Gabon flash #3 June 2013 by Olam Gabon Coms

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Gabon Flash

No3

June 2013

Olam Gabon Newsletter

EDITORIAL CORPORATE NEWS May 1st Events Marathon ON THE GROUND Palms’ hectares Rubber techniques Reorganisation and certification GFC in construction Approval procedures for the SEZ Steelmaking in Gabon Progress in figures ACROSS BUSINESSES Spotlight on IT: SAP and VC OUR PARTNERS IN ACTION INSAB COMMITTING TO GABON Train and develop WE ARE OLAM GABON! The other side of the maps… NEW TEAM MEMBERS PHOTO OF THE MONTH

ear colleagues and partners,

he first six months of 2013 have been a mix bag for Olam Gabon: both our successes and our challenges have driven us to surpass ourselves each day and have helped us build and strengthen our fledgling company.

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would particularly like to praise the teams from our Timber business in Makokou, who experienced some tough times but managed to overcome them with an impressive display of professionalism. At an international level, the usual review on Olam's strategy has raised - and answered - a number of questions. With new strategic partners joining projects - including the GFC project - between now and 2016-2017, we will be able to improve our performance and increase our marketing efforts, as well as completing projects within a shorter time frame.

hese past few months have also allowed us to spend valuable time with our stakeholders. We are honoured to have been able to welcome a number of prestigious guests to our sites, including several government ministers, our investors and bankers, and representatives of international organisations. These visits are essential due to the valuable input we receive: they give us an opportunity to improve and to demonstrate the fruits of our labour.

EDITORIAL O

ur excellent results are particularly visible in our Palm and Rubber plantations, whose size (in terms of the number of hectares planted) and infrastructure are truly impressive. Well done to all teams! Gagan Gupta, Country Head

A special thanks to our network of correspondents! Communications team have set up an internal network of correspondents, all of whom work on a voluntary basis and have the support of their directors. Thanks to them, we are able to provide you the best possible information. We owe a special thanks to the following people for their invaluable support: Joseph Gnanie (HR Manager - Kango) Helmud Dehen (Regional Manager - Mouila) Tiburce Bobedzang (Plantation Manager Bitam) Anand Sundar (Engineer - Port Gentil) Gael Weyat (QSHE Manager - Makokou) Mohit Agrawal (Architect - Nkok) A big thanks too, to the social teams, QSHE and Human Resources at all the sites, who are dedicating so much of their time to help us improve internal communications. GABON FLASH – OLAM GABON Quarterly newsletter Publication Director: Gaëlle Dupuis - 06 00 52 00 Editor: Lauriane Guillemin - 06 00 51 99 Electronic version available at: www.insuu.com

Key figures End of May 2013

5,000 hectares of Palm planted in Kango

1,500

1,192 hectares of rubber planted in Bitam

workers in Mouila (Palm)

148,455

cubic metres of topsoil removed, Port-Gentil (GFC)

Corporate News A 1st

of May with Olam colours

International Labour Day, a public holiday which was first instituted as an annual strike day for the cause of reducing working hours, soon became a day to celebrate workers’ struggles in general. Commemorated in many countries around the world, the 1st of May is an occasion for major demonstrations by the workers’ movement.

In various towns across the country, and alongside numerous businesses, Olam’s employees marched to celebrate the 1st of May 2013. In all, 1,200 of us were there to bear the company colours through Libreville, Makokou, Kango, Mouila and Bitam. For many,

©Olam

Libreville’s team - HQ

Bitam’s team - Rubber

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Makokou’s team - Timber

Kango’s team - Palm

Mouila’s team - Palm

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with colleagues.

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a game of football or a meal together

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the event was an opportunity to enjoy

Corporate News Latest events

The first three months saw a flurry of activity at Olam, between the regional Round Table and the visits from representatives of various institutions and financial organisations, the teams were solicited to present their work.

On 11 February, 9 ministers and their representatives, members of the Steering Committee for partnership linking Olam to the Gabonese Republic, travelled to various sites in order to assess the state of progress. The delegation, including Régis Immongault, Minister of Industry and Mines; Luc Oyoubi, Minister of Economy, Employment and Sustainable Development; Gabriel Ntchango, Minister of Water and Forestry; and Rose-Christiane Ossouka Raponda, Minister of Budget, visited the Special Economic Zone of Nkok and the palm plantation in Awala. The purpose of the visits was for these government representatives to observe the progress made in the projects and understand the issues faced on the ground.

