Indigenous Peoples

Our activities can affect Indigenous Peoples who hold specific rights for the protection of their cultures, traditional ways of life and special connections to land and water. We seek the support and agreement of Indigenous Peoples potentially affected by our activities through dialogue, culturally appropriate grievance mechanisms and impact management processes.

Shell has a public position statement on Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), a principle recognised in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. It entails open dialogue, good-faith negotiations and, where appropriate, the development of agreements that address the needs of Indigenous Peoples.

In 2022, we continued to work with Indigenous Peoples at several of our projects. At our QGC natural gas project in Australia, we are helping Traditional Owners develop a centralised database that enables them to document and manage their rich cultural heritage and increase understanding of its depth and sensitivities. We also partnered with the Waalitj Foundation to launch a scholarship programme, which in its first year funded 47 scholarships for indigenous students to pursue tertiary studies and vocational training.

In India, we are working with smallholder farmers, including those in tribal communities, to implement nature-based solution projects that help to absorb or prevent the release of greenhouse gases (see Nature-based solutions). These projects also aim to help farmers diversify their income through agroforestry and improve agricultural productivity through sustainable practices.