the training firm plans to boost its CSR work next year. Picture: BT file
MEGAMAS Training Company is a company with a firm grasp of its role in the community, as illustrated by its corporate social responsibility (CSR) work.
The home-grown training provider for the oil and gas industry is, in fact, looking to improve its CSR efforts.
General Manager Mohd Roger Ainsworth and consultant, Neil van Kalles, talked to The Brunei Times about the company's CSR plans for next year.
BT: So why is Megamas interested in doing this?
Mohd Roger: We feel there is an opportunity there to contribute to the community and as part of our CSR, to make people aware of this aspects related to safety, in the country. So far we have done a lot with the government but we are looking to add more.
Such as?
Mohd Roger: Firstly, we're starting law courses, a half-day course on the law, with regards to the implementation of new healthy and safety work order introduced on October 5, 2009. We feel there is a need to provide this course so we can give basic information to companies.
In Brunei, we have had a common law for a long time in Brunei, and employers have to demonstrate due diligence (ie absence of negligence). If an employer doesn't do that, with the new work order, there is a criminal liability whereby the company or the person could be facing the possibility of heavy fines or imprisonment.
Megamas has also done a carbon footprint study on emissions and environmental impact, why?
Neil: We are actually the first training provider worldwide to have undertaken a carbon footprint study. This was done to better understand these emissions' impact in relation to the business. The environmental aspect is one area which is of increasing importance to the general public. We did a carbon footprint test to measure how much we contribute to global warming under our own initiative as there is no law to or under requirement for clients. But we hope to be able to offer this sort of consultancy services to other companies as well, to measure their carbon footprint.
One thing we recently produced is a free carbon footprint calculator to the general public, and soon, within the early part of next year, we will have free materials for schools in Brunei to help teach children about carbon footprint and that will be launched in January. There is no commercial gain in this and we are also working with government to develop this for Brunei.
The Tell-A-Friend campaign launched by BSP is also something that Megamas has worked on right?
Mohd Roger: Yes, we want to be more involved with Tell-A-Friend so by going to these schools and teach good practices, good road behaviour in driving to young children even to teenagers, but we are targeting different types of schools throughout Bandar all the way to Belait. We want them to know about crossing, importance of seat belt and the importance of not speeding.
Megamas has been a major contributor to the campaign as we were part of the original committee, so we've been on that from the very beginning until now, which it is becoming hugely successful.
Back in 2005, to give you an example, the seat belt compliance has risen now to 100 per cent in BSP and has also risen within the community in Belait, which is much higher than Bandar.
Now the campaign is rolled out nationwide to give these benefits to people in Brunei.
Currently, we have got a bigger committee working on different goals, which Megamas is part of.
We are on a team that is focused on education and schools, so we are talking already to schools, but we want to go there and make it very interesting for children with the help of games, puzzles, gifts and prizes to be won, just to make it really realistic for them. If you can get to the children and get them to see the benefits of wearing a seat belt, they will impart that knowledge to mothers and fathers.
I understand your company has also invested a lot in human resources, can you tell us how?
Mohd Roger: Our company is really one of the leading small to medium enterprises (SMEs) in Brunei for the employment and development of Bruneian citizens. Back in 1999, we employed 25 staff, but today we have 65 which is quite big for an SME and 90 per cent of which are Bruneians.
We developed them by investing in them, sending them overseas for training with no strings attached. They can also attend courses with us free of charge. So the terms and conditions are good for them and we fulfil all our social responsibility towards our staff all the time.
We believe in loyalty and 50 per cent of our staff has stayed with us over 10 years.