Site Director Velan Mahadevan explains to his guests how the fruit of the palm is collected and then converted into oil

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On 31 January, the Round Table on ‘Governments' role in enhancing the agricultural sector's positive effects’ was held. The objective of the Round Table was to create a platform to bring together different key players in the agricultural industry, from both the public and private sectors. Participants were eager to share their knowledge with each other, including lessons learnt from the development of agronomy in South-East Asia. There was also plenty of opportunity+ to share ideas on the key question of what role governments should play in driving, managing, supporting and developing the agro-industrial sector. Sub-regional Round Table on 'Governments' role in enhancing the agriRepresentatives of the Micultural sector's positive effects’. nistry of Agriculture, including the Minister Julien Nkoghe Bekale himself, of the FAO, WWF, the World Bank and private businesses exchanged ideas with experts such as James Fry, Founder and President of LMC International, Ambono Janurianto, former CEO of PT Bakrie Sumatra Plantations Tbk, and Mahbob Addullah, Manager of IPC Services Sdn Berhab.

On 1 and 2 April, Jean Louis Ekra, President of the Afrexim Bank; Michael Adande, President of the Development Bank for the Central African States (BDEAC); Thierry Tanoh, CEO of Ecobank, and Brice Laccruche, at this time Director of BGFI Bank Gabon, visited several Olam sites and met the President of the Gabonese Republic, as well as his Ministers for Industry, Promotion and Investment. The delegation was thus able to appreciate the quality in performance of our operations in the field and renew its support for development in Gabon. From left to right: Michael Adande, President of BDEAC; Ali Bongo Ondimba, President of the Gabonese Republic; Jean Louis Ekra, President of Afrexim Bank; Thierry Tanoh, CEO of Ecobank; Evelyne Tall, MG of Ecobank; Gagan Gupta, Country Director of Olam; and Albert Essien, MG of Ecobank

”Olam has made significant progress (...) and the banks involved have decided to support the enterprise as well as other development projects in the country's economic and social programme ”. Michael Adande, President of BDEAC

Corporate News Gabon gets ready to run!

Thanks to several new sponsors getting on board, including Olam Gabon, the first international marathon of Gabon will take place in Libreville on the weekend of 30 November – 1 December 2013

Join the

Being the democratic sport that it is, the marathon and its races, will be open to all. Men and women of all ages get to test their endurance during this 2-day event, which is a celebration of sport and family. Good luck to all those competing, especially the Olam team! Detailed information on the event is available on www.marathondugabon.com

From November 30th to December 1st 2013 LibreviLLe

Along with olAM’s teAM* 5 races for all

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the Gabonese run

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You wish to join the marathon of Gabon along with oLAm’s team ? Subscribe now at OLAM’s Communications Department : call 06002132 or send an e-mail to gaboncoms@olamnet.com For further information about the race go to: www.marathondugabon.com

* Subject to availability

facebook.com/marathondugabon

twitter.com/marathondugabon

In partnership with Certified course

The marathon was created on the occasion of the Olympic Games in Athens in 1896, based on an idea of the French philosopher Michel Bréal, to commemorate the legend of the Greek messenger Phidippides, who ran the distance from Marathon to Athens to announce the victory over the Persians in 490 B.C. The trial was set, until 1921, over an approximate distance of 40 km before the International Association of Athletics Federations regulated it. The most prestigious marathons are those held at the Olympic Games, the World Athletics Championships and the World Marathon Majors, which include the marathons of Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago, New York and Tokyo.

WORLD NEWS Olam wins two awards in two nights! On 15 and 16 May, Olam won the ‘Sustainable Standard Setter’ award, presented by the Rainforest Alliance for its efforts among smallholders cocoa and coffee planters, and subsequently received the prestigious Guardian prize for its Charter on Well-Being, whose aim is to measurably improve the living conditions of communities. By improving their yield and the quality of their products, their revenue is increased and their living conditions are improved, while at the same time ensuring the high quality of their products in the long term, in a traceable manner. 5

On the ground PALM : thousands of hectares planted!

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Awala, KANGO: 5,000 hectares already planted... Congratulations to the entire team!

Use of timber felled in plantations

In April 2013, an agreement for the use of the timber grown within the emphyteutic leases granted to implement palm and rubber plantations, was signed between Olam and the Ministry of Water and Forests. Felled timber should not be wasted: it could be used for the construction of infrastructures, for the locals’ daily needs, or could be commercialised. Therefore, after meeting the local populations’ needs as well as Olam’s for wood, felled timber can be recovered under the supervision of relevant forests in-charge administrations. In particular, it is essential to ensure the traceability and the transparency of all sales operations.

