Boskalis Sustainability Report 2020

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MANAGING OUR IMPACT ON LOCAL COMMUNITIES SUSTAINABILITY REPORT 2020 – BOSKALIS In 2020 consultation and stakeholder engagement processes in a number of locations were affected by COVID-19, with face-to-face meetings or even travel to site being restricted. Where possible, other forms of (online) communication were implemented. For example, the interactive project website to promote dialog in the Maldives (see page 74), ‘Managing impact in the Maldives’. In some cases our work is a small part of a larger project scope that has wider reaching social impacts. As a contractor this can present a dilemma as we may not have influence over our client or the local social or political context. In these situations we aim to work in line with the principles set out by the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, exerting leverage to encourage social impact management practices in the chain. There are five areas to our social impact approach: SOCIAL RISK & OPPORTUNITY ASSESSMENT We aim for early identification of social risks and opportunities as part of the standard risk and opportunities approach, to create awareness and to support an effective social management strategy on project level. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT Depending on the local stakeholder landscape, we develop a stakeholder management plan that may include an on-site community liaison officer to engage with local communities and support stakeholder consultation processes. MANAGING OUR SOCIAL IMPACT OUR IMPACT AND MANAGEMENT APPROACH A lot of our work takes place offshore, however, our operations can impact local communities. While many projects do not affect these communities, others can have significant impact, either positive — creating jobs and opportunities for economic growth, or, potentially negative. Wherever possible we enhance any positive impact, and mitigate negative impact. Social impacts that could be associated with our activities include: ‚ onshore disturbance as a result of logistics and transportation; ‚ supply chain workforce welfare; ‚ impact on local livelihoods, indigenous peoples or cultural heritage; ‚ local job creation. The approach we take to managing potential social impact is in line with our Environmental and Social Policy, which aligns with the principles of the International Labour Organization and the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.

GRIEVANCE MANAGEMENT Boskalis’ Grievance Policy provides guidance for external stakeholders, who can bring forward any complaints to the appropriate entity for response. In addition, depending on the social-risk profile of the project, a specific project community and/ or worker grievance mechanism is put in place. This is used to channel grievances and complaints to the appropriate entity for response and any necessary management action. COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION AND LOCAL DEVELOPMENT We recognize our ability to stimulate positive community impacts through local job creation, local procurement, skills development and training. Where possible, we seek to benefit communities by maximizing these elements in our projects and seeking opportunities for community contribution. WORKER WELFARE AND HEALTH AND SAFETY Our human rights and labor principles are a fundamental part of the way we do business. Through the safety behavior program NINA we take care of the safety, security and health of everyone involved in our activities, including the communities where we work. We apply fair employment practices and offer good and competitive terms of employment worldwide. We commit that our employees receive a living wage that covers their and their family’s basic needs in their home country. AWARENESS AND CAPACITY BUILDING In order to increase awareness and engagement on social impact, in 2020 we introduced two training programs: ‚ An interactive sustainability and social impact training focusing on dredging projects was developed and piloted in 2020; due to COVID-19 the training was brought online. The course is aimed at business and project leaders and covers our sustainability strategy, Environmental and Social Policy and relevant (international) guidelines, alongside practical steps to apply these on our projects. We plan a wider roll-out in 2021, which should go a long way to raising awareness on the importance of this subject across our company. ‚ A training for environmental engineers to improve their expertise in conducting risk assessments when it comes to the potential social impact of a project. This Social Impact Training, based on the IFC’s Environmental and Social Performance Standards, is tailored specifically to Boskalis’ business. We aim to continue the training during the onboarding of new specialists joining the Hydronamic team, as well as to extend it to other areas of the company.