A consultative approach for each new project

Ensuring its industrial facilities are integrated locally is an ever-present concern for EDF. Today, the Group is keen to renew and systematically apply its dialogue practices to each new project. Its aim is to take better account of the expectations of regions and their communities.

EDF Group consistently undertakes to implement the dialogue rules set out international standards⁽¹⁾ where stakeholder participation is concerned and to ensure the release of public reports.

Concretely for each project this means:

• identifying the stakeholders ;
• initiating consultation as early as possible ;
• providing clear and transparent project information ;
• collecting and responding to stakeholders’ opinions ;
• implementing a system to process claims and suggestions ;
• ensuring native peoples’ participation in the consultation process.

In 2017, this will involve new projects worth more than €50 million⁽²⁾, that have a significant impact on their relevant region and environment.
In 2030, the Group aims to lower this financial threshold to €30 million.

⁽¹⁾ International Finance Corporation (World Bank Group) ; Equator Principles.
⁽²⁾ In France, this financial threshold is six times lower than that legally required for a mandatory public debate.

Progress projects through consultation

In France, EDF Energies Nouvelles has several wind farm projects under development. Some are offshore, such as that off the coast of Saint-Nazaire in western France, while others are onshore, such as the Wavignies project in northern France. Find out how our company enters into discussions about these projects with stakeholders such as environmental NGOs, fishermen, local residents, and organisations involved in local economic development.

10 years of lead-up dialogue for Cameroon hydro project

In Cameroon, EDF is working alongside the State and Société Financière Internationale on a project to build the Nachtigal Amont hydroelectric plant on the Sanaga River. The initial environmental studies began back in 2006, and led to workshops to present the results followed by public hearings in the villages concerned. In 2014, the partners established a community outreach team in the field that engages in permanent dialogue with local stakeholders. More than 5,000 people in 38 villages were involved. The main issues addressed were river use, labour recruitment and training, land ownership, damage to farmed land, and financial compensation. A transparent, simple mechanism for dealing with complaints and petitions was instituted in 2015. Out of 362 complaints received, 360 were dealt with. A website informs stakeholders of all calls for tender and recruitment campaigns and keeps them up to date about developments to the project.

The landscape: a worthy topic of discussion

Because the landscape is shared space, the integration of its structures into their region is a prime concern for EDF. It is for this reason that the company has formed a partnership with the ENSP (French Graduate School of Landscape Architecture).

ENSP students have worked on the landscape resonance of the 30-year old Cruas nuclear power plant. Over a period of several months, they talked to the villagers in the neighbouring Drôme and Ardèche departments, elected representatives, local associations, retailers, road users, and so on, to understand and then report on these stakeholders’ perception of the power plant in their environment.