BRUNEI ENERGY INDUSTRY INTEGRITY PACT SIGNED 13 MORE COMPANIES

The Brunei Energy Industry Integrity Pact (BEIIP) held a recognition event on November 18, to welcome on-board thirteen (13) more companies in 2021 into the network of companies that are joined in their commitment to integrate high ethical standards and integrity into a day- to-day business operation of Brunei Darussalam’s energy industry. The event was held virtually due to the current COVID-19 restriction. Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr. Awang Haji Mat Suny bin Haji Md. Hussein, the Minister of Energy gave a keynote speech via a video message during the event as the Guest of Honour.

The Pact is a commitment by companies to support a fair and honest oil and gas industry in Brunei that is free of dishonesty, in support of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Negara Brunei Darussalam and his Government’s efforts to promote and preserve integrity in the nation. This collective pledge consists of a set of ten industry standards and expectations relating to transparency in business, good governance, and compliance with agreed principles. By agreeing to this Pact, the Industry is conveying its zero-tolerance message that any company lacking integrity and transparency will not have the opportunity to do business with any of the oil and gas operators in Brunei. As of November 2021, the BEIIP is made up of 88 members consisting of both international and local companies.

Yang Berhormat Dato Seri Setia Dr. Awang Haji Mat Suny bin Haji Md. Hussein, the Minister of Energy in his keynote speech delivered via a video message urged the signatories to remain committed in upholding the highest standards of integrity and serve as exemplary role models to others. As role models, it is thus imperative that the pact lead by example in the fight against dishonesty and in ensuring businesses to continue to operate ethically and with integrity.

Mr. Kannan Govindasamy, the Chairman of the working group in his opening remarks, reaffirmed the Pact members’ unwavering commitment to the highest ethical standards, including zero tolerance to dishonesty in the energy industry’s business operations.

“We must trust each other, and trust is a very important element for efficient business. However, in an age of corporate mistrust, digitalization, and new norms of the current challenging business environment, trust itself is not good enough, and we also must verify. We must always perform our due diligence. A corporate anti-corruption framework for greater transparency is needed, with proper due diligence checks into the integrity, character and track record of directors and entities and their operations before conducting business,” said Mr. Kannan Govindasamy.

Mrs. Agnete Johnsgaard-Lewis, BSP Managing Director and Shell Country Chair in Brunei, in her video message, reminded that we must live to our core values and lead by example. “It is more important than ever to know and understand who we are doing business with by carrying out the required due diligence before contracting. Our business is only worth doing if we can do it without causing harm to people and the environment, and when we do it to the highest ethical standards,” she shared.

Yang Mulia Dayang Hajah Farida binti Dato Seri Paduka Haji Talib, Brunei LNG Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer in her video message, stated that Brunei LNG wishes that all organisations in Brunei run their businesses in compliance with the laws and regulation, and with integrity that does not allow any breach. “Operating our organisations consistently in accordance with a strong set of moral values and high ethical standards is our responsibility to deliver Wawasan Brunei 2035.”

The event also featured the launching of the 1st phase of the Brunei Energy Industry Integrity Pact web-portal with a mission and vision statement, the PACT principles, updates from previous events and guidelines joining the Pact. The web portal will be progressed with an

online central repository to be developed for all BEIIP members to share Business Integrity resources such as templates, training materials and procedures for the purpose and furtherance of the BEIIP initiative.

All members of the network pledged and committed to the following ten summarized principles:

1. Prohibition of bribery and facilitation payments in business activities
2. Code of Conduct in place and principles disseminated to staff and contractors
3. Consistent consequence management for violations of the Code and principles
4. Visible training programs and communications in place
5. Disclosure and avoidance of Conflicts of Interest
6. Avoidance of Gifts & Hospitality which can lead to perceived influence or conflicts
7. Governance and Internal Controls/policies in place
8. Raising concerns, whistleblowing mechanisms, speaking up free of retaliation
9. Investigations conducted impartially, fairly, and in timely fashion; full collaboration with Anti-Corruption Bureau
10. Zero tolerance; Refrain from doing business with those who demonstrate poor integrity and ethical practices

The members of the Brunei Energy Industry Business Integrity Working Group, consisting of employees from the oil and gas operators who jointly authored the Integrity Pact principles and are tasked with the management and oversight of the companies’ compliance efforts, will work to ensure the companies abide by the agreed principles. Accordingly, the companies will partner with the Ministry of Energy and the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to maintain alignment and foster continued collaboration and dialogue in the area of business integrity.

The Group’s objective is to share best practices and learnings from incidents in order to strengthen corporate controls and mitigate applicable compliance risks. As Brunei’s main country revenue comes from the energy industry, the Group aims to collectively ensure that transparency, fairness and integrity remain at the forefront of the Industry’s business dealings.

Also, in attendance were Yang Mulia Dato Seri Paduka Awang Haji Matsatejo Bin Sokiaw, the Deputy Minister of Energy, Yang Mulia Awang Haji Azhar bin Haji Yahya, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Energy, Yang Mulia Pengiran Haji Jamra Weira Bin Pengiran Haji Petra, Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Energy and Yang Mulia Datin Paduka Dayang Hajah Suhana Binti Haji Sudin, Director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau,  other senior government officials and senior leaders of established oil and gas organisations in Brunei Darussalam.