CASE STUDIES
Case Study 1 – Automobile Sector
A leading automobile component manufacturer’s proposed investment into a major greenfield manufacturing plant in India.
Project Scope and Findings: Orkash was involved in all stages of the project, beginning from pre-feasibility risk assessment, feasibility planning and plant construction. We were also tasked with preparing risk mitigation planning and formulating CSR strategies. Our research teams conducted extensive field surveys amongst the project impacted villages and identified the key socio-economic and political drivers that will impact the upcoming project. Perception mapping and detailed social impact assessment was undertaken over many months to map all areas of concerns and the developmental needs for the local communities and the local environment.
Net Result: Our findings helped the client to accurately target the communities with relevant CSR intervention strategies to address their developmental needs. Our analysis also helped the client to guard their project from the political and policy changes in the state (after the state elections). An education and vocational training program targeted at teenage school-going children has been put in place to create the first generation of skilled manpower for employment in the client’s plant, over the four years that it would take to construct the plant. Further, based on rain catchments area analysis undertaken by us, the client agreed to a complete redesign of the plant’s layout. This was done in a way that the amount of water in the ponds surrounding the plant would actually increase (through rain-water harvesting and storm-water catchments), instead of decreasing with the establishment of the plant. This addressed one of the major concerns of the local villages as they had significant dependence on these ponds for irrigating their agricultural fields.
Case Study 2 – Mining Sector
Orkash was mandated by a large mining multinational company to undertake a pre-feasibility and security risk assessment for facilitating smooth prospecting for minerals in the alleged high-risk areas (Naxal extremist- infected) of Chhattisgarh State in eastern India.
Project Findings and Outcomes: Our field survey based assessment helped realize the importance and extent of the social and economic drivers of the local communities, as well as the cultural sensitivities to the presence of outsiders in the prospecting area. The field surveys also mapped the extent of support and opposition that existed for the extremist ideology of Naxals amongst different segments of the largely tribal local communities. A security and risk management approach was devised which relied heavily on predictable prospecting activities and movements (‘no surprise for the locals’ approach), supported by local relationship building, and proactive communications and messaging aimed at the village level local leaders. The study also helped the client to quantify the risk in each prospective area according to various parameters (as per its global security and HSE policy compliance requirements), and developed a robust predictive intelligence and incident response mechanism for security of the prospecting teams.
Net Result: With our findings clearly highlighting 'Go', 'Border Go' and 'No Go' areas at micro level, the client completed the prospecting at 70 different sites over a period of 90 days using over half dozen prospecting teams.
Case Study 3 – Power and Roads Sector
Risk assessment and mitigation for the largest South Asian Infrastructure Fund of a global investment bank for its investments into highways and power plant projects across various Indian states.
Project Findings and Outcomes: Orkash’s risk analysis framework helped generate very detailed intelligence on the key risk issues related to land acquisition, community opposition, and the vested interests of local political mafias, etc. We also identified the legal constraints related to obtaining forest and environmental clearances. A key finding was that since the project had the support of the ruling party, some opposition parties saw the manipulation of community sentiments with respect to the impact of land acquisition for these projects as a potential vote-earner.
Net Result: The client devised targeted CSR strategies and social intervention programs to address the local issues. It also engaged with the state government officials on specific support needed to counter the vested interests opposing the project. The client took a bottoms-up approach for its investment strategy.
Case Study 4 – Mining Industry
A leading mining company’s foray into 5 districts spanning across Bihar and Jharkhand states of India.
Project Findings and Outcomes: Orkash conducted risk assessment of 5 districts with a perspective of security risks, travel risks, terrain-related location risks, local community sentiments, and political risks. A key finding that emerged through local grassroots level research was that in times of drought, the inter-community dynamics of the region changed greatly leading to manifestation of underlying social stress points. Due to the failure of agricultural crops, the landless castes were unable to get any employment with the land owning class. This increased social tension in the area, leading to serious escalation of highway crimes, extortion activities, and disruptive activities against ongoing mining projects (targeted at extortion from contractors), and stalled both economic activities and travel and movement on highways.
Net Result: This enabled the client to accurately plan their project schedule, supply chains in the districts and incorporate appropriate risk mitigation and business continuity measures.
Case Study 5 – FMCG Industry
A large Indian player’s FMCG factory in Nepal.
Project Findings: We identified that the area in Nepal was the hotbed of Maoist attacks and activities that could impact the project. Other identified critical factors were labor and community issues. We also mapped the local leaders and influences at work in the project area, and general social and political dynamics at work in the project area.
Net Result: Orkash helped the client to create local stakeholders to increase the element of ‘indigenous trust’ in the project and dispel the cultural barriers. The client rolled out effective employment generation activities such as small local contracts and CSR strategies like creating a foundation to provide healthcare facilities. Self employment training programs for local youth and income generating activities for the women (that leveraged some of the existing welfare schemes of the government) also resulted in the creation of a very reliable ‘goodwill equity’ for the client that acted as a strong counter to Maoist influence in the area.
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CASE STUDIES
