFTO).

Scotiabank is keen on food sustainability and has supported the seedling distribution initiative which provides kitchen gardens and grow boxes for children’s and special needs homes.

For Every Futurea Better Tomorrow

Home Gardens & Wildlife

10,000 households in Southern Trinidad and numerous children’s and special needs homes across the country have established kitchen gardens and grow boxes as a result of a seedling distribution initiative supported by the Scotiabank Foundation. A further 2,000 families in San Fernando and environs are also benefitting from a youth focused, community initiative through Scotiabank’s collaboration with Key of David International (KODI). In encouraging young persons to develop an interest in the agriculture sector as a viable means for providing for themselves and their communities, a vertical hydroponics system was installed, which not only provides these families with green produce, but also equips young people with knowledge of hydroponic farming.

Scotiabank has also partnered with conservation group Nature Seekers to provide active support of its Climate Change Adaptation Project for Species Recovery (CCAPS Recovery). The Bank’s support will augment the group’s efforts to sustainably manage and remove the influx of sargassum, which has been preventing nesting in affected beaches, through the purchase of an all terrain vehicle for the removal of debris and other solid matter that restricts successful nesting.

Hope for a Cure Cancer Screening and Awareness

For 22 years, the Scotiabank Women against Breast Cancer Programme has brought thousands of people together. In the last 5 years alone, through its signature event – the annual 5k,

the Bank has donated $1.25m towards breast cancer screening initiatives and to date, over 20,000 women have accessed free screening courtesy Scotiabank. Despite the pandemic, Scotiabank remains steadfast in its commitment, uniting people in awareness, education and screening. It’s signature event - the annual 5k adopted a virtual format in 2020 and for 2021, even more innovative techniques are being embraced to continue to spread the message of the importance of early detection and screening.

Scotiabank recognises that governments alone cannot effectively assist the most vulnerable among us and stronger public/private sector partnerships remain critical in this regard and Scotia provides an excellent model for such collaboration. Scotiabank has mainstreamed sustainability and declares, “We are guided by our purpose: for every future. A better tomorrow - where our customers, employees and communities all thrive - benefits everyone, including our Bank. Our approach to managing environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues, focuses on areas where Scotiabank can make the strongest impactenabling stakeholders to reach their fullest potential, mobilizing finances to address important ESG challenges and building trust with integrity in everything we do.”

Food Sustainability.

Sarita Rampersad - breast cancer patient shared her experience in Scotiabank’s 2021 Breast Cancer Campaign

A Trip to Nasa and Back

Tevin Achong speaks about a career shaped by STEM

Tevin Achong, a 24 year old with the calm and reserve of someone twice his age, was born in Princes Town – a tiny township in southern Trinidad. Coming from a close-knit family, where his mother taught him the value of hard work, Tevin is now a data engineer at Shell Trinidad and Tobago. Some may see it as serendipitous and others may see it as the rewards of persistence; but his journey to engineering started at the very young age of 10 or 11 when he attended a STEM vacation camp at the National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (NIHERST), sponsored by the same company he now works at - Shell.

Tevin’s entry into the programme was awarded to him (along with other high performing SEA students in the community), through a STEM scholarship bursary programme offered by Shell. Tevin had outperformed students at both the national and regional level making him eligible for assistance with tuition and school supplies, and a beneficiary of invitations to workshops at NIHERST and The University of the West Indies (UWI).

From his CSEC studies at St. Stephen’s College to studying Applied Engineering at the University of Trinidad & Tobago (UTT), Shell continued its support to Tevin through the scholarship programme. “That was a tremendous help for me,” he recalls. “Those funds paid for accommodation near the university and for food. Without that kind of support, students like me would not have been able to stay the course”. But Tevin didn’t stop there. His studies continued with a diploma in Software Engineering at UTT and immediately after, he went on to complete the BSc. in Computer Science with The University of the West Indies.

Off to NASA

Tevin’s pursuit for excellence continued throughout his life, not only in his academic career. In 2014, an article about the NASA Agency’s internship programme caught his attention. The NASA International Internship Project (NASA I2), “seeks to better prepare all students to work in a global environment and on multicultural international missions.” Tevin explained, “I thought then, this is really cool, It would be so exciting to go to NASA”. He held the dream close and quietly resolved to make it happen.

In 2019, when NASA opened the annual internship programme, Tevin was among the first to jump at the opportunity. “I was 22 at the time and still a student at UWI.” Acceptance however did not cover costs. Each participant was responsible for their funding. As Tevin shared, “My journey to NASA would not have been possible without the help of friends and well-wishers. The total fee for the NASA I2 Project was around TTD $80,000. Shell contributed $25,000 toward my fees and I used social media to help bridge the difference and my Facebook post went viral. The second approach was through a friend of mine, who is a journalist at Loop TT. She started a

Tevin Achong, Data Engineer at Shell Trinidad and Tobago

GoFundMe page which received a great deal of support. There were also persons who couldn’t lend funds but gave support in other ways, meeting up and helping in any way they could. I’ll always be grateful for the kindness I received at that time.”

The internship was a STEM programme focused on developing skills of students in areas of research and enabling collaborations in science. Tevin attended the summer programme which was held at the NASA center in California for four months There were many participants from around the world with some studying Computer Science like Tevin among others studying Biology, Mechanical Engineering, and Physics & Engineering. Tevin was one of six students from Trinidad and Tobago.

Fighting self-doubt

When asked what it took to get into the programme, Tevin responds with a characteristic “easy.” He explained, “It’s a simple process. NIHERST provided all the information for applications on their website. A key criterion was, you had to be an undergraduate or hold a graduate degree in STEM subjects.” But, once accepted, self-doubt took over – a deep, immobilizing sense of not being enough consumed him and he knew he had to draw deep, or he would miss an opportunity. “My family and community were a huge support throughout the process. I actually considered not going at all, but my family quickly talked me out of those thoughts, especially my mum who held my hand throughout the process.” He calls her his rock and credits her sacrifice for his steady progress. Some of his friends thought he was daydreaming. There was some initial skepticism since it didn’t seem likely that someone from his community could be selected to a NASA programme. “But once people started seeing published articles and news appearances, the reality hit.” He smiles as he remembers. What followed was simply “an overwhelming amount of support.”

Weeks into the programme, the uncertainty struck again, hitting him hard with self doubt. “I started to experience Imposter Syndrome, being surrounded by students from MIT, Stanford, Carnegie Mellon and wondering if this small-island UWI student would be able to deliver at the end of the 4 months. On a personal level, I realized that I had to spend a lot of time working on myself and enhancing my skills – so I did.”

Tevin at the NASA AMES Wind Tunnel

Receiving Check from Shell for NASA Internship.

Standing at NASA AMES Research Center.

A Trip to Nasa and Back Tevin Achong speaks about a career shaped by STEM

A Trip to Nasa and Back

Far away from home, he was fortunate to have a great mentor who was a pillar of strength in those moments. Tevin describes his mentor Brian Coltin who has a PHD in robotics, as being a real source of encouragement during that time. “He’s an incredibly intelligent and personable guy and a great mentor. He coached me through the technical aspects of the programme and guided me through the people side of things - like how to navigate a research type environment.” He also adds, “I dug deep to selfmotivate, often reaching out whenever I needed help and pulling myself out from slumps. That was my big personal win - working through the self-doubt and proving to myself that I deserved to be there and that I was as good as anyone else.” “Fun fact” says Tevin. “After I finished my degree, when I applied for my first job, Brian wrote my recommendation.” The two continue to stay in touch.

A STEM Career

Post NASA, Tevin returned to Trinidad and to UWI to continue his degree in Computer Science, and graduated in 2020. For him, it was like the stars had lined up. Shortly after leaving university, he saw a vacancy for a Data Scientist at Shell. “I applied, was called and interviewed for the role. The days that followed were a bit of a roller coaster. After I completed the final stage of the interview process, I received a call a couple of weeks later, informing me that I was unsuccessful in obtaining the Data Scientist position.” There was a momentary disappointment when he was told that he didn’t get the role. The good news? He was offered another position instead – that of Data Engineer. “I was elated,” Tevin recalls. “My hard work was finally paying off. Here I am today working at a great energy company and fulfilling a dream.”

Tevin works in the Digital Pod at Shell - a team of six – a Data engineer, a Data Scientist, a Data Analyst, a Software Engineer, a Product Integration Manager, and the Digital Lead. As the Data Engineer Tevin works at source. He is responsible for supplying data, and ensuring it is in a usable structure for the Data Scientists and Analysts. Tevin believes that it is the NASA experience that has helped him to find his niche. “Computer Science is a broad field and at NASA I was able to narrow it down and work on a specific sub field, Machine Learning. Being in the space of working with data and getting real world experience has been a huge benefit to my work.” At NASA, Tevin’s team project used satellite imagery to detect whether certain regions of the earth were flooded or not. “I was fascinated by the ability of learning through real-world application,” he explains. “It was a welcome departure from the intense theory-based classes at university.”

“I love my job,” says Tevin. “The only thing missing is the real-life team experience. I started my career in the pandemic and have been working remotely. That is soon going to change as we go back to the office in phases. I can’t wait to meet my team face to face.”

When asked what’s next for him, Tevin shares that for now he is just looking forward to workspaces being opened and having the live teamwork experience. “I’m also keen to bring some balance. You want home to be a place for relaxation but for the past few months when I get home, the first thing I think of is work. There are a lot of benefits to working from home, like the commutebut having done this for so long, I think a blend will be ideal.” So, was it serendipity or genuine hard work? We go with the latter.

