OREANDA-NEWS. December 30, 2013. Karachaganak Petroleum Operating B.V. (KPO) received Silver ‘Paryz’ Award in ‘The Best Social Project’ category at the official ceremony of the republican contest on Corporate Social Responsibility held at the Independence Palace.

The Ceremony was attended by the Republic of Kazakhstan President, the Prime Minister, members of the Government and other dignitaries.

KPO, supported by its Partners and regional authorities, strives to be a model corporate citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan by contributing to the wellbeing of the West Kazakhstan Oblast (WKO) which is home to the company’s neighbouring communities and most of its employees. 

KPO received The Silver Paryz for the construction of a school in the city of Uralsk. The three storey building is designed for 1200 pupils and consists of five blocks integrated into a single complex. The school is fully equipped and has all amenities that enable to deliver high quality education such as workshops, a medical room, a library, language laboratories, and a dedicated classroom for basic military training, a canteen and other auxiliaries.

Every year KPO implements a number of large social infrastructure projects in the WKO. The list of priority projects is defined by the West Kazakhstan oblast administration. The KPO social program is focused on the construction of healthcare, education, culture and sports facilities.  All projects are carried out by Kazakh contractors only.

In 2012-2013 alone, as part of the state program “100 schools, 100 hospitals” KPO funded the construction of five new schools: one in Uralsk and four schools in the remote villages of Aksuat (Akzhaik District, Ushagash (Karatobe District), Koneketken (Terekty District) and Saikuduk (Akzhaik District). 

Other projects include a kindergarten in Uralsk, newly built and upgraded motor roads in Uralsk, and several projects in Burlin District: a newly refurbished secondary school in Uspenovka (Burlin District), upgraded water supply system in Berezovka, repaired school workshop in Zharsuat, reconstructed water supply system in Uspenovka and others.

Earlier on KPO delivered several other turn-key projects in the WKO: the Celebration Palace in Uralsk and the Family Outpatient Clinic in Bisen (Bokeiorda District); a modular boiler in Samal micro-district of Uralsk, a Cultural Centre in Sary Omyr (Terektinskiy District) and a Music School in Chingirlau.

Damiano Ratti, KPO General Director, noted: “The successful implementation of these social projects became possible thanks to fruitful cooperation and partnership between the administration of the West Kazakhstan Oblast and KPO”.

Commenting on the prestigious award, Damiano Ratti said: “Today’s award is a high recognition of KPO’s efforts in developing the region’s social infrastructure.  While delivering on its operation commitments, KPO as a responsible corporate citizen, works towards generating maximum social benefits from the Karachaganak Field for the local communities and the Republic of Kazakhstan as a whole”.

Since 1998, KPO has allocated USD565 million to social infrastructure projects in the WKO, including the construction of the Karachaganak - Uralsk gas pipeline, which was brought into production at the end of 2011.