MOUILA: 1,500 employees, 733 hectares planted, and difficulties overcome

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March, April and May weren’t exactly quiet months in Mouila! On 5 March, the first palm was transplanted from the nursery to the soil, laying the foundation for numerous hectares for plantation - an impressive 733 to date. A total of 1,500 employees are currently needed to carry out this work. These past few months have also seen certain tensions arise in the community, which is very common in a project of this scope. There were some expressions of dismay, both among a small number of employees and in certain villages. The strike called by our employees came to an end very quickly thanks to a meeting called between Olam's general management, the governor of Mouila, Michel Mougouiama, and employee representatives, who started a dialogue among all the parties involved. Among the local population, the main reason for the disenchantment was the delay in carrying through the social contract. We therefore took a tour of all the villages affected in order to restate Olam's commitment to its promises regarding a social contract and to pursuing a policy of priority employment. The project experienced a slight delay due to this unrest, but it is important to establish a dialogue if we are to see it through in the right spirit. We are committed to maintaining good relations with the villages affected by our projects, and - it goes without saying - with our employees as well. Indeed, it is in the interest of all to work towards a constructive, peaceful and lasting dialogue.

On the ground Rubber: techniques benefiting to agriculture

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Numerous works have started in Rubber during the first few months of 2013. Projects range from the delicate art of grafting and building a new irrigation system to the construction of a bridge over the river Nyé, in order to provide access to our central and eastern zones. And let's not forget the 1,192 hectares that have been planted to date!

Grafting in 6 stages

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In order to optimise the profitability of our rubber plantations, we have chosen to only cultivate plants whose potential yield in latex we can control. We have therefore had plants brought in from Ivory Coast to graft onto local plants in order to supply future generations with rubber. After testing the effectiveness of the process and monitoring its development, we trained 40 or so grafters in the techniques.

The training of grafters in Bitam, in partnership with the National School for Rural Development and financed by the National Employment Office, was followed by an exam session for all the candidates and a graduation ceremony on 11 April 2013. The aim of this partnership, which involves 100 hours of practical and theoretical classes over a 1-month period, is to train young Gabonese men and women in agricultural professions so as to reduce unemployment in the provinces concerned. 7

On the ground Rubber: techniques benefiting to agriculture

The bridge over the river Nyé will not just give us access to our concession but

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also link several outlying villages in Bitam region.

The right type of irrigation

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In order to meet the irrigation needs of the plantations, we have set up two new systems: the ‘sprinkler’ system, which allows users to supply water routinely over a certain amount of time without the need for human intervention for the wood-grafting garden, and the ‘Kirico’ system for the nursery. We use these atomisers because they make it possible to irrigate without damaging the young shoots. These two irrigation systems are supported by a float and a strainer, at the end of which is a filter to prevent fauna or flora being sucked in. It draws water from a natural source specially engineered for the site.

On the ground TIMBER

Between reorganisation and certification

Our timber business was recently restructured in response to external economic challenges, such as the low density of forest on the holding allotted to us and the presence of 40% of essence of Okan, for which there is no market. A total of 117 people were made redundant, subject to very generous redundancy measures. However, there was also some good news to motivate the teams: in March 2013, we obtained the OLB* (OLB-CERT / FC033599) certificate, which confirms that OLAM Gab. SA complies with national laws and standards, as well as international agreements ratified by Gabon, concerning forest development and exploitation and social and environmental aspects, and it assures the traceability of the timber from forest to point-of-sale, thanks to an effective monitoring system. *OLB : Origin and Legality of Timber ÂŠ Bureau Veritas Certification - Eurocertifor 2004 - Business registered by an independent body in accordance with the OLB system, allowing users to monitor timber whose origin and legality