Tevin Achong speaks about a career shaped by STEM

Bridging the Digital Divide bmobile connects young minds to learning

As the only truly local communications solutions provider, bmobile takes its corporate social responsibility seriously. As the company continues to deliver best-in-class solutions for citizens and corporate customers, it maintains a strong focus on supporting the country it serves.

bmobile is the country’s longest-serving and only truly local communications solution provider with a self-determined ethos to make T&T better. The company has long been engaged in ensuring connectivity for the nation’s youth. When the country shifted into remote learning, bmobile immediately responded to the shortfall in smart device and connectivity accessibility for many students. In addition to allowing free access to pertinent educational websites, bmobile implemented solutions supporting the continuation of education for T&T’s students.

bmobile believes that technology availability levels the playing field. Over 20,000, 2020 Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) Mathematics national students, were provided with zero-rated data access to online Mathematics revision through a partnership between bmobile and local NGO, Restore A Sense of I Can (RSC). This meant that any CSEC student using a bmobile data plan could log on to the platform for free.

Empowering Students through collaboration

Collaboration for a greater cause is critical to bmobile. They joined Digicel to assist the Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad and Tobago (TATT) in procuring and securing 10,000 smart devices at the best possible rates, at a time when the demand for these was extremely high and supply almost nonexistent for smaller countries like ours. bmobile worked closely with the relevant organisations to evaluate and find the best-fit data solutions so that students could continue to excel. bmobile also partnered with other telecom and technology providers to support the Catholic Education Board for Management (CEBM) efforts to help fill the gap in providing devices and data service to approximately 4000 of the most in-need and at-risk students.

For over 15 years, the bmobile annual staff Programme, Employee Book Buddies has provided pupils from Children Homes across the country with textbooks and school accessories, working with the homes and suppliers to source and package the items for distribution. With over 1500 students assisted since inception, the Drive had to recalibrate with the advent of COVID-19, and digital schooling. This year, the company provided financial support to 13 Children’s Homes, and partnered with valued business customer, RAMPS Logistics, to provide Smart Devices with connectivity to several children’s homes.

Delivering in Food Security

bmobile recognised the real and immediate need to deliver relief to families affected by national lockdowns due to Public Health regulations. As a business that operates in every corner of the nation, with a team that interacts daily with customers from all walks of life, staff members created and executed voluntary food donation drives. The company also helped NGOs provide families across Trinidad and Tobago with relief.

To ensure longer-term food security, a partnership with Kids in Need of Direction (KIND) allowed that organisation to expand their Plant What You Eat programme to over 16 communities.

Covering Youth in Mental Health and Personal Development

bmobile understands that the traditional educational system may not be able to adequately address the holistic needs of a young person’s development. This has been the driver for bmobile powering a national discussion on mental health organised by Spartans TT Sports Club at the height of the national lockdown and State of Emergency in the country.

Bridging the Digital Divide

bmobile connects young minds to learning

bmobile also joined the EPOCH Foundation as technology partner to host a webinar covering self-esteem, communication, conflict management, professional branding, resume writing, interview practice, leadership, and entrepreneurship, among other areas.

Empowering Women

bmobile reinforced its support of the development of women with the 2021’s UWI-Arthur Lok Jack Global School of Business (ALJGSB) virtual Women in Leadership Conference, highlighted by a keynote address by the first female Prime Minister of Barbados, The Honourable Mia Amor Mottley. The company also participated in the deployment of the Girls in ICT Day, which introduced 18-25-year-old women to the world of e-commerce. Bmobile also welcomed as another female first, Lisa Agard, as Company CEO on 24th May 2021.

Maintaining Sport Support at National and Community Levels bmobile continued support of national athletes like two-time Olympic medallist Keshorn Walcott in the delayed Tokyo Games this year, who has been a bmobile ambassador for eight years. The four-time CARIFTA champion noted, “One of the major things I appreciate about bmobile, is that we share the same goal; to do our best to make the nation proud.” In a less visible sport, bmobile joined Trinidad and Tobago Chess Association (TTCA), to host the Inaugural Grand Prix Online Chess Tournament.

The company works with organisations like United Way TT (UWTT) by facilitating the use of its text-to-donate service for fund-raising efforts. bmobile also made it possible for customers to have free access to accurate, up-to-date, relevant information related to COVID-19 easily by zero-rating 13 key websites for organisations sharing official updates during the pandemic, making it accessible for all prepaid and postpaid bmobile customers. A free call allowance was also deployed to help customers stay in touch with loved ones affected by the eruption of the La Soufriere volcano in April 2021.

Continuity of Cultural Celebrations

bmobile is majority-owned by the people of Trinidad and Tobago and the company has had a long history supporting local culture and particularly, Carnival. They were excited to keep the spirit of Carnival alive during the pandemic. bmobile supported three competitions, the Soca Monarch, the Chutney Soca Monarch and partnered with TUCO to create the Online Road March. All competitions offered interactive engagement with fans by way of the Text to Vote platform - allowing the public to chime in with their support and their vote for their favourite artistes in each competition.

From their headquarters to their technicians in the field, the company recognises and believes that mutually-assured success is the only way forward for Trinidad and Tobago.

Anjanie Ramesar-Soom of bmobile chats with participants at the 2020 tech4Girls Workshop as they share their business ideas.

Caroline Toni Sirju-Ramnarine

Caroline Toni Sirju-Ramnarine is the newly appointed president of AmCham Trinidad and Tobago where she aims to bring her industry experience as a collaborator and transformer to the Chamber’s trade agenda. Having initiated an MOU with the Georgetown sister Chamber to increase in-trade flows between members and by extension the economies of both countries, she hopes to unlock value for both business communities. An engineer by training, as a leader at Atlantic LNG Company of Trinidad and Tobago for just about 16 years, she’s at the top of industry and looking to contribute on national level.

Collaboration

Philosophically I am a bridge builder, and that colours everything I set my mind too. AmCham is no different. I see my role in this as a facilitator of regional integration. The world needs to harness our human capital and build upon the strength that diversity provides. As Caribbean people, we have the strength of diversity which fosters many unique perspectives and many opportunities. I believe we can each use our experiences and skills to build a stronger, more integrated and resilient Caribbean, beginning with how we provide goods and services to each other.

T&T was instrumental in establishing AmCham Guyana and helping that chamber to grow. Guyana is on the cusp of GDP growth that will exceed anything anywhere else in the world.

It makes sense to reconnect AmCham TT and AmCham Guyana at this juncture. I am confident that the MOU we have signed to collaborate on some specific items, will set the precedent for wider regional cooperation. We have 25 chambers in the Caribbean and Latin America with objectives such as: to strengthen trade and discourse; attract foreign direct investment; facilitate ease of doing business in the region; provide value added jobs.

The first step towards in this direction is cooperation. As a united region, we can be extremely powerful.

Transformation

The pandemic has delivered some positives in spite of the many disruptions and stresses to the economy. Certainly, we are witnessing an acceleration in the use of technology to enhance the ease of doing business in country. We are also need to be more forward thinking in how we equip people for the energy transition as we confront diminishing hydrocarbon resources and look towards new energy sources. Harnessing human capital and increasing diversity and inclusion requires putting our heads together and working together towards this common goal of the betterment not only for the energy sector but for regional economies and the betterment of all Caribbean peoples. At a regional level, we need to bring our unique perspectives to the table and engage with the wider community to create clarity on what the future will look like.

As the energy industry continues to evolve, we need to be always learning, adapting and changing to remain globally competitive. This means setting global standards, aggressively embracing digital technology, and making continuous improvement part of how we work. But the journey is not only about operational efficiencies, it is mostly about the people. We need to retool and reskill people for an industry that is rapidly changing due to the pressing need for climate change adaptation. Those skills should be now part of the early school curricula and up the education value chain. Atlantic has been at the forefront of this. The company is in the process of outfitting a Future Skills Centre with a focus on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM); renewable technology and entrepreneurship.

AMCHAM

At AMCHAM, we are led by principles and companies that practise good governance. We continue to build on the work of the last 30 years. Our membership is committed to initiatives for recovery after the pandemic starting with support for the vaccination

Signing MOU with AMChAM Guyana

programme. We have projects to embed transparency and the rule of law. We actively seek to develop the tech sector and the future workforce.

We have a focus on technology as a huge enabler. We believe that AMCHAM, with corporate support could help make Trinidad and Tobago the tech hub for the region. We need to encourage the innovators and entrepreneurial developers to connect with business. We can be the virtual gateway to the Americas, nurturing global competitiveness. Technology is an area for advocacy with youth. We have the annual tech hub islands summit (this) conference; and in partnership with Google, we stage the BreakBeatCode Hackathon, which teaches coding to adolescents. It’s a great time to be part of the Chamber.

through their issues. Mentorship gives me a sense of fulfilment. I believe I have a duty to contribute to the greater good. That goes beyond a place or position in any company or organisation.

Balance

I am an early riser, 4.30. When I became a mom, I just didn’t have time to read anymore – except children’s stories. I’ve always loved reading and I’ve rediscovered books in the pandemic. My release is reading fiction, and I read three books a week. In the early morning, I read the newspapers, global news, any documents I may have to review. It’s a quiet time for me.

Meetings sometimes start at 7am and often continue through the day until 5pm. I try to have breakfast with my family, and lunch and dinner as far as possible with them. My husband and I are parents to three teenagers and our dog Tibbles. I also try to get some daily gardening in - even if it’s just for 10 to 15 minutes in the morning or evening. I find it quite therapeutic.

For the two months since I took on the position of President of AMCHAM TT, I have been managing to bring better balance to my professional and personal life through better time management. Yes, the presidency has added to my meeting schedule, and I do spend more time in front of the computer - but it’s virtual. Imagine if I had to be moving around through traffic. Hopefully, we have made a leap forward in virtual meetings as more and more people are becoming comfortable with the world of remote work.

