Kenya SGR Project Social Responsibility Report issued

 
On June 22, 2018, China Road & Bridge Corporation (CRBC) published the Kenya SGR Project Social Responsibility Report 2017／2018 (SGR refers to Standard Gauge Railway) in Kenya, becoming a leading model in disclosing social responsibility information on overseas project and transparent operation of Chinese enterprises. CRBC respectively released the Mombasa-Nairobi SGR Project Social Responsibility Report 2015 and the Mombasa-Nairobi SGR Project Social Responsibility Report 2016 in March 2016 and May 2017.
       
The drawing of a train on the cover of the first social responsibility report changes into the photo of a real train on the cover of the third social responsibility report, from which we can see that Kenyan dream for modernized railways is coming true.
     
Since the opening of the Mombasa-Nairobi SGR, more than 1.41 million passengers have traveled on the railway, and the average seat occupancy rate has exceeded 95%. It takes only 4 hours to travel by direct train from Mombasa to Nairobi, which is only half the time of traveling by bus or narrow-gauge railway, greatly promoting the mobility of residents. As of April 31, 2018, 471 freight trains had transported 646,000 tons of cargos through the Mombasa-Nairobi SGR. At present, the freight volume of the railway is still growing rapidly. In addition to the improvement of the efficiency of freight transportation and the reduction of costs, the pressure for freight transportation in Mombasa has been greatly relieved.
       
The construction and operation of the Kenya SGR Project exerted the expected impact on driving employment, technology transfer and industry development. The report shows that during the construction of the Kenya SGR Project, the project department hired a total of 72,000 local employees, 26,000 of which were hired for the Phase I Project of Nairobi-Malaba SGR, which played a major role in stimulating local employment.
     
Lu Shan said at the report release conference that more than 5,000 technical professionals had been cultivated during the construction and operation of railways, and over 2,000 local students from schools with the support of CRBC had accepted professional training on railway operation. Besides, the transfer of railway operation technology had been gradually revealed.
         
The project deeply integrated with local development, cultivated quality providers, and catalyzed the development of local related industries. By May 31, 2018, the project department had cooperated with over 1,000 material, equipment and service suppliers, and engaged 404 local enterprises in project sub-contracting cooperation. From the Mombasa-Nairobi SGR Project to the Nairobi-Malaba SGR Project, an increasing quantity of goods were purchased locally. The local procurement rate of cement with a strength class of 52.5 was increased from 92.5 to 100%, and that of rebars was increased from 66% to 82%.
         
As companies with operations in Kenya, China Communications Construction and CRBC are a part of local development. They strive to become a model for building a community of shared future, build quality and long-lasting railway projects, and provide safe, comfortable and efficient passenger and freight transport services to meet the needs of Kenya’s economic and social development.
     
Since the launch of the project, the concept of social responsibility, which served the development of a community of brand demand, responsibility management and stakeholder, has evolved to a community of shared destiny, and has become the soul of the Kenya SGR project’s social responsibility management. The effective social responsibility management mechanism and social responsibility report compilation and information disclosure have become two mutually promoting aspects.
 
The project general manager of the Kenya SGR Project is responsible for the decision-making of social responsibility work, the department heads are in charge of various issues such as quality and safety, environmental protection, employees, and community within their respective responsibilities. The Liaison and Cooperation Department is mainly responsible for the centralized management of the project by specific departments. 
 
Besides, the project department established the three-tiered communication mechanism for top management communication, communication with Kenya’s national government and communication with local governments to maintain a good relationship with the local community. They also compiled the Measures for the Management of Social Responsibility Work of the Kenya SGR Project, which appropriates 0.5% of the amount of the contract for the special fund for social responsibility programs.
       
（Pictures in the article are from the site office of the Kenya SGR Project and the Kenya SGR Project Social Responsibility Report 2017／2018.）