GFC

Section of the site under development

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Sand and water quarry

The announcement of the Olam’s strategy review has placed GFC in the forefront. We have decided to take on board another strategic partner in the fertiliser project so as to strenghten our marketing and execution capacities. The project is meanwhile making great progress. The clearing and construction phase for roads has been completed; the second phase is under way and should be finished in September 2013. It consists in dredging, banking, earthwork and preparing the site for the construction of the plant. The biggest challenge during this stage is to build a 3.5-metrehigh platform in which the fertiliser

plant will be located. The fertile and arable organic earth found on site was transferred to another part of the Mandji area in order to preserve its qualities, and was subsequently replaced by dredged sand shipped in from the seabed. A boat by the name of ‘Hector’, belonging to Boskalis, dredged the sea sand, linked to the island of Mandji by pipelines of around 3,500 m in length. During these operations, both those carried out by our service providers and those we managed ourselves, we consulted the Environmental and Social Impact Study conducted by independent consultants (URS Scott Wilson) and ratified by the authorities

in order to act with full respect for the environment and the population. We endeavour to further the dialogue begun with these partners or else to open it up: it is paramount for Olam to work together with the local communities so that they can take over the project. GFC currently has 30 full-time employees and 10 consultants, and it sub-contracts with Boskalis en Van Oord for earthworks and site preparation. Boskalis en Van Oord employs a team of more than 150 people, 100 of whom are Gabonese nationals.

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Filling, dredging and site preparation: A total of 148,455 m3 of sand was cleared and 1 million was stored for future use

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On-site GFC engineers

Water overflow channels: 1.7 kms of piping

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On-site infrastructure

On the ground Settling in the SEZ

of Nkok: what are the approval procedures?

When businesses set up in an Economic Zone with Special Privileges (ZERP), such as the ZES of Nkok, they must meet certain criteria and be certified in accordance with an approval procedure in order to enjoy these special privileges. Who does the approval procedure apply to? It applies to all economic activity, especially to those concerned with the development of activities related to the transformation and exportation of timber and the supply of services related to activities in the timber industry (Article 13 of the decree 0461 of 10 October 2012). Who is eligible? All national and international investors wishing to become established in a ZERP so as to benefit from the commercial, customs, tax and social benefits these areas offer. The criteria for eligibility are defined in Article 18 of decree 0461 of 10 October 2012. These criteria are reviewed by the body charged with development and management (GSEZ) and subsequently ratified by the administrative authorities. What are the dates for implementing the procedure and the deadlines for this process? The procedure starts after the file has been received by the potential investor. There is no general deadline for the special cases under the provisions of ZERP. On the other hand, every advantage is limited depending on its characteristics. Tax regime - total exemption for 10 years, as of the first sale, from all taxes on industrial and commercial profits, including the minimum tax. As of the 11th year, taxation at the rate of 10% of the tax on industrial and commercial profits for a period of 5 years. - 25-year exemption from VAT on obtaining approval, solely for sales made in the ZERP and those aimed at exportation, of the tax on dividends and all withholding taxes, as of the first sale, of fiscal contributions for built or unbuilt properties as of their being enrolled in the land and mortgages register, of transfer and registering duties for all sales of property, transfers or company contributions allowed for in the Economic Zone with Special Privileges, as of the first sale. - the option for the investor to sell 25% of its production in the customs limits of national territory without losing the aforestated exemptions.

Social aspects - flexibility in the procedures governing the issue of visas and resident permits/work permits. - dispensation from paying the fee charged for repatriation and all related duties; charges payable by GSEZ . - in equal measure, the investors must give priority to Gabon nationals.

ÂŠOlam

Customs regulations - 25-year exemption as of registration in the Register of Companies and Trades from all duties and taxes on all business imports allowed for in the ZERP. This exemption extends to the C-GC and the DGCC; it does not apply to the OPRAG [Port and Roads Office of Gabon] or port services. - exports, outside of national territory, of products manufactured in the ZERP and subject to taxation of 10% above the F.O.B value. - simplification of the customs clearance procedures for merchandise destined for the ZERP.

What is the time scale? The decision to grant or refuse approval will be communicated 15 days after submission of the file. If approval is refused, reasons are always provided. This period includes the submission of the file, its examination by GSEZ and subsequently by the authorities, and notification of the decision. Since the various decision-makers work together on an ongoing basis, this involves a bipartite procedure. 11

On the ground

Meet client of GSEZ:

Chaudronerie du Gabon (CDG)

Cross-talk between Hasna DIRAR, Manaing Director of CDG and Mohamed Reslan, Chief Executive Officer of SOFERGA and CDG.

 Investing in your business also represents an interest for your country



What is the Chaudronerie du Gabon (CDG)? CDG is a start-up business, whose MD is also the CEO of SOFERGA and whose operations include steelworks, the manufacture of rebars, and a steel foundry. The company both operates in the domestic market and exports to the sub-region. This will be the first time Gabon manufactures its own steel! The majority of our 350 employees (direct and indirect) are Gabonese nationals. The objective is for expatriates to be able to share their expertise and train the Gambonese employees, especially in manufacturing methods and the transformation process. We expect the plant to eventually have the capacity to manufacture up to 50,000 metric tons of rebars per year.