The Future

I don’t see where I am, or where I am heading, as a destination. I find that as we grow older, our perspectives and aspirations change. In the early years, it’s all about yourself, your goals, your career; later on, the focus is on family. Eventually, we see our place in the community and understand the larger contributions that are possible and needed for the country and the region.

One of my great satisfactions comes from mentoring young people at the time when they may be ambitious but confused. It may not be a visible or tangible good; and there’s no thought of a return; but I enjoy being a sounding board, helping young people

“

We need to retool and reskill people for an industry that is rapidly changing due to the pressing need for climate change adaptation.”

AMChAM President and Atlantic’s VP Corporate Operations and Transformation, Mrs. Toni Sirju-Ramnarine celebrating with the 2019 inductees of the Point Fortin’s Finest Leadership and Development Programme, Atlantic’s flagship CSR initiative.

Weaving a Business Community Guyana’s

Brand Youth

A few young Guyanese entrepreneurs have gathered online – a uniform maker, a purveyor of natural hair products, a designer of fashions inspired by indigenous culture. For an hour they chat with more experienced business people – the owner of a social media marketing business, an auto parts supplier, the founder of a tech company that specializes in Artificial Intelligence.

This is Brand YOUth, a community of “purpose-driven entrepreneurs” all woven together by a 59-year-old Guyanese former IT analyst who’s been living in Brooklyn since 1985. “We have all the strands – intellectual, academic, business,” asserts Selwyn Collins, a dapper, charismatic member of the Guyanese diaspora. “What we need are weavers. I am a weaver.”

What he’s weaving is a community of businesspeople with social consciences: people who care about more than just making money and are invested in their community. From his North American perch, he engineered an awards ceremony in 2019 to recognise forty under-40 entrepreneurs in a ceremony at the National Cultural Centre in Georgetown. “I didn’t have a vision for how I was going to utilize this amazing group of young people,” he admits. “I just wanted to celebrate them.”

Since the awards, Brand YOUth has expanded its vision to include more than mentoring and networking. The non-profit is also finding ways to lobby for political decision-making that enhances the ease of doing business. Selwyn has carefully curated a board of like-minded people to spread the notion that the private sector can change Guyana. “Brand YOUth is a think tank for robust discussions about Guyana’s future,” agrees board member and social media marketer Rosh Khan. “It’s networking that doesn’t just elevate you to the next level but also considers those who need to be elevated as well.”

But Brand YOUth didn’t emerge fully formed. It was more of a process, catalysed by Selwyn’s connectivity. Somewhere along his path from working on Wall Street to developing websites and writing a book, he started an online talk show. Conversations with Selwyn allowed him to chat to people like cricketer Clive Lloyd, fashion designer Robert Young, and Yamaha and John Deere distributor, businessman Stanley Ming – eventually recording over 500 interviews on topics of Caribbean interest.

Selwyn Collins

Selwyn Collins & the Forty honourees at Brand YOUth’s Forty Under Forty Entrepreneurial Awards.

“I look for your patriotic quotient. Do you care about giving back?”

“A lot of folks in the diaspora were condemning Guyanese youth,” he recalls. “That was not my experience. But I didn’t know how to effect change in the perception.” So he created a Sunday afternoon segment on his programme specifically for young people. It was another step along the winding path that led eventually to Brand YOUth.

Selwyn’s perspective was that Guyanese politicians had “ripped the potential of the country asunder” by polarizing people into ethnic camps. But he believed that the younger generation, like him, didn’t much care about gender, ethnicity or sexuality. What they valued was quality of life and elevating others. “I look for your patriotic quotient,” he says. “Do you care about giving back?”

And so the weaving continues today, with many strands forming the bigger picture. Indigenous-inspired fashion designer Vanda Allicock now has a platform to articulate her vision of success:

“When you are overflowing with orders, but still find time to help others.” And auto parts dealer Joshua Ramdehol can speak about getting politicians to value business sector input: “We’re not a First World country, but we can get there very quickly with the right systems and management.”

Along with the influx of new businesses and expertise that have accompanied Guyana’s energy boom, comes an expanded market for goods and services. “Entrepreneurs now have the opportunity to create a magnificent country: Guyana 2.0,” says Brand YOUth board member Rosh Khan. “And the young entrepreneur has to be the problem-solver: Look for the gaps in the market, be resourceful, invest in themselves, find complementary partners, and execute together.”

Brand YOUth could be just the type of movement that helps that process along.

A call to invest in Guyana’s SMEs

If it’s ever occurred to you that supporting a community of entrepreneurs could contribute to economic development, you would be right. It’s estimated that Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) contribute 47% of revenue to the United Kingdom’s economy. In the United States, studies show that small businesses account for 44% of U.S. economic activity.

Selwyn Collins says Brand YOUth is committed to a system of apprenticeship to formalize the mentoring relationships already in place. At some point, they’ll need the support of corporate Guyana. “We don’t have a cup to receive funding,” he says. “We are just putting the pieces together. But once we are there, I believe it will be worth their while because we want to build a factory of entrepreneurs.”

Eldonn Marks (Special Awardee) & Selwyn Collins on the Red Carpet.

Part of the audience including the Chief Whip of the Opposition, Vice Chancellor, Chief Justice, Ambassadors & high Commissioners of the ABC and UN Representative.

Nexus Hub Inc. and

the Budding Tech Ecosystem

Far from the North American centres of technological innovation, in a small country on the South American continent, a small cadre of software engineers is hunched over their devices, tapping away.

These are the certified Conversational AI (Artificial Intelligence) coders of V75 Inc. in Guyana, and in all likelihood, they’re developing the kinds of programmes that allow you to ask questions aloud of your virtual personal assistants: Where’s the closest gas station, Siri? What’s my chequing account balance, Alexa? Google, what’s the weather going to be like in Georgetown tomorrow?

Over the past few years, Guyana has been slowly developing a nascent reputation as a place to find Conversational AI specialists. That’s due, in no small part, to V75’s founder and CEO, Eldon Marks – a man occasionally referred to in his non-hierarchical business structure as the “Don” but never the “Boss”.

Marks is a 37-year-old computer scientist who specialized in AI while doing his Master’s at Howard University and has now pulled together a team of specialists who’ve worked on AI projects for big clients such as Barclays, Wells Fargo and PAS Cargo Services.

Somewhat against the tide (and the financial temptation of larger North American pay cheques), Marks returned to Guyana to work and impart his knowledge. He taught at the University of Guyana and, with some his students, assembled a team of developers who found a few international clients to keep them in business at home. “I never had in my mind that I wanted to venture off to greener pastures,” says Marks. “I was more inclined to be part of something that was developing.”

The market for AI in Guyana, and the rest of the Caribbean, still hasn’t taken off: The region’s banks have so far preferred the lowest rung of automated responses known as chatbots, and

Most of the V75 team, comprising full-time employees, apprentices and interns.

Guyana’s Eldon Marks is driving a community of Conversational AI specialists.

other potential users like telecom companies have found the technology too expensive. But V75 has formed an important partnership with a Conversational AI company called Clinc out of Michigan.

In fact, Clinc was so impressed while training a few Guyanese developers that the company ditched its other development teams and let them drive a project to create an in-car experience for automaker Ford. (It enabled drivers to use voice commands to set the cruise control or ask what a light on the dashboard meant.)

“Clinc dropped partners, even Americans who had exposure,” says computer scientist Asa Brouet, who was at the time, one of the developers on the Ford project. “Because they couldn’t be at the same level as we were.”

Since partnering with Clinc, V75 has developed Conversational AI experiences used by over 25 million people, worldwide. And 25 young Guyanese have been trained in Conversational AI. They are the backbone of a fledgling tech ecosystem that hopes to find a regional market while working in a global one.

“By creating a space that retains and engages the talent, we were able to train 25 bright young minds as Certified Conversational AI specialists. They’re all still in Guyana.”

Eldon Marks

Social impact

Eldon Marks considers himself a social entrepreneur, who prefers sharing information rather than keeping it confined in little silos. Around 2015, he and fellow Guyanese computer scientists like Asa Brouet (now V75 Inc’s Chief Technology Officer), started visiting schools on Saturday mornings to teach crash courses on app development. “The students were excited,” recalls Brouet. “It allowed us to impart knowledge to others, especially to people still deciding what they wanted to do.”

From there, in the hope of encouraging the development of a tech ecosystem in Guyana, they formed a non-profit called NeXus Hub Inc. The network fosters the type of collaboration and innovation that can lead to jobs and economic growth. It arranges funded apprenticeships for young developers and hosts an annual adapted hackathon where teams of coders collaborate instead of compete to solve social issues using technology.

The NeXus Hub Inc. website admits that Guyana’s tech industry “is not currently in a state to reliably contribute to job creation or economic growth in the country.” But with the right tech culture, perhaps… “The only reason I’m doing this is to create opportunities,” says Marks. “Guyana was chockful of untapped potential with very few outlets.”

Today, he speaks about aggressively retaining talented individuals who might become national decision makers capable of vaulting Guyana into a globally competitive future. “Globalization is upon us. But we’ve struck oil and there are fundamental systems yet to be implemented in Guyana. I don’t know if it’s the fact that the generation still in power is not yet fully aware of how the world has changed around them.”

At V75 Inc., there is a culture of mentorship and open knowledge exchange. The active work environment is also a valuable teaching environment where V75 raises its talent.

The advantage of sharing knowledge and building a community is already becoming apparent. NeXus Hub Inc. has garnered attention among global tech entrepreneurs with social consciences and the relative cost of Guyana’s talent. “Our exposure is much better than it was five years ago,” notes Asa Brouet. “They know what we have to offer, what we stand for. We’re getting a lot more traction, even within the Caribbean.”

