A Santos Foundation program committed to changing attitudes towards family and sexual violence, and supporting survivors in Papua New Guinea, has won international recognition for its life-changing impact at the Platts Global Energy Awards in New York.

Bel isi PNG EVAW Walk 2022 with Country Chair PNG Leon Buskens and NCD Governor Hon. Powes Parkop. Credit: Santos

The Bel isi PNG program took home the Corporate Impact Award – Targeted Program at the highly respected international industry awards. The Corporate Impact Award – Targeted Program recognises projects that help humanitarian efforts, economic hardship or other events impacting communities.

Santos Managing Director and CEO Kevin Gallagher said the Santos Foundation’s mission is to invest in partnerships and local initiatives that help communities thrive, and build capacity and resilience in the communities it serves.

“The Bel isi PNG program is a shining example of the Santos Foundation’s mission and was established to address the very serious issue of family and sexual violence in Papua New Guinea and we are proud to see this work be recognised by the wider industry,” Mr Gallagher said.

“Santos and our Foundation invest US$10 million into PNG communities each year, focusing on health, youth opportunities, community development, and family and sexual violence.

“Santos has been a proud corporate citizen of PNG for around 40 years. We are committed to PNG, its economy, and above all, its people – for the long haul.

“PNG is a very important part of the Santos portfolio and includes the world-class PNG LNG project as well as large-scale upstream oil and gas resources and infrastructure.

“PNG is also an energy-producing nation for the giant energy-consuming economies of Asia. And of course, it is development of PNG resources that is underpinning the jobs, business opportunities, regional development and government revenues that are helping PNG build prosperity for its people over time.

“The Santos Foundation plays a very important role in supporting Santos’ operations in PNG, building stronger communities in the areas where we operate and making a major contribution to Santos’ purpose to provide reliable and affordable energy to help create a better world for everyone,” Mr Gallagher said.

The magnitude of family and sexual violence in Papua New Guinea is a serious challenge. Almost two thirds of women report having experienced some form of physical or sexual violence.

The Bel isi PNG program is a public-private partnership that aims to encourage the corporate sector, in collaboration with the government and civic society, to take a transformative role in changing attitudes towards family and sexual violence while also providing access to immediate care and support for survivors.

The initiative has supported more than 2,000 people in need from its commencement in 2018 to the end of 2023. More than 5,000 private sector employees have participated in education sessions about family and sexual violence.

Accepting the award on behalf of the Foundation and its partners, Santos Foundation PNG Head Jean Martin said Bel isi PNG is successful because of the collaboration of all its partners and Santos’ strong commitment to the program.

“Bel isi is a real passion project for many at the Santos Foundation, not only for the work it has taken to keep the model functioning but also for the many hundreds of lives it has now touched,” Ms Martin said.

“Every minute, a woman or child needs help for family violence, and I am proud that Santos continues to support a service that stands ready to respond.”

Santos Foundation CEO Jodie Hatherly said the program is delivered by a dedicated team who are committed to improving outcomes for those impacted by family and sexual violence.

“I thank everyone involved in the program for the hard work and dedication to providing such an important service. Being recognised at the prestigious Platts Global Energy Awards is an acknowledgement of the real difference both Santos and the Santos Foundation are making for women and children in PNG,” Ms Hatherly said.

Bel isi PNG’s partners include the Santos Foundation, the Australian Federal Government, Bank South Pacific (BSP), Steamships, Femili PNG, Business Coalition for Women (BCFW), security firm G4S and the National Capital District Commission.

Santos was also recognised as a finalist in the Energy Transition Award – Upstream category for our Integrated Production Model digital innovation. In collaboration with Xecta in 2023, Santos launched this advanced technology in South Australia’s Cooper Basin to optimise field surveillance and production by performing automated engineering calculations with real-time telemetry data.

The project was a departure from traditional methods, combining well-understood physics principles with advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning to create an industry-leading full-field integrated production model.

Advertiser:  Website:  Email:  Phone: