Different Situations, Different Expectations

Depending on their type (industrial or commercial) and their location (Europe, Africa, Asia or elsewhere), our activities have variable impacts and are subject to very different, often significant, expectations on the part of our stakeholders, whether neighbors, associations, partners or public authorities.

The development of an oil or gas project, for example, does not have the same impact on local balances in poor regions as in developed countries. Similarly, the opening of a service station may be welcomed in a rural area as a contribution to social cohesion and economic vitality, but may face opposition in an urban area.

Listening, Understanding and Fostering Dialogue

Our integration into the local community is conditioned by our ability to identify these expectations. It is only by understanding and addressing local issues that we can ensure the long-term success of our activities.

In this context, dialogue is a crucial factor and a key aspect of our approach to community development.

To ensure that the issues addressed in the sustainability report meet the stakeholders’ expectations, Total asks each year a number of its stakeholders to ask questions, which make up the different sections of the CSR report. Total’s 2009 CSR report was the first of this kind and it was titled “Ten questions to Total”. The same scheme was used again with the 2010 CSR report, and this time the answer to the stakeholder’s question was provided by a Total employee (both the stakeholder and the Total employee were pictured side by side in the report). In the latest issue (the 2011 CSR report), the paper version is complemented by a web documentary in which the stakeholder will be able to follow up on the answer provided to his question by Total in the report, in order to continue the dialogue on-line.