What is

Conversational AI?

Ever asked Siri to set a timer, or told Alexa to play a song? Well then, you’re familiar with Conversational AI, or Artificial Intelligence. It’s the voice-recognition software behind the virtual assistants who live in your smartphone and other internet-connected devices.

Conversational AI is especially popular with banks and the financial technology or fintech sector, and is also being used in vehicles, shipping and other sectors. It allows you to ask your banking app how much you spent on your credit card last night or tell your vehicle to turn up the AC on a sweltering day.

Using algorithms and vast troves of data, it has the ability to learn – accurately interpreting different

accents, slang, and context. It can respond to voice requests by searching troves of data and crunching numbers to give you an answer about, for example, the effect of a reduction in your mortgage interest rate.

It is also “infinitely scalable”, which means it can respond to any number of requests. So a company no longer has to hire more customer service representatives, or any at all. Asked whether AI has the potential to cause job losses, Marks responds with an industry stat: Less than 5% of jobs are fully automatable.

He says the technology is not at the level to replace humans, but to augment what we do. And just look at V75, where jobs are actually being created. “There are cases where companies are looking to shift call centre spaces from rooms full of human agents to AI agents,” admits Marks, “but they are also repurposing human operatives to other areas of the company that need human beings.”

Building Female Capital

How the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry Guyana is charting a course for women in business.

When the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry Guyana (WCCIG) officially launched in November 2019, it was an exciting time. It’s founders Lyndell Danzie-Black and Kerensa GravesandeBart felt the time was ripe for a business organisation dedicated to the advancement of women, especially women in business.

Guyana had just emerged as a shining gem in South America and the Caribbean, riding on the waves of several oil discoveries dating back to 2015. The new oil economy was expected to generate opportunities for supporting industries and local businesses - especially small businesses - were encouraged to capitalise on the additional demand for transportation, housing, entertainment, food etc.

In December 2019, the WCCIG Board members engaged in a strategic planning session to chart a course for the organisation, the key objective being, to contribute to the empowerment of women in business by providing education, leadership, networking and advocacy as enablers to successfully launching and growing their businesses.

Then came the March 2020 elections and Covid-19 – a double whammy that stymied the WCCIG’s plans for several months as the country simultaneously went into lockdown and political uncertainty.

According to the World Bank, Covid-19 threatens gains in human capital by exposing weaknesses in health, education and social services. During a live online panel discussion in an October 2020 World Bank meeting, Melinda Gates of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation noted that women and girls are being disproportionately affected, through “shadow pandemics” such as domestic violence, maternal mortality, job loss and the increased burden of unpaid labour such as taking care of children, the home and the elderly.

Post Launch Initiatives

Recognising that it was a trying time for its membership, the WCCIG Board took a decision to waive fees until August of 2020 as the first show of support to its small but growing membership. The Board also decided to implement educational initiatives which could be facilitated by the new way of doing business – online.

Within the past year, the WCCIG organised several webinars aimed at the development of our human capital. These webinars covered topics such as staying afloat in times of crisis; dealing with anxiety; opportunities for innovation in the digital space; public speaking; and access to financing. The latter webinar was held following a simple needs assessment survey of membership which revealed that access to finance, especially in the context of Covid-19, was a major issue for women in business.

The webinar brought together resource persons from banking, micro-lending, and grant funding who were able to provide useful information to participants on what kind of funding they could access and what were the prerequisites for such funding.

Apart from the webinar series, the WCCIG used its Facebook page to showcase a number of inspirational women in its Fearless Females series and Career series, with the aim of inspiring women and girls to stay the course while at the same time fostering support and mentorship.

Gathering steam by March 2021, the organisation then hosted a successful inaugural Women and Girls Summit in commemoration of International Women’s Day 2021, during which it launched the Youth Arm to attract female entrepreneurs under the age of 20. This was in response to the number of youth businesses launched during the Covid lockdown that could benefit from the Chamber’s programmes.

The WCCIG saw the need for advocacy and lent their voice to the public outcry against the rising reports of domestic violence; child abuse; rape; murder and character assassination. A membership WhatsApp group was created to facilitate communication, networking and referrals. Around the same time the group gained added recognition when four members were

invited into the Cherie Blair Foundation Mentorship Programme for Women Entrepreneurs.

In July 2021, the WCCIG announced a partnership with the InterAmerican Development Bank through Arizona State University Thunderbird School of Business, to implement the WE2A programme in Guyana. WE3A seeks to promote the growth and resilience of women led/owned small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with a special focus on Women SMEs (WSMEs) that are tapping to value chains and STEM based WSMEs.

Co-Founder Danzie-Black noted that the programme will help the Chamber achieve its goal of helping women start and grow their businesses, moving them towards economic independence.

One of the major issues affecting women during the pandemic is the growing rate of crime against women. Yet globally, there isn’t much being done to address this issue as COVID-19 relief has taken centre stage over CSR projects targeting Women Empowerment and Education. We identify gender equality as a great CSR opportunity, however in promoting gender equality we need to clearly focus on the same equality of opportunities, outcomes, rights and obligations as men. One way in which CSR programmes could contribute to women empowerment is to ensure women-inclusive participation in the workplace, placing them in positions of power and reducing the gender wage gap. We encourage corporate citizens to contact the WCCIG to discuss our projects and opportunities to collaborate on your CSR projects in Guyana.

Other projects in the pipeline include a Women Labour Participation Report; promoting the WCCIG Youth Arm; and an entrepreneurial ecosystem stakeholder mapping report. The organisation has also requested an audience with the Guyana Government to discuss ideas for local content policy.

The current members of the Board of directors are: www.wcciguyana.com

Jennifer

Lyndell d anzie-Black – Founder & Managing Director, Cerulean Inc and Co-Creator, 25 Influential Women Leaders Awardee

Kerensa Gravesande-Bart – Founder & CEO, Strategic Recruitment Solutions

Sherry Ann d ixon – Award Winning International Transformational Coach and Founder/Manager, Mercury Consultants

Cipriani – Founder, Acme Marketing Consultancy and Partner, Reliable Automotive Service Rowena e lliot – Community Sales Manager, Regus Christine Camacho – Founder/CEO, Camsol Business Support

Latoya Jack – Founder/CEO, Kronoco Safety Solutions

Is T&T Missing an AI Opportunity?

PhD Student Matthew Parris calls out from the dungeon.

Matthew Parris remains undaunted. He has always been fearless and full of an awesome ‘Bible-sized’ faith, with which he throws himself blindly out into the world, believing that the world is a great big heart, which beats with possibility and the future...

It is dawn in Buckinghamshire, England and PhD student Matthew Parris descends into the “Dungeon” (the computer lab) at the University of Buckingham with a small container of food. He’s packed his breakfast/lunch because he’ll be in the lab for most of the day and night (without a distracting wifi connection to the outside world), feeding scores of video files into a computer that, if all goes well, will ultimately learn the tell-tale signs of violent behaviour, in order to ensure that intervention can happen before anyone is assaulted and hurt.

Matthew Parris, in Buckingham, England

Matthew is a PhD a candidate in Artificial Intelligence for Security Applications and his doctoral thesis involves the design of intelligent software intended to foresee criminal acts. While trying not to divulge too many specifics about his research, he explains that acts of violence – stabbing, shooting, punching –are often/always preceded by a series of actions that make the acts predictable.

“A fight scene has specific characteristics,” says Matthew, in a telephone interview from England, during a moment when he’s surfaced for air. “There’s a start, middle and end to every activity class: beating, fighting, stabbing, shooting. There are specific characteristics that define that activity and multiple ways it can be performed.” By inputting millions of video frames and instructing a computer to recognise violence at the “start”, you could end up with a crime predictor. When something can be predicted, it can theoretically be stopped.

Matthew grew up in Petit Valley/Diego Martin, interested in computing and robotics from childhood. His television mentors were naturalist David Attenborough and Bill Nye the Science Guy (perhaps explaining that a computer can add 120,000 numbers in the time it takes a hummingbird to flap its wings just once). As a mere boy, he built a go-cart intended to run on battery power, but he didn’t have a battery. “All I had was a power cord” and so “It would only go the distance from the plug”

Matt comes from hard-working, ‘roots’ folk – those who own none of the world’s resources but own all of its spirit. Folks who live with a fierce, back-strengthening faith. A devotee of cricket and football, he recalls being picked for a Junior West Indies Team while he was still in secondary school There was just one big obstacle – money. He couldn’t afford to attend the try-outs. “My mum”, he says, “is gifted in the kitchen. There is little she can’t or won’t do. She made tamarind balls, sold barbecue after barbecue, and sought support from others to get me there. But it just wasn’t enough and in fairness, she returned the money ‘to those kind people who did dip in their pockets”.

He undertook his tertiary education at English universities, first at London Metropolitan, doing a Bachelor’s of Science, and then onto Anglia Ruskin for a Master’s in Cyber Security. In 2018, with savings he thought sufficient to take him through his PhD and a “souped-up” Macintosh computer, he set out on an arduous

doctoral journey. He was presented with an acknowledgment token in the first three months of study for obtaining one of the highest grades in the development of an A.I. Simulation. His capability is unquestioned.

But today there are echoes of not making the cricket team as he finds himself struggling to make tuition and board. Matthew very soon realised that he didn’t have near enough money to meet the daunting costs. “I came with all of my savings, but I watched that money disappear as though it were thrown on a fire”. He sought employment and, given his background and research area, companies were interested in hiring him. He, however, always fell at the final hurdle because his student visa prohibits full-time employment. On the matter of his ‘souped up’ computer, his lecturers were plain: ‘This machine is not going to work’. It has worked, however, to this point, well beyond the halfway mark of the PhD, but it can carry him no further.