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Why invest in Gabon? The CEO of Soferga has a long-term vision for his country and is 100% committed to its industrial development, which will be achieved through the investments to be made. Political stability and the security of the legal and judicial systems are obviously added assets. More specifically, the SEZ of Nkok is attractive because of the reduced prices offered for electricity and the Guichet Unique ['one-stop shop'] services provided. Have you encountered any difficulties? Well, electricity is still supplied by generators, but other than that, Olam has been monitoring the project effectively and we always receive answers to our questions. What is the current status of the project? We began work in January 2012, after the plot of land was handed over in November 2011, A total of 60 to 70 per cent of construction has now been completed, and 10,000 square metres has been developed. A total of 100 people are currently working on site. We expect the project to become operational at the end of September 2013, depending on the power supply. What is the investment involved in the plant? A total of FCFA 12 billion for the construction project, of which 60% has already been invested. We expect to earn a return on investment in 10 to 15 years. CDG

chaudronnerie du

GABON

Zone Economique Spéciale de NKOK BP: 60 Libreville / Gabon Tel: (241) 05 01 41 60 Mail: cdg@gmail.com

Fabrication de : •Poutrelles •Ronds à béton •Cornières à ailes égales •Fers plats •Fers carrés •Billettes

Certifié ISO 9001

Progress in

figures

Port-Gentil (GFC) Nkok (GSEZ)

On the ground (may 2013)

Employees

30 16

Makokou (Timber)

(direct and indirect)

288

2,000

1,375 350

Bitam (Rubber) Mouila (Palm)

May 2013 November 2012

627 600 862

958 955

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Kango (Palm)

1577

Hectares planted Bitam (Rubber) 0 Mouila (Palm)

733 5014 2190

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Kango ( Palm)

1192

Housing under construction 0

230 450

Mouila (Palm) Kango ( Palm)

250

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Bitam (Rubber)

Across businesses Spotlight on IT department: SAP and VC It's all about the acronyms: Information and Telecommunications Management Systems (ITMS) have made a complex and indispensable contribution to our companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s development.

Just three months ago accounting, purchasing and management control were self-contained entities, and today they are interconnected and work together thanks to the implementation of SAP. This is an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system that integrates and extracts management data in order to meet the company's strategic and operational needs. With 38 years of experience in IT solutions for business management, SAP is a clear market leader. Today, the majority of Olam employees around the world use this system, centralised in India and Singapore, with a workforce of a hundred or so people. Invoicing example in the SAP For Olam Gabon, 5 people use SAP on a day-to-day basis. We began this project in July 2012, but it took 6 months of dedicated efforts before we were able to launch it. We had to first determine the model we needed, based on our various activities, and then work closely with experts, come up with the architectural design for the system, identifying operations, roles, authorisations and, finally, training users so as to be able to change the system. We overcame various difficulties during the project, such as the distance between our sites, the instability of the connection, the IT skills of the users, the relative complexity of the SAP system, managing implementation costs, and language barriers. Because of these difficulties, the initial steps you take in SAP can sometimes be quite a challenge... But it's something you have to get through, and with regular practice you can move beyond this stage quite quickly. The advantages of using this system canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be matched : How do SAP transactions work? it reduces the amount of time spent on accounting transactions, enables you to execute monthly electronic management of these transactions with traceability at all levels and allows you to compare budgets and expenditure, as well as significantly reducing costs. The SAP team is ready to help you get to grips with the system!

Across businesses Video conferencing: an economical

ÂŠOlam

and user-friendly solution

Malick Pambou Mbokou Rangue, IT support, in charge of telecommunications, conducting a video-conferencing test with Franck Ambenga, his counterpart in Port Gentil

