Investigating Dis/Satisfaction of Peripheral Community from Industrial Projects: The Case of Oil and Gas Projects in Assaluyeh Region

Satisfaction of the peripheral community is one of the most important issues referred to in the field of corporate social responsibility and sustainable development. Assaluyeh region, located in Bushehr province, has been a context for the growth and construction of several oil and gas projects in Iran and hence has turned into an important area of energy. However, the level of peripheral communities’ satisfaction with industrial plans still remained speculative or, at best, unscientifically documented in the Assaluyeh region. Considering the strategic importance of this region, the present study was designed to measure the level that which peripheral communities were satisfied with the oil and gas projects.

 Methods and Data: 

To do this, 400 people in the area were surveyed based on random cluster sampling. Dimensions of satisfaction were extracted based on the ISO 26000 model. 

According to the results of this study, the overall level of local people's satisfaction is not at a favorable level. Among the dimensions of dissatisfaction, the highest level was related to the quality of governance. 

The issue of local people's dissatisfaction requires serious attention from the governance system as there has been an unfavorable situation in all analyzed environmental dimensions. In the region, there is an ambiguity about the environmental situation causing the spread of unverifiable news. It seems that one of the primary solutions is to provide a platform that reports up-to-date environmental indicators.

 Key Message: 

The sustainability of the Assaluye region needs serious attention. Besides, a significant proportion of the indigenous population cannot distinguish between the various oil and gas companies located in this region. Hence, from the local people's point of view, the responsibility of interventions by any of these companies, whether positive or negative, is the subject of generalization to the entire policy-making system of the region.