Yet Matthew kept at it, fully believing in the real-world applications of his research, working cheek by jowl in The Dungeon with other international students who were wrestling with their own funding shortfalls while also trying to concentrate on the work at hand.

It’s a slippery slope. Seen from the ground, the distance between the people who have and those who have to live without could as well be Mt. Everest. Along the way, our societies lose many demoralised, talented youths who, at one time or another bravely, attempted to climb that mountain.

Matthew Parris remains undaunted. He has always been fearless and full of an awesome ‘Bible-sized’ faith, with which he throws himself blindly out into the world, believing that the world is a great big heart, which beats with possibility and the future. Time and time again, Matthew Parris has had to bridge the gap between his outsized talents and the hole in his pocket.

What can make a difference? How can T&T help a computer scientist and native son, who has undertaken the requisite research work and is willing to bring his solutions and services to our nation and the region, in order to alleviate our security woes? Financial support for the cost of the TPU processing computer, which is what Matthew needs, is £4,000. His tuition fee for one year is £12,000.

Matt has just a year and a half left to reach the PhD finish line. That line is so ‘tantalizingly close!’ His TOTAL financial need is therefore: £22,000.

University officials have come to know Matthew well, as he exhausts every possible avenue for funding. “Not becoming a pest,” he says, “but looking for a solution.” They’ve provided “sustenance” when he needed it most during the height of the COVID lockdowns, not just for him but for other international students in similar circumstances. He has exhausted his funds and has even tried the GoFundMe option.

“What motivates me is that I am doing this for my mum, for my Caribbean people, for the betterment of humanity,” he says. “I have gotten this far, and I will get there”.

Matthew has put the Caribbean on the very cutting edge of Global Technology, and he can cross the Rubicon only if we can push him over the tipping point. It is the power of the collective that has worked for the region over the centuries, and it is what is needed now – not just for Matthew but for all of the brilliant young minds who don’t have a gold spoon - or a guava stick to hold on. Instead, they hang on to the dream that help will come – in the nick of time.

How Crime Prediction AI Would Work

Let’s say that someone in public is going to shoot someone else. If there were cameras monitoring the area, and Artificially Intelligent crime prediction software running behind that video, that software could conceivably alert law enforcement to intervene before the violent act was committed.

Matthew explains that this is possible by uploading thousands of videos of non-violent acts that are then compared with thousands more violent acts. “Our mobile phones and the Internet of things is creating a lot of data. And in England, there are loads of cameras.”

This is the data he is wrestling with on a machine ill-equipped for the task. His research, of course, is a model that would have to be adapted for actual law enforcement application. “I don’t want to say I’m Superman and I’m going to solve the world’s problems. But once I can complete this course of study, I can move on to the Real World.”

It is his intention to ensure that the Caribbean islands stay in step with the cutting edge of global AI technology and that, when that technology is deployed, a native son this time will be the one at the console. Matt thinks it’s the job of young people everywhere to leap – but he also knows very intimately that they need a community for lift-off.

Matthew Parris is scheduled to be awarded a PhD degree in May of 2023 in A.I. Automated Recognition of Suspicious Activities.

PhD student Matthew Parris can be reached at +44 7795 223776 or by email at: mmgp0@hotmail.com

The Health Factor in Developing Human Capital

The Link between Health Care and Sustainable Economic Reward

“In any sector, employees who enjoy greater health, job satisfaction, and mental well-being are more inclined to perform better and with greater effort, in a way that is more efficient and sustainable for future growth” ...

While human capital is often defined as the economic value of the skills, knowledge and experience of a population, a key aspect is often overlooked and placed at the bottom of the priority list when it comes to boosting human capital, and that is health. Commonly, as it pertains to human capital, when companies want increased productivity, and therefore economic growth, they invest firstly in training and education for their workers. Similarly, some governments recognise the link between the economy and human capital and provide free or subsidised access to higher education, as often further education leads to higher salaries which in turn leads to a greater disposable income to stimulate the economy.

In recent years there has been a shift in the understanding that good physical and mental health and well-being is also a significant factor in the development of human capital and therefore more inclusive, productive societies. Studies have shown that investments in health from the early stages of life, especially when sustained throughout the life course, is key in the creation of the foundation for sustainable economic growth and competitiveness of nations.1 However, based on a 2017 report by the World Health Organisation, at least half of the world’s population is still without access to essential health services. Discussing the findings of this report, the then World

by Saarah Khan

Bank Group President, Dr Jim Yong Kim, indicated a need for a radical change in the way that resources are mobilised and utilised with respect to health and human capital at the country level.

Need for resilient public health systems

According to the findings of the World Bank’s Human Capital Index (HCI) 2020, although the Latin American and Caribbean region has improved the human capital outcomes, since the HCI’s launch, to ensure continued advancement and overcome the difficulties presented by the COVID-19 Pandemic, nations will need to build resilient public health systems, as a major step forward. The 3rd Annual Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Financial Forum in 2018, estimated that essential health services cost approximately US$90 per person per year. Regionally, only 3.8% of GDP, on average, is spent on public health care.2

It is clear, therefore, that the funding towards the health sector needs to increase, however attention should also be given to the allocation and efficiency of use of funds. This can be achieved through innovative partnerships with the private sector along with innovations in technology and new approaches to organisational systems and thinking. For example, in 2016, by utilising a partnership with a private sector robotics company

1. Building human capital starts with health. (2018). https://blogs.worldbank.org/ health/building-human-capital-starts-health 2. Human Capital Index. (2020). https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/humancapital#Index

called Zipline, Rwanda became the first country incorporate drone technology into its health care system, by delivering blood packs aerially to hospitals.3 This was previously done via road transportation, making it difficult to transport quickly to rural areas. This procedure has been adapted by many other countries, most recently to deliver personal protective equipment (PPE) and vaccines with the advent of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Health equity

A joint report by the WHO, World Bank Group (WBG) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), emphasised the need for a collaborative effort between governments, health care services and providers, and everyday citizens to ultimately strengthen the quality of care available. A whole-of-government approach across multiple sectors of society, such as governmental ministries, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), private sector companies, etc. is required to improve population health and health equity, as there is a relationship between how these elements affect health outcomes. This can be observed in the transformation of Turkey’s health care system over the last two decades. The Turkish government utilised a public-private partnership, with financial and technical support from international NGOs and other subsequent inventors, to improve legislation and regulation and upgrade infrastructure and technology across the whole health care sector. Thereby also encouraging economic growth through the subsequent increase in private hospitals, complementary specialised services, job opportunities, etc. As a result of this initiative, healthcare access for the population increased to 98%.4

When we think of investment in the health care sector, the first thought generally involves infrastructure or capacity – i.e., more hospitals, health centres, doctors, nurses etc. While these are important, a holistic examination of the system will help assess the best type of investment for the most valuable returns. Access to service does not automatically guarantee the quality of care necessary to ensure optimal development. For example, instead of increasing the number of hospitals or clinics, perhaps it is better to assess the needs of a community to better provide services in the existing centres. This can have a profound impact

on not only the reactive measures provided in health care but also the proactive and preventative measures available to the population.

Caring for the caregivers

Wellness centres and programmes can be a key investment in health care, as they can provide communities with health services for both the body and the mind, providing mental health care services with access to counselling and psychologists, physical fitness classes and facilities, physical therapy and chiropractic services, dieticians, and nutritionists, etc. They can provide patients with activities and educational programmes that address the behavioural changes which can aid in treatment of an ailment, as opposed to only medication as a treatment option and can even highlight the preventative measures that can be taken to prevent and prolong development of a disease, such as nutrition and exercise information and facilities. They can also be a key resource for communities which may not otherwise have access to these services, such as the St Joseph Enhanced Health Centre in Trinidad and Tobago, which in addition to its regular clinic services, has on-site nutritionists and a gym facility.

These types of wellness programmes do not only apply to patients, but to the doctors, nurses and other health care staff that work tirelessly and often thanklessly in these positions. The hospital and health care environment is emotionally and mentally taxing, even more so since the pandemic. Health care workers have been asked to perform at superhuman levels, and while precautions have been taken to protect their physical health, little regard has been given to the toll this would take on their mental health. In any sector, employees who enjoy greater health, job satisfaction, and mental well-being are more inclined to perform better and with greater effort, in a way that is more efficient and sustainable for future growth.

In Trinidad and Tobago, many doctors and health care staff are contract workers, and therefore do not have access to benefits, like pension plans and the very health care services that they provide. Providing health care staff with benefits outside of monetary gains, such as on-site childcare, cafeterias or catering

3. Using drones to deliver blood in Rwanda. (2016). https://www.bbc.com/news/av/business-47631709

4. Turkey: Transforming Health Care for All. (2018). https://www.worldbank.org/en/about/partners/brief/turkey-transforming-health-care-for-all

services, access to mental health programmes and services, to name just a few, will have a great effect on the quality of service provided to patients. The Toronto East General Hospital in Canada launched its wellness programme in 2004, with an on-site fitness facility, including a physiotherapist, mental health professionals and services, employee assistance programmes and education programmes specifically designed for hospital staff to ensure they are at their optimal physical, mental, and emotional health levels. This facility has since received multiple awards which showcase its improvement to the health care providers’ quality of work life and the quality of care and service that they provide.