For over six months, Olam Gabon's IT department has worked to install a modern video-conferencing systemaimed at all employees in the country. The system combines two technologies that enable users to have visual contact and speak for an unlimited period of time with one or more people located in different cities or countries. This equipment is scheduled to be installed at all of Olam's sites, but is currently operational in Libreville (2), Kango, Port-Gentil, Bitam and Mouila. Makokou will be provided with this means of communication in the very near future. Six video-conferencing systems have been installed to date. With sites so far apart, this communication system cuts travel costs, and also enables meetings to take place on a regular basis. These meetings are also more user-friendly and practical than telephone calls, all for an initial cost of 30 million CFA Francs. Other benefits of using this system include: a facility to display and send documents by working together and contributing to our commitment torespecting the environment, by reducing the amount of printed paper we produce and our CO2 emissions. In fact, according to a study by the Carbon Disclosure Project and the US telecoms company AT&T, a large company equipped with 2 video- conferencing rooms will save 450 trips per year. This is a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to withdrawing 217 cars from circulation. How does it work? Say you are in Libreville and want to work with a colleague in Mouila but don't want to travel there. You simply book one of the video-conferencing rooms with Jaana Arola Country Head Assistant (procedure will be changed when movin finalised in the new building), contact the person you want to speak to using the procedure explained, and start the work session. The room is equipped with a screen, hi-fi sound, and specially arranged lighting and acoustics. 15

Our partners in action INSAB and Olam join forces for the future of Gabon's agriculture The partnership agreement signed between the company and the institute bodes well for the development of Gabon's agricultural industry. An interview with Professor Alain Souza, Director General of INSAB.

INSAB's entrance

©INSAB

What is the INSAB? The Institut National Supérieur d’Agronomie et de Biotechnologies (Higher National Institute for Agriculture and Biotechnology), the former Department of Agricultural Engineering at the Ecole Polytechnique (Polytechnic), founded in 1986, was set up in 2002 as an independent entity. In accordance with Act no. 37/2010 of 12 November 2010 on its structure and operations, the Institute is a Public Body for Higher Education with a scientific, technological and professional focus, a legal identity and financial management autonomy. It is affiliated with the University of Science and Technology of Masuku. In 2013 the Institute had 218 students, and its mission was as follows: Professor Alain Souza, General - Initial training of middle and senior management in agriculture and biotechnology; Director of INSAB. - Vocational training and professional development for personnel in the agricultural and agro-industrial sectors; - Training in scientific and technological research and support for development in the agricultural and agro-industrial sectors; - Conducting research and development programmes in agriculture and biotechnology; - Disseminating research results. The INSAB is partnered with the Université of Dschang in Cameroon, Gembloux Agro-Biotech in Belgium, the Hassan 2 Agricultural and Veterinary Institute in Morocco, the Rural Polytechnic Institute for Training and Applied Research in Katibougou (French acronym: IPR/IFRA), the Abomey Calavi University in Benin, and the Research Institute for Development in France. What are the specific features of this Institute? INSAB is the only Higher Education Establishment in Gabon to specialise in agriculture. It offers a vocational degree with classes in climatology, hydrology, cartography, remote sensing, and other fields; a Master's in agricultural economics, and a Master's in Industrial and Food Engineering with classes in environmental quality, development economics, the management of sustainable development, and demographics: population, education and employment, etc.

What does the partnership between INSAB and Olam involve? This partnership agreement, signed on 14 November 2012, covers the sites of Bitam, Kango-Awala, and Mouila and runs for three consecutive years. For its part, Olam role is to: - hire work experience trainees at the end of their degree: work experience for 5th year agricultural engineers and a vocational degree work experience - hire work experience trainees at an intermediate level: work experience for agricultural engineers in their 3rd year and work experience for labourers - sit on the dissertation assessment panel for students who completed their work experience placement within the Company - provide teaching staff with the opportunity to visit the Company's facilities and or plantations 16

Our partners in action

- suggest dissertation themes and work experience subjects - select students for potential employment within the company - provide educational support to the INSAB For its part, the INSAB is committed to: - providing vocational training and professional development for company workers - advising and working together to resolve technological issues faced by the company - preparing engineers and high-level technicians who may work for the company when they finish their university studies

©INSAB

How many placements are there this year? There are currently seven work experience trainees in their 5th year of study and working at Olam for a six-month period. Three of these are based in Mouila, two in Kango, and two in Bitam. There are also eight vocational degree trainees working for a three-month period: two in Mouila, one in Kango, and five in Bitam. How are the students monitored? A site visit is scheduled from 17 June for an oral assessment and to check on their work. An Olam representative taking part in a dissertation assessment panel for students who were on work experience at the Company

INSAB work experience placements at Olam, Prescillia Inougungany (Human Resources), who oversaw the setting up of the partnership

©l&S

What do you think of Olam's initiative? Olam's initiative is part of a high-level Government vision to promote balance between training and employment and strengthen skills in our universities and institutes. It gives Olam the opportunity to be actively involved in practical training and management. Our students will benefit from vocational training and will be ready to be employed by Olam because they will have already been instilled with Olam's corporate culture and skills in the field. Crop cultivation at INSAB

©INSAB

Are you partnered with other companies? Yes, with companies such as Sucaf, Siat, Total, etc. But the partnership with Olam is different because we have a plan - still at a draft stage - to secure research grants for the Olam activities. In addition, Olam has also agreed to take part in management training seminars organised by the INSAB for its students.

