Ecopetrol promotes the acquisition of goods and services and encourages its suppliers to hire locally the goods and services and local labor required, as well as the incorporation of diverse productive enterprises in different industrial sectors, seeking to positively impact regional economies, with based on the reality of the territory and the capacities identified in it, both in the labor force and in the local business community, responding to the problems that generate conflict in the main areas of operations influenced by the companies under criteria of legality, transparency, plurality, competitiveness, price reasonableness, free and fair competition and equitable inclusion.
In 2021, the supply function leveraged the corporate strategy of Socioeconomic Reactivation in the axes of employment generation, productive activity and sustainable territorial development, contributing to: (1) inclusive employment relationship of difficult insertion, (2) increase in local hiring of goods and services by Ecopetrol and allies and (3) promotion of various productive enterprises in the national industry. The foregoing, in line with the provisions of the National Government in CONPES 4023 on Policy for Reactivation and Sustainable and Inclusive Growth.
Procurement of Local Goods and Services
In 2021, local goods and services were contracted for an approximate value of $4.2 billion with Suppliers domiciled in the municipality or department executing the contract, representing 70% of Ecopetrol's total potential contracting (see note 1) (see note 2). and allies, not including the contracts executed in Bogotá.
Additionally, Ecopetrol contributed to the development of local suppliers through training in social networks and digital marketing, advertising, marketing, green businesses, business leadership, innovation and technology, energy transition, among others. The "Escuela Emprende con Energía" was created, which contributes to closing the business gaps of micro, small and medium-sized entrepreneurs (MSMEs) and has the participation as instructors of different entities, suppliers and Champions of the Diversity and Inclusion Program of Ecopetrol.
Hiring Local Labor
Regarding the "prioritization of local labor", Ecopetrol acts in accordance with the provisions of Colombian national legislation, Decree 1668 of 2016, when it develops hydrocarbon exploration and production projects, which provides for the 100% linkage of unskilled labor and at least 30% of skilled labor.
At the end of 2021, 41,443 contractor workers were reported with exclusive dedication to the activities contracted by Ecopetrol, of which 87% (35,948 workers) correspond to local labor in the regions where it operates.
In 2021, with the inclusive job placement strategy, contractors hired 16,622 people with difficult job placement: 14,296 women, 120 people with disabilities, 1,145 people who got their first job, 863 people from ethnic groups and 198 victims of armed conflict.
Diverse Productive Enterprises Program
This Program continued in 2021, promoting the economic development of MSMEs through the generation of business growth opportunities for more than 388 companies and the completion of businesses worth $21,398 million, impacting more than 800 families.
As one of the most important achievements of the Program, the alliance with TERPEL ALTOQUE was finalized to promote the inclusion of MSMEs in the Sustainable Gondolas "Loco por lo Local", achieving the commercialization of products such as donuts and chocolates (snacks, achiras, and sacha inchi oils and creams).
For more information, see the report attached to this release or visit the corporate page by clicking here.
Note 1: Potential refers to the contracting carried out by Ecopetrol in the subcategories identified with local potential + the total contracting reported by Allies.
Note 2: Local participation calculations for Ecopetrol contracting are based on analysis and measurement of categories with local potential.