Health and education

The link between health and education is an important one and health education campaigns are a vital part of increasing the human capital and positive health outcomes in a population. Health education can equip individuals and communities to improve their quality of life, by improving physical, mental, emotional health, through increasing knowledge and influencing behavioural changes, to prevent communicable and noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and illnesses. The benefits of a successful health education campaign can positively affect

communities for generations, and across multiple sectors of industry and segments of society and can be especially beneficial in rural communities. A study conducted in Jamaica, showed that the simple initiative of health workers in the community teaching parenting skills to the citizens can boost the income in that community by 25% over two decades.5 Similarly, the intense health campaign undertaken in Poland, which was first in the world in cigarette consumption with high rates of lung cancer and heart disease, with lung cancer being the main cause of death in males younger than 656, has been successful. The changes in the smoking behaviour and cigarette consumption have shown a significant improvement in the health of the Polish population, with the proportion of male smokers decreasing from 65% to 28% and from 32% to 18% for women, and lung cancer as the cause of death in males, dropping from 71.1 to 56.2 in every 100,0007

It is becoming increasingly evident that countries will find it difficult to compete in a global economy without a healthy, educated, and resilient population. While infrastructure or tangible investments may see quicker returns in the short term, investing in health systems that ensure access to quality affordable health care, will ultimately shape a thriving population that will generate sustainable gains over multiple generations.

5. Gertler, P., Heckman, J., Pinto, R., Zanolini, A., Vermeersch, C., & Walker, S. et al. (2014). Labor market returns to an early childhood stimulation intervention in Jamaica. Science, 344(6187), 998-1001. doi: 10.1126/science.1251178

6. Poland: Anti-Smoking Campaign Targets World’s Heaviest Smokers. (1997). https://www.rferl.org/a/1084778.html

7. Jassem, J., Przewoźniak, K., & Zatoński, W. (2014). Tobacco control in Poland—successes and challenges. https://tlcr.amegroups.com/article/view/3148/3751

CSR CONTRIBuTORS

by Eldon Marks, Founder & CEO, V75 Inc.

AI Automation, Human Resourcing and the Future

“It is our developing status within the region, particularly with regard to technological adoption, that presents a unique advantage. It affords us more time to prepare for the impacts of automation on human resourcing. In our preparation, we must, however, recognise that our position in this globalized world grants us a prime vantage point to look outwards into our future, engage and learn from more developed economies, and leapfrog in our regional development.” …

Innovation, automation and labour displacement have been occurring in cycles since the first industrial revolution. Three centuries later, we now face our fourth iteration (the 4IR), but it is far different this time around. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Information Age have changed the rate of emergence of newer jobs and the decline of older jobs, a rate which is causing some degree of concern about what the future of work will look like. In this article we take a journey into understanding AI, the cycle of innovation and resourcing through the ages, a data-driven view of AI automation on industries and the unique advantage we have in the region to prepare ourselves for the 4IR.

The promise of AI

When broken down, AI can be thought of as a collection of data and “tools”, which when combined, can produce even more sophisticated tools which process information in interesting ways. Technically speaking, AI is a branch of computing encompassing algorithms, models and datasets, which are architected to emulate or surpass the way humans process information. These tasks include but are not limited to interpreting visual information,

natural language understanding and synthesizing new information with phenomenal efficiency.

Over the last few years, the typical AI stack (a combination of “tools” used to build AI applications), has evolved into one that is more complex and capable of deep learning and reinforcement learning. What this means is that in addition to being able to teach these algorithms and models to perform human-level tasks well, they are also able to teach themselves at a superhuman pace. This makes this modern AI stack extraordinarily powerful.

With this extraordinarily powerful AI stack, we see real-world examples of AI making promising contributions to modern science. One such example is augmenting the diagnostic capabilities of medical doctors in detecting the presence and spread of cancer and tumors and predicting heart attacks. Simply by being fed labeled training data in the form of patient scans, these AI models are able to visually pick up on the most subtle abnormalities that typically escape human eyes and make inferences based on large, detailed datasets which are beyond the processing capabilities of your typical human MD. We see AI in self-driving cars significantly reduce the likelihood of traffic collisions because they never get tired, drive drunk or fail to respond in time. With these advances alone, it is safe to say that AI has the potential to save millions of lives.

Our method of interfacing with services online, in our home or over the phone has been transformed by AI based systems like chatbots, virtual assistants and virtual assistant-powered Internet of things (IoT) devices. We are now even closer to commonplace

Photo by Tara Winstead from Pexels

“human in the room” type conversations with machines that take our drive-thru orders, answer our frequently asked questions, manage our banking transactions and personal finances and more. Conversational AI makes this possible and with further advances in the field, we won’t be able to tell the difference between interacting with humans or machines, whether online, through IoT devices in our homes or over the phone.

Concerns of Growing AI Capability

These promising advances in AI are all happening at such a rapid pace as we approach artificial general intelligence, where AI becomes more capable of learning and mastering just about anything a human can. Although we are several years away from this eventuality, we should however, ensure that we recognise how important it is to approach this future with ample preparation and strategy.

Even now, there are growing concerns with regards to the state of our preparedness to face the evolving implications of AI in this, our information age. Central to these concerns is the reality that our physical world, quite frankly, depends on, and is intertwined with this digital one that we’ve built using the same stuff that AI so masterfully manipulates - data.

Among the significant objects of our concerns related to AIbased innovation such as data privacy and data legitimacy is the potential threat to human resourcing in the future of AI automation.

AI Automation and the Job Market

Thanks to AI automation, we are experiencing increased rates of innovation, productivity gains and resourcing in this, our fourth industrial revolution (4IR) era. To understand why this is different in the 4IR and properly place AI automation and the job market into perspective, we need to understand the cycle of innovation, productivity and resourcing over the ages.

Before the first industrial revolution, history tells us that we were predominantly farmers in an agrarian and handicraft era. Harnessing the power of steam shifted us into our first industrial revolution which lasted from the 18th to the mid 19th century. Automation started here where we innovated machines which were no longer powered by man, but by steam. The advent of electric power brought us into the second industrial revolution during the mid 19th - 20th century and gave way to internal combustion engines, electric motors, telephones and radio, among other advancements. It was our shift to the third industrial revolution which ushered in what we currently refer to as the Information Age. During the early periods of the Information Age, electronics, information technology and the Internet influenced the rapid increase in the rate of technological innovation and notable leaps in productivity levels. As innovations continued apace, the field of computing saw advancements in processing capability as well as practical applications of Artificial Intelligence. AI and AI-based automation characterizes our fourth and current industrial revolution (the 4IR).

What we see is that over the ages, we have incrementally discovered newer and more improved ways of doing things which require less resources including human labour. As part of this process, we cyclically underwent rounds of transformative innovation which included some degree of automation and gains in productivity. With each round of innovation and the elevated productivity that came with it, we altered our reliance on older, more manual jobs and these would either be adapted or became obsolete altogether. During these shifts, however, there would be newer and better jobs which would be created for the next generation of workers based on newer technologies. The abundance of newer and better jobs mitigated the degree of disruption created in the wake of the waning need for older jobs. This was maintained primarily because the rate of innovation and increases in productivity (where we would do more with less) was relatively sustainable. At the start of the Information Age, however, older jobs became obsolete at a faster pace than the creation of newer and better jobs. The rate of innovation assumed a different pace and we began requiring less resources, human and other, to do more in less time. To illustrate this, it has been recorded that in 1979, before improvements in business and personal computing power began their influence, General Motors employed more than 800,000 workers and made 11B

USD. In contrast, however, Google, by 2012, made 14B USD with a workforce of just 58,000 employees.

In this most recent leg of our current industrial revolution we are bound to experience increases in the automation potential of existing occupations as advances in computing continue to occur at its current pace. This observation has contributed to concerns about disruptions in the labour market, raising worrisome questions about the negative disruption automation may have on the labour market. A study by the US Bureau of Labour Statistics depicts an empirical view of the automation potential of occupations. The data gathered suggest that less than 5% of occupations are fully automatable at present; however, 60% of occupations have at least 30% of their activities that may be automated through the application of technology. The fully automatable activities fall under predictable physical activities, data processing and data collection. Added to the reality that the adoption of automated methods is subject to technical, economic and social feasibility, the anticipated transition towards fully realising the automation potential of occupations is likely to take some time. In spite of this, the progression is underway and it would be prudent to implement creative ways of adapting to our inevitable future.

Our Regional Advantage and Preparing for the Future

From a regional perspective, we possess a different profile of technical, economic and social factors which ultimately grants us a slower pace of adoption of automated methods compared to the more developed world. It is our developing status within the region, particularly with regard to technological adoption, that presents a unique advantage. It affords us more time to prepare for the impacts of automation on human resourcing. In our preparation we must, however, recognise that our position in this globalized world grants us a prime vantage point to look outwards into our future, engage and learn from more developed economies, and leapfrog in our regional development.

When we look outwards, we can take note that new, innovative industries born within this Information Age, present the greatest opportunities for the creation of new occupations with low automation potential and a high relevance in the future of

work. Google is a prime example of how new and innovative technology-driven industries can be created and contribute to the creation of these new occupations. What began as an Internet search engine evolved into a technology conglomerate employing over 135,000 persons as of 2020 and spanning a diverse array of industries including AI, robotics, consumer electronics, telecommunications, life sciences and healthcare, to name a few. Other notable innovative industries include game development and extended reality (XR), which are set to gross over 268 billion USD and 393 billion USD by 2025, respectively (according to Statista).

To begin our leapfrog and strategically prepare for the future of work within the region, it is imperative that we recognise the importance of innovative, technology-driven industries and work towards upskilling our human capital to export technology related services and products as we seed new innovative industries of our own.