Au dernier trimestre, nous vous parlions de L&S, entreprise gabonaise composée d’une trentaine de collaborateurs, qui accompagne les entreprises dans la mise en place de logiciel de gestion depuis 1997. Et il se trouve qu’avec le projet ”OLAM HRM”, L&S a gagné le prix 2013 du meilleur partenaire durant la convention annuelle de SAGE ERP X3 ! Félicitations donc à notre partenaire !

Committing to Gabon Train and develop

©Olam

Olam Gabon is committed to concrete initiatives that help to improve the daily lives of local communities over the long term. Two of these were launched in the first half of 2013. In partnership with the Gabonese Government, Olam has launched a project to build vocational training centres for plantation workers,a project that will start with the new 2013-2014 school year. Three training centres will be built in the Kango, Bitam, and Mouila plantations, each equipped with two classrooms, an administrative office, a library and a multimedia room. Eight trainers will also be provided to offer theoretical and practical training. The aim of this large-scale project is to enable Olam Gabon to improve productivity and the quality of work in the plantations. For their part the workers will benefit from vocational training that will lead to a " Professional Certificate in Basic Skills " in rubber farming and palm oil operations. These training centres will be open to over 1,500 of Olam's employees per year for a period of three years prior to any option to open it to external candidates interested in an apprenticeship in these areas of expertise. Managers and supervisors will not be left out because they will also undertake modular training courses to boost their efficiency. In 2013 we also launched a sustainable farming pilot project around our Awala plantation in Kango. The aim is for this project to become a starting point for a local business that may provide food supplies and eventually provide a family with an income.

What resources are being deployed? Currently 250 volunteers are spread across 31 agricultural groups, each responsible for one plantation, either banana, manioc, mango, avocado, or African pear. Olam provides agricultural tools (hoes, machetes, watering cans, wheelbarrows, spades, etc). Our technicians have helped them prepare the soil, in particular offering them two sawyers, and, working with the Head of Komo-Kango's agricultural sector (Ministry of Agriculture) and the GISD (Gabon Institute for Support for Development), they trained them for four weeks in agricultural best practice in plantation processes, usage of pesticides, etc. Olam is also providing the initial plants, bought from a regional cooperative, and is helping to monitor production.

©Olam

Who will benefit from the project? Nsilé was the first village to experiment with this project because it already has a good irrigation system in place. It already covers three villages and by July/August will reach another four. Thirty-six families should benefit from this project. The programme will be tested and modified over a one-year period to monitor its performance before being reproduced on a larger scale in the form of cooperatives.

In this way we hope that are actions will help to preserve agricultural skills - or help to develop new ones. We also hope to support food self-sufficiency, diversify sources of income, or even multiply positive economic impacts because, with the demographic growth in villages, the demand for more food will be met with an appropriate local offer in terms of quantity, quality and price.

©Olam

Above: training; tools being delivered Opposite: first harvest and training for the Nsilé community as part of the sustainable farming support programme

We are Olam Gabon!

Employees who have distinguished themselves by the quality of their work and their investment in Olam Gabon.

Employees of the month

Roméo YABA, Head of Personnel, Timber, Makokou Congratulations to Roméo on his excellent work in recent months. He has shown professionalism and dedication, even at a time of crisis. We have actually been through an extraordinary period at Makokou Timber since the start of the year. He managed this situation with a great deal of maturity. We are proud to have him with us, and hope that he keeps up the good work.

Monica Burlacu, Archivist, Legal Department, Libreville Monica Berlacu was tasked with installing DMD, first in the legal department, followed by marketing, and then HR. She played a key role as a liaison between the software provider and internal users, ensuring that the final product achieved its maximum potential and was adapted to meet our needs.

Sosthène Boussougou, Administrative Department, Mouila

Sosthène handled emergency situations efficiently, using his listening, reporting and writing skills. The training he gave on the operations to prepare the soil in Mouila were particularly appreciated, giving our external auditors (ERM) a favourable impression of our managerial responsiveness to health and safety issues and contributing to our ZERO-accident policy.

