News

Media Committee Reviews Energy Companies’ Social Responsibility in Tourism, Heritage and Culture Sectors

The Media, Tourism and Culture Committee of the Shura Council met on Wednesday morning with Eng. Mohsen Hamad Al Hadhrami, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Energy and Minerals, along with ministry specialists, to gather views on a proposal to allocate a portion of energy companies’ social responsibility budgets to fund projects in Oman’s tourism, heritage and cultural sectors.
The proposal aims to promote balanced development across governorates by directing part of corporate allocations toward upgrading heritage sites, natural tourist destinations, and supporting related cultural facilities and activities.

The Undersecretary gave a presentation outlining the ministry’s role in guiding corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the energy sector. He noted that CSR practices date back to the early stages of oil and gas exploration and production, evolving over time, with efforts to unify company initiatives introduced in 2018. He added that concession agreements require companies to allocate a percentage of annual profits to community development, in coordination with the ministry, with percentages varying by agreement.

He also highlighted that the ministry has a dedicated CSR team overseeing company projects to ensure alignment with national priorities and community needs. A sector-wide Social Responsibility Development Foundation has been established to strengthen support for community initiatives, including plans for a unified platform to receive and evaluate project proposals, ensuring integration and avoiding duplication. CSR efforts in the sector cover key areas such as education, health, technology, safety, environment, heritage and culture.

The meeting also reviewed key guidelines for CSR spending, major projects supervised by the ministry, and relevant indicators and statistics on total CSR allocations. The presentation included an assessment of companies’ contributions to financing tourism, heritage and cultural projects across governorates, including developing tourist and heritage sites for economic use.

Committee members inquired about project selection mechanisms, emphasizing the importance of maximizing social impact and directing spending toward high-value initiatives. They also discussed opportunities to benefit from international experiences in allocating CSR funds to these sectors, as well as challenges related to dedicating such funding, whether regulatory, legislative or financial.

The meeting was chaired by Abdullah Hamad Al Harthi, Head of the Committee, with members in attendance.