Eldon Marks is the CEO of V75 Inc and the Founding Director of NeXus Hub Inc. He is a former lecturer of the University of Guyana, a tech entrepreneur and innovator who is on a personal mission to create enabling environments for tech innovation and tech industry growth in Guyana. Email Eldon at: eldon.marks@v75inc.com

Beyond Business as Usual Leading the transformation

by Axel Kravatzky

Part 1 of 3 in the Purpose with Profit Series by Axel Kravatzky

Those who are anxious to get back to business as before without changing their core practices might be in for a shock. The economy, and the society are experiencing a forced overhaul says business consultant Axel Kravatzky. Business, private sector and government must place Nature at the centre with profit being derived and driven from purpose. This is the start of a series to reset business thinking.

July 29 was Earth Overshoot Day, the day by which we will have used up all of earth’s ecological resources and services for 2021. We are over budget. We are living in a way that will prevent our children and their children from satisfying their needs. For the past 50 years and from wanton depletion, we have been living beyond our means.

According to the Global Footprint Network, the world needs 1.6 to 1.73 worlds to satisfy current consumption patterns. For Trinidad & Tobago specifically, the calculated ecological footprint in 2016 in terms of earths required is 8.1. For Barbados 3.7, Antigua & Barbuda 4.3, Jamaica 1.8, USA 5.03, UK 2.63.

Not only is the ecological footprint (resource consumption) unsustainable (beyond the biocapacity of the earth), so are the consequences we are creating. Earth is projected to continue warming beyond what has been deemed acceptable. Biodiversity and other ecosystem elements that life depends on are diminishing rapidly. Huge inequalities, and social ills are evident and growing.

It’s not new or a surprise – but this time could be different

Scientists have been saying it for at least 50 years. They warned that our environmental impact would result in pandemics caused by viruses from animal populations jumping into human populations. This has now happened (again) in a way that affects us all. Global warming and pollution are escalating, and biodiversity is being lost at a dramatic rate. Weather patterns will continue to change with massive consequences.

The past 1.5 years of pandemic have not only caused incredible loss of life and hardships but brought two underlying and related factors into plain sight:

• Our current socio-economic systems are not, as a whole, producing the results we want. Deep and institutionalized inequalities, including huge levels of poverty, are visible and increasing. Higher levels of crime are just symptoms. In some instances, we are barely holding things together, and politicians breathe sighs of relief if people are not rioting. (At the time of writing, riots have broken out in Cuba and South Africa this week.)

• We are currently actively destroying the very basis on which our present and future wellbeing dependsNature. In 22 years, between 1992 and 2014, we have increased human capital per person by 13% globally, but the stock of natural capital per person has declined by 40%.

Blackrock, the world’s largest investment firm, has changed tack. It is clear to them that all is at stake. You cannot diversify out of the risk anymore. They are calling on all their portfolio firms to now deliver more than profits; deliver their purpose.

How not to waste a crisis

The pandemic is far from over. But those parts of the world where vaccines are available and administered to a sufficiently large part of population - soon this will include T&T – will be able to open up again. And here is the inclement danger, back to business-as-usual, but it does not have to be like that.

There are signs of hope. At a global level there are now massive movements of reform that are gathering steam. At the local level, there are some individuals and organisations who are seeking to lead through action, but collectively the process probably has not yet started in earnest because alignment with nature is not yet a fundamental priority.

The Purpose Economy

We are part of Nature. Nature is not separate and external to us. This is a principle that should be core to education systems, not now being discovered in boardrooms and corporations.

Every organisation should identify, articulate, and be held accountable for creating profitable solutions to meaningful problems of people and planet in a way that contributes and

advances the long-term wellbeing of all. All organisations must ensure, and be held accountable, to not gain from creating harm for people or planet.

To this end, governing bodies of all organisations need to first establish and then assure themselves that the organisations they govern are staying within these parameters, and relevant stakeholders need to be able assure themselves and hold organisations to account.

The transition to a purpose economy, a nature-positive economy, will create new opportunities and challenges for all sectors of society – corporate, government, and civil society. All three sectors are necessary for the social system and its components to function. Each one of us, every organisation, can and will need to ensure that we are not consuming more than Nature can supply and that our actions are regenerating and increasing the supply that Nature has to offer.

Minimizing harm is not enough – and that is not where the opportunities are. The opportunity is in finding profitable solutions to problems and thereby create diversified and resilient economies, societies, and Nature. What is required is innovation; not innovation to maintain the status quo.

In this way, we can transform our socio-economic system where our engagement with Nature is sustainable but also produce the wellbeing results we are seeking, today and in the future.

Dr Axel Kravatzky is managing partner of Syntegra-ESG LLC, vice-chair of ISO/TC309 Governance of organisations, and the co-convenor and editor of ISO 37000 Governance of organisations – Guidance.

Disclaimer: the views presented are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of any of the organisations he is associated with. Comments and feedback that further the regional dialogue are welcome at axel.kravatzky@syntegra-esg.com

CSR CONTRIBuTORS

by Jarrel De Matas

Resilience and Investment Profitability

The commonsense of adopting an ESG approach to business

to an ESG framework means you are future-proofing your business”~

Javier Rodríguez Soler

2020 was a year of disruption. Between the COVID-19 pandemic affecting local and global economics, a racial reckoning in the US that caused the world to take note of diversity, inclusion, and equity, and the exacerbated climate crisis which is no longer changing, but has changed, it’s safe to say that 2020 taught us to do things differently. Although the pandemic may not have created the current economic downturn, it certainly intensified the effects of a downward spiraling global economy. Trinidad and Tobago’s energy sector, for example, was already headed for an economic downturn as signaled by the consistently plummeting price of oil and natural gas from 2018 onwards.

In 2018 BC (Before COVID), Nouriel Roubini and Brunello Rosa predicted that “by 2020, the conditions will be ripe for a financial crisis, followed by a global recession” (The Guardian). Roubini and Rosa did not predict the pandemic, however, which served to exacerbate predictions of a recession to the extent where, according to a World Bank report, the global economy experienced the most severe economic collapse since the Second World War.

The sharp economic downturn compelled the corporate world to pivot their operational strategies away from traditional investment strategies and toward more pressing and sustainable issues. Enter the ESG approach. The Environment, Social, and Governance (ESG) approach to business and finance management places data related to environmental, societal, and governance policies at the forefront of investment strategies. Integrating ESG criteria

into Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes takes a holistic approach to sustainability by reinforcing the view that environmental and social issues together with good governance must drive business industry.

Weathering the Covid-19 Storm

Now more than ever, with extreme levels of uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and a worsening climate crisis, information related to a company’s carbon footprint, diversity policies, and employment practices will prove crucial to how well such a company is able to weather unexpected changes brought on by an economic downturn. As it concerns the postpandemic future where matters related to employee safety will become paramount, and as it concerns the nature of our present climate crisis where energy transitions will inform global policy, we can expect that there will be increased attention to CSR programmes that take up issues affecting the environment, society, and governance.

Investors are already placing pressure on companies to adopt ESG-related criteria. The 2020 EY Climate Change and Sustainability Services (CCaSS) Institutional Investor survey found that of the 98% of investors who assess ESG, 72% answered to carrying out a review of ESG performance – more than double the figure of 32%, as revealed in a previous iteration of the survey conducted in 2018. What we have, therefore, is a different approach to investment which is driven by environmental, social, and global governance pressures.

“Adhering

In addition to emphasizing a relatively new model for asset management – the ESG approach – BBVA USA President Javier Rodríguez Soler also directs attention to the ability of the model to safeguarding the future of business investment. A company’s ability to utilize effective corporate governance strategies to manage the impact of crisis brought on by changes to the environment and the society will determine their resilience over the long term. Recent S&P Global Market Intelligence reports have shown that adopting an ESG approach has become increasingly popular not only as it concerns resilience but also investment profitability.

ESG funds outperform

In the U.S. ESG funds are outperforming traditional index funds. S&P Global Market Intelligence reports that, in April 2021, 19 of the 26 ESG exchange-traded funds analysed significantly outperformed the Standard and Poor’s (S&P) 500 during the first 12 months of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ESG funds rose between 27.3% and 55% compared to the S&P 500 which increased 27.1%. This makes it a second consecutive year in which stocks based on ESG criteria have outperformed the S&P 500. In 2020, S&P Global Market Intelligence reported that all but three of the 17 ESG funds analysed posted higher returns than the S&P 500. The numbers don’t lie. The outperformance in favour of ESG investment directs attention to a shift in the way business is being done. Additionally, the consistent performance of ESG funds during and after the pandemic year of 2020 prove that ESG criteria can survive disruptions to the economy. This is a shift that not only the U.S. but the entire world is taking note of.

As the largest world asset managers take proactive measures on issues involved in ESG practices, so too must Trinidad and Tobago investment stakeholders be attuned to effective governance practices that can withstand disruptions in society and to the environment. Companies across various sectors are adopting ESG-criteria to ensure they keep up with changes in the environment, societies, and global policies. Integrating an assessment of environmental and societal disruptions along with governance policies enables companies to navigate risk thereby creating more value over the long term. Nowhere is this more urgent than the recent pandemic-exacerbated economic crisis.

Corporate T&T’s ESG commitments

In Trinidad and Tobago, Atlantic has stressed their commitment to CSR programmes that ensure their relevance during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond by building ESG criteria into their business strategy. Such criteria, as Atlantic has proven, not only ensure corporate resilience through economic and social disruption but also align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) thus ensuring their sustainability and relevance to local community building as well. Similarly, BP Trinidad and Tobago (BPTT) has demonstrated awareness of the importance of building ESG criteria into their corporate investment strategies. In keeping with the United Nations ‘Race to Zero’ campaign, BP’s environmental strategies aim to be net zero across operations including oil and gas and to reduce methane intensity in operations. As for societal responsibility, BP has pledged greater advocacy, diversity, and incentives for its global workforce. In terms of governance practices, ethics and compliance along with transparency round out BP’s core ESG criteria.