Cyriaque Nguema, Deputy Assistant Nursery, Rubber, Batouri He has played a major role in the establishment of Rubber Nursery and produced healthy rubber plants for planting 1500Ha. He has good control over the labour and always shown lot of enthusiasm and commitment in work.

We are Olam Gabon! The other side of the maps... AndrĂŠanna Paola MEKUI BIYOGO Paola joined Olam in November 2012, when the Department for the Environment and Sustainable Development was created. From the offices in Libreville she manages a team of six cartographers sent to work in Kango, Mouila, Bitam and Makokou. Her role is to map the sites and create a centralised database to help with the production of Environmental and Social Impact Assessments, Environmental and Social Management Plans, Management Plans or to help strengthen our competencies. The cartographer's profession is relatively unknown. How did you come to work in this field?

ÂŠOlam

My background is as an engineer in Water and Forests. I have two diplomas from Gabon and a third from Canada, specialising in environmental geomatics and remote sensing. My professional goal is to contribute towards conservation and biodiversity, the sustainable management of natural resources in the Congo Basin, and fighting climate change. With this in mind I was fortunate to work for the Ministry of Water and Forests, the FAO (the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation), and also the Wood Hole Research Centre in the United States. Olam is undergoing rapid expansion in Gabon. Have you had any particular successes within the few months you have worked for the company? I think that my greatest achievement to date has been the support I provided in purchasing equipment to set up our cartography laboratory here at Olam. In six months I've been able to help develop a database that will rigorously index the maps and data at the Department I work for, Environment and Sustainable Development. The laboratory, place of books, studies, publications, and archives will welcome interns. Are you faced with any particular challenges as you carry out your role? In my profession it is sometimes difficult to force our contractors on the ground to respect the limits of the usable, arable land and the protected land and buffer zones that have been predetermined by the social teams and representatives of communities affected by our projects. 20

We are Olam Gabon! We also sometimes find it difficult to secure cartographic data aside from those produced by the forestry sector. For example when we're looking for data from the mining, geological, or pedological sectors.

Which stakeholders do you interact with? Our department's work here at Olam is cross-functional. I work as much with the timber operations as I do with palm and rubber, GFC or the Special Economic Zone. So I need to work with all of our companies' directors, and with the managers of our social teams, to ensure we are strictly adhering to the terms of the social contracts signed with the local communities following on from their Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). And of course I keep in constant touch with the members of our Environment and Sustainable Development team. I also sometimes work with the investors when they require cartographic information to set up operations in the Special Economic Zone.

An example of the work carried out by AndrĂŠana Paola and her team

New team members

Welcome!

Between February and May, 19 employees joined the functional and operations teams. Samraat Antaal

Administrative Executive, GFC

Julio Bodinga

HR Manager, Palm, Mouila

VĂŠronique Fayos-Vidal

Head of Communications, Communications Department, Libreville

Hari Iyer

Country Financial Controller, Libreville

Abraham Mathai

Head of Logistics and Purchase country, Libreville

Guy Arnold Avika Ndiaye Telephony and IT Support, Libreville

Abhijit Chitre

Head of the Project Management Cell, Libreville

Joseph Gnanie

HR Manager, Palm, Kango

Ashok Kemnar

Lead Engineer - Planning, GSEZ

Daniel Ndong Ekabane HR assistant, Palm, Kango

CONGRATULATIONS

to RomĂŠo and Martine Yaba for their new born baby!

New team members

Welcome! Dany Nkomah Koumba

Accounting Assistant, Rubber, Libreville

Emeline Nkombe

Communications Executive, Communications Department, Libreville

Davy Obiang

Junior Legal Practicioner, Legal Department, Libreville

Jitender Sharma

Residential Civil Engineer, GSEZ

CĂŠdric Nguema Essono

Payroll Administrator, Payroll Department, Libreville

Brice Kevin Nzame Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Noh

Payroll Administrator, Rubber, Bitam

Carole Rozo

Resettlement officer, GFC, Port Gentil

Muthu G. Senthikumar

Senior Civil Engineer, GSEZ

Mamie Goltrane Tsounougou

Purchasing Assistant, Rubber, Libreville

To receive the Olam Gabon newsletter by email, or for any other information on the company, please write to us at the following email address: gaboncoms@olamnet.com 23

Photos of the month

©Afrikimage

Collection of multicoloured wheelbarrows in Mouila

©Afrikimage

©Olam

An unusual guest at the construction site in Galerie Tsika... Quickly retrieved by the WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society)

Solar lamps as night falls in Mouila