In Kazakhstan, Chevron partners with local and national governments, communities, nongovernmental organizations, and other groups to deliver programs in three areas:
- Basic human needs
- Education and career training
- Support for local small and medium-size businesses
Committed to the Community
Chevron's community engagement priorities are shared by our joint ventures. For example, from 1993 to 2010, Tengizchevroil gave more than $645 million to fund social projects for the community and employees in the Atyrau province.
Our community investment efforts are managed by two signature programs: Egilik, which is Kazakh for "benefit," and the TCO Community Investment Program.
When the Tengizchevroil joint venture began in 1993, the company created a five-year, $50 million program called the Atyrau Bonus Fund. TCO began working closely with the Atyrau region Akimat leadership to select social infrastructure projects for funding. In 1999, TCO replaced the fund with Egilik. It began in 2000 with a $4 million budget and has grown steadily. By the end of 2010, TCO had invested $165 million in the Egilik and Atyrau Bonus programs. Funds have supported schools, hospitals and clinics, as well as the construction of water and electricity projects.
Currently, most of Egilik's $20 million budget is dedicated to replacing the water system in Kulsary, the nearest community to the Tengiz field and home to many TCO employees and contractors. This three-year project addresses one of the TCO Community Investment Program's key focus areas: health.
TCO has a small and medium-sized business development program that provides financial assistance to local entrepreneurs in areas such as agriculture, waste management, medical, and oil and gas equipment and services. Since 1997, TCO has given more than $7.8 million to these small-business development programs.
Tengizchevroil has recently updated its Community Investment Program to more closely align with the needs and goals of the community and business. TCO works to add value to the business and community in an ethically and socially responsible way. The company also seeks to build human, societal and organizational capacity in order to maintain a thriving local economy and society in a self-sustaining way.
Karachaganak Investing in the Future
Our Karachaganak partners also are committed to helping the community. Since 2009, they increased its annual investment in social infrastructure projects in the West Kazakhstan region from $10 million to $20 million.
To date, the affiliate's social investments have topped $155 million. Over the 40-year life of the final production-sharing agreement, this figure will exceed $500 million.
Promoting Respect for the Environment
For the fourth year in a row, Chevron has run the National Contest of Children's Environmental Business Projects, aimed at teaching school children to address local environmental problems. Chevron has provided grants for the best projects. Since its inception in 2007, the number of participants has grown from 52 to 205 in 2010.
In 2008, Chevron launched an energy efficiency program and an annual contest for energy efficiency projects. The programs encourage students and young scientists to create modern energy conservation technologies and to raise community awareness. The number of participants has more than doubled since inception, to 42 in 2010.
Building Greater Opportunities in Education
Chevron's University Partnership Program works with colleges and universities around the world to provide scholarships and grants to promising students. In Kazakhstan, Chevron works with Kazakh National Technical University (KazNTU) to develop accreditation for new curricula and provide grants and scholarships. We have provided scholarships for 150 high-achieving graduate and undergraduate students at KazNTU. In 2009, Chevron supported a joint geological field trip to Kazakhstan for students and faculty of KazNTU and the Colorado School of Mines. In 2010, Chevron sponsored a team of KazNTU professors and students to study geology in Colorado.
In partnership with KazEnergy Petroleum and the Energy Association, Chevron provides scholarships and grants to students in vocational secondary schools, colleges and universities. Since 2007, more than 300 students have received financial support through this program.
Since 2006, Chevron has helped more than 450 orphans and boarding school students in Almaty, Astana and Atyrau choose their future profession and acquire new life skills using a special self-determination course. The Ministry of Education and Science Professionals plans to introduce the course into the 12-year curriculum at other schools in the future.
In 2009–2010, in cooperation with the U.S. Agency for International Development and our business partners, Chevron implemented the Know About Business (KAB) program. KAB provides vocational school students with knowledge and skills in entrepreneurship, thus supplying the country's economy with a more professional and versatile labor force. More than 600 teachers received KAB training and presented the program to more than 500 vocational schools throughout Kazakhstan.
In 2010, Chevron began an annual job training program for unemployed women in Almaty and Astana. Of the 455 women who took part in the first year, about 80 percent found work, and another 5 percent started their own businesses. Micro loans were given to about 10 of the entrepreneurs.
Promoting Cultural Understanding
To promote greater understanding of Kazakh culture, Chevron sponsored "Kazakhstan Explored: The Expeditions of Chokan Valikhanov" in 2010. The online exhibit was organized by the Smithsonian. The project introduced an international audience to Kazakhstan's culture and science by telling the story of Chokan Valikhanov, sometimes called "the first Kazakh scholar."
The American Chamber of Commerce gave the project the Support for Kazakh Culture Award for raising international awareness of Kazakhstan's cultural heritage.
Updated: March 2011
Cautionary Statement