Similar to Atlantic and BPTT, Shell and NGC (The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago) have also pledged commitment to ESG sustainability. Shell’s ‘Powering Progress’ initiative attempts to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 as well as end routine flaring of gas from the assets they operate. NGC is driving the green agenda locally through its CariGreen portal, available on its website, which aims to “drive engagement, collaboration, energy education, conservation, research and development for matters related to the green agenda”. This, together with its environmental preservation procedures such as the use of Horizontal Directional Drilling to avoid cutting across natural habitat services, emphasize the NGC Group’s commitment to environmental sustainability and preservation.

Away from the energy sector, manufacturing companies such as Nestlé pride themselves on being “consistently listed in the FTSE4Good index since 2011”. Nestlé’s commitment to maintaining a high rating on the FT4SEGood index, a series of indicators designed to measure the performance of companies that demonstrate strong ESG practices, is a testament to the awareness of external issues such as environmental justice and social relevance which bear upon their corporate responsibility.

In the banking sector, Republic Financial Holdings (RFHL) maintain their position as a Caribbean financial institution committed to strengthening the region’s economies in sustainable ways. To this end, RFHL has signed on to the United Nation’s Environment Programme (UNEP) Finance Initiative’s Principles of Responsible Banking which encapsulates an ESG approach through principles of aligning business strategy to relevant national and regional frameworks, consulting with stakeholder’s to achieve society’s goals, and creating shared prosperity for current and future generations.

Staying with the banking sector, Scotiabank has built in ESGrelated policies into their banking protocols such as an attention to human rights equality, evidenced by an LGBT advertisement broadcasted in Trinidad and Tobago where LGBT laws remain conservative. As outlined in Scotiabank’s ESG Report, an inclusive society forms one of the four pillars of the ESG approach. To build an inclusive society and a more equitable future, Scotiabank has pledged customized banking for indigenous communities, increased opportunities for women-led business, and formed partnerships to fight human trafficking and child exploitation.

Whether it is the energy, manufacturing, or banking sector, the message remains the same; CSR programmes are key components of a company’s sustainability, performance, resilience, and relevance.

Tracking responsible governance

The viability and value of ESG integration into existing business strategy is rapidly becoming the norm of responsible investing. Emphasis on responsible, because as much as companies intend on making profits, there are environmental and societal needs

which they must consider in the operations. The COVID-19 pandemic has underscored the imperative to implement policies and conduct practices that are in line with ESG measures. These measures may include reducing carbon footprint, employee health and safety, board structure, etc.

While ESG integration into business strategy and operations has demonstrated profitability, measuring its impact remains a challenge in part because ESG approaches use non-financial data, such as reductions to methane production, transitions to biodegradable and recyclable material, and digital privacy and security agreements. To effectively track a company’s performance, the ESG data should be considered alongside traditional operational metrics such as stock price and Return on Assets (ROA).

As investors look to non-financial metrics for performance indicators of a company’s CSR approach, ESG-related data will increasingly drive business operations. The events of the past year have reinforced the need to consolidate the CSR approach with greater sensitivity toward issues that transcend the traditional way of doing business. Since last year, the United Kingdom, the European Union (EU) and the U.S. Government has established official ESG mandates for companies.

Strategic management procedures that can incorporate issues involving environmental, social, and governance procedures will enable that company to not only rebuild but reinvent its quality of management. To recall Soler’s point about adhering to an ESG framework, this not only future-proofs your business. It also future-proofs communities, societies, policy discussions, and the planet.

CSR CONTRIBuTORS

Guest Columnist - Rickey Singh

Protecting Regional Unity Replaying

voices for collective action

“We must continue to believe that our CARICOM Heads of Government will get it right – especially given the life and death circumstances that are forcing us to tap into that inter-reliance that is at the foundation of the Caribbean Community.”

“We cannot agree to act together in particular ways and remain free to act as we please or as every passing advantage induces us.” So shared Camillo Gonsalves in an article published by the ‘Jamaica Observer’, dated March 14th, 2021, citing ‘Time for Action: The Report of the West Indian Commission, 1992’. The writer was drawing attention to an unprecedented occurrence in CARICOM's history when three member states voted against Trinidad and Tobago notwithstanding clear evidence of the twin island state’s lack of culpability in the death of Venezuelan migrants in Venezuelan waters a few miles away from Trinidad’s coast line.

The event was a meeting of the OAS – of which Venezuela is no longer a part, and at which Juan Guaidó, who lost his post in the National Assembly, purported to represent the South American country even though CARICOM recognises Nicolas Maduro as the constitutionally elected leader. Chaired by Jamaica, this farcical orchestration of legitimacy saw Antigua, Barbuda, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines objecting to the motion. Not only was the vote not shut down in this comedy of errors, but Jamaica, Haiti and the Bahamas backed the claim putting Trinidad and Tobago at risk for international censure. This flagrant challenge to ‘CARICOM first’, has serious implications for the region, particularly as we try to navigate a post-covid trading space. Of even greater importance, is the potential risk to our people and to lives and livelihoods.

Politics of Integration

Now, as Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) contemplate their next annual summit, they might yet find it useful to familiarise themselves with the very instructive, 2013 critical analysis of the prevailing state of our 15-member regional integration movement. Authored by Terri-Ann GilbertRoberts, the 342-page publication is a most constructive, informative, and clinical examination of what is titled, ‘The Politics of Integration – Caribbean Sovereignty Revisited’.

Gilbert-Roberts’ work provides a useful reference of the prevailing state of regional integration that should merit the objective consideration by our CARICOM leaders as the region deliberates on a post-pandemic recovery. Originally published in Jamaica by Ian Randle publishers, the work is dedicated “To all Caribbean citizens who retain faith and hope that their community will eventually fully engage in a process of regional integration, enabled by an effective governance system, which reflects their common identity, connects them one to another and helps them to meet their development aspirations.”

Contending with Destiny

When considered against the seminal work on ‘Contending with Destiny – The Caribbean in the 21st Century’ by Kenneth Hall and Denis Benn, and which offers various perspectives from a number of regional scholars, the offering by Gilberts-Roberts could well serve as a useful reminder to CARICOM Heads of State of their repeated failures to honour their own decisions, as stated in several communiques, and issued from their varied annual summits.

As Gilbert-Roberts states, “The events that led to the pursuit of sovereign independence of the British West Indian colonies, have been a compelling aspect of Caribbean political history...” Her sentiments are an echo of Dr. Trevor Munroe’s 2000 commentary on the opportunities to further alter the course in the favour of Caribbean peoples across the region. He states , “In much the same way we helped to transform the politics of the 20th century, from political dependence to independence, we can transform the minority of mankind to a regulated, managed globalization with much potential benefit for the majority, if we move beyond talk and begin to act now.” (‘Political Thought and the Caribbean Process”, “Contending with Destiny – The Caribbean the 21st Century” by Kenneth Hall and Denis Benn, 2000)

The Politics of Integration is a valuable expression of public opinion on what exists as our Caribbean Community. The unfortunate observation is that eight years after Gilbert-Roberts examined the dilemma of “West Indian nationalism and the paradox of sovereignty”, and twenty-one years after Hall & Benn’s scholarly commentaries, the question of political integration continues to feel somewhat tenuous. There is instead, a tendency to guard national sovereignty as distinct from a shared governance process for the benefit of the realisation of an economic integration movement that better serves the collective interests of the people of CARICOM.

Finding hope

As plans get underway for the 33rd Intersessional Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government which is proposed

to be held in Belize early next year, readers of Gilbert-Roberts’ work, could be hopeful that they may yet realise the fulfilment of repeated promises by our CARICOM leaders, to experience the empowerment of collective representation and regional “oneness”.

We must continue to believe that our CARICOM Heads of Government will get it right – especially given the life and death circumstances that are forcing us to tap into that inter-reliance that is at the foundation of the Caribbean Community. The positive outlook by Gilbert-Roberts is that “...in the final analysis, it becomes clear that notwithstanding the failures in leadership and the dominance of the personal sovereignty concept in Caribbean politics, the predicted collapse of CARICOM is not inevitable”. (pg. 249). She further states that, “There is potential for the (regional) movement to be better equipped with effective governance institutions under a serious and radical reform process...”

Finally, we must keep faith that our CARICOM leaders will initiate collective action at their forthcoming summit in 2022, and that they will be bold enough to offer the firm assurance and personal commitment to regional policies for reliable healthcare, climate change adaptation, affordable energy, and food security - among identifiable projects that could result in sustainability through diversification, significant reduction of regionwide unemployment and at the same time accelerate progress with a more formidable position on regional integration, and on economic and social development for all member states.

Rickey Singh is a veteran Caribbean journalist who sees himself as retired. he has a long history in newspaper and wire service journalism, particularly in the areas of politics and social issues across the region, starting in Guyana before moving to Trinidad and Tobago, to Barbados and currently on extended stay in Trinidad and Tobago. he has a broad collection of writings that provide rich insights into the region’s political history –and in particular, the evolution of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

Recipient of an Honorary Doctorate from the University of the West Indies for his outstanding contributions as a journalist in regional affairs, he has had the privilege to be a founder and first President, for a decade, of the first-ever regional body to represent journalists in the Commonwealth Caribbean—the now defunct Caribbean Association of Media Workers (CAMWORK). A former contributor to foreign publications in the USA and Britain, as well as to the former BBC Caribbean Report and Caribbean News Agency (CANA), he was a columnist and general contributor for several newspapers, among them, Trinidad Express and Barbados Nation newspapers, Jamaica Observer and Guyana Chronicle.

“Singh De Caribbean” is soon to be launched as an online blog that uses articles written by him over six decades (1960-2020) to reflect on the leadership and events that have shaped the region.