Natural Habitats Group in Sierra Leone: Evolution of Company Perspectives, Policies and Practice

This document compiles four short reports and reflection pieces produced by Natural Habitats Group (NHG) during their involvement in a LEGEND project in Sierra Leone implemented by Solidaridad, which aimed to ensure that an NHG land based investment, undertaken by group member company Natural Habitats Sierra Leone Ltd (NHSL) to develop a large oil palm plantation respected existing community members and land holding families’ land rights.

The individual documents included reflect the evolution of NHSL perspectives as a company working closely with a civil society organization on efforts to improve relationships with communities living in the oil palm concession the company had acquired, through the conduct of various activities. The documents provide information on:

1. The background to the company’s presence in Sierra Leone and the situation at the time where they acquired the land concession that occupied the full area of the Makpele Chiefdom.

2. The key outcomes of the project in February 2019, after a number of activities led to the signing of a new lease that significantly reduced the concession size to accommodate the needs of local communities.

3. How the company plans to integrate the lessons learnt through this project into their practices to continue to promote good relationships with communities.

4. The changes that were agreed on as part of the project to support the livelihoods of community members in and around the concession area.