Sierra Leone & Cameroon: Investigation report concludes that there are rampant human rights abuses at Socfin’s plantations
'Investigation confirms more abuses on Cameroon, Sierra Leone Socfin plantations’ 27 June 2024
In 2023, Socfin hired a consultancy to investigate longstanding allegations of human rights violations and environmental damage raised by communities living around the Belgian transnational company’s oil palm and rubber plantations in Africa and Southeast Asia. Findings from a second round of investigations have now been published. Supply chain consultancy Earthworm Foundation’s investigators visited a subsidiary in Sierra Leone, the Socfin Agricultural Company (SAC), and one of the holding group’s four Cameroonian operations, SAFACAM. They found evidence of sexual harassment, problems with concession agreements and compensation schemes, as well as numerous incidents of pollution of water sources and environmental degradation affecting nearby communities in Sierra Leone and Cameroon. “The [SAC] report shows that Socfin does not have safeguards in place and is lacking due diligence,” said Joseph Rahall, from the Sierra Leonean advocacy group Green Scenery.
The investigators found pollution of rivers, lakes and lagoons in both Sierra Leone and Cameroon that they said could be linked to the company’s activities. In Sierra Leone, they also reported that the company doesn’t always apply measures to mitigate air pollution as proposed in the environmental, social and health impact assessment carried out when the plantation was set up in 2011. Earthworm investigators told Mongabay they were shocked by some of their findings. While disputes over land and lease agreements — and Socfin subsidiaries’ implementation of them — have been at the core of complaints against the company from the start, investigators have found sexual harassment and gender-based violence to be major issues at all of the plantations they have visited. EF laid out a set of recommendations in each of its reports. In response to findings of widespread gender-based violence, the consultancy recommended strengthening reporting mechanisms and policies on Socfin’s respective plantations. However, in a recent update to their action plan for the Salala Rubber Corporation in Liberia, released after the first phase of investigations in 2023, many of the actions are either “ongoing” or “to start” and have not resulted in tangible change.
We’ve found [evidence of sexual harassment], and they know they need to address it. A global reaction and a corporate-wide strengthening of how they handle this is a must-have,” said Charlotte Opal, the foundations’ director of memberships and partnerships. Earthworm notably did not recommend compensation for survivors of GBV, or support for prosecution of perpetrators. Opal said EF does not have expertise on this. “Socfin is working with a local expert to advise them on their policy. Maybe compensation is part of that,” she said. She stressed that while Earthworm has made recommendations, it will be up to Socfin to put them into action. “We don’t have any power over Socfin, but we hold them to account to advance on their actions and explain themselves when they find challenges. If they don’t make progress on these issues, we would stop working with them, as that’s our mission as a foundation.”