Communities' reflections on oil companies' corporate social responsibility activities in Utqiagvik, Alaska

Abstract

This thesis explores the reflections of Utqiaġvik community members on British Petroleum's Corporate social responsibility activities within the region of North Slope, Alaska. The term Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) refers to actions taken by corporations to improve the quality of life for its employees, local community members, and the environment, while also contributing to its own economic development. The thesis is driven by a guiding research question: how have the people of Utqiaġvik responded to the CSR activities of oil companies whose oil extractive industry operations impact the region's social, economic, and environmental welfare? In particular, this thesis seeks to understand why CSR activities sometimes fail to achieve their purported goals. By interviewing residents from the community of Utqiaġvik, I obtained perspectives on the impacts of oil development on the local environment and community, bringing to light the limits of current CSR activities, such that I might provide recommendations for rectifying CSR shortfalls. I argue that while oil companies' profit motives tend to restrict the potential of CSR activities, local people should be able to influence the types of CSR activities corporations pursue, given that they experience the local impacts of the industry. Based on my respondents' perspectives, I suggest that oil companies improve their risk-management approaches and communicate and discuss more effectively with local communities their current and planned developments and their intentions to minimize impacts, respect local culture and hire more local employees. The thesis concludes by offering recommendations to the oil companies regarding the nature and desired impacts of their CSR activities.