Communicating with and listening to local communities that may be affected by company activities is a Gran Tierra priority. Many of Gran Tierra’s social investments focus on economic development, such as productive and business development initiatives which are critically important in post-conflict areas. Another priority for many local communities in rural areas are programs that strengthen capacities and leadership.
GTE has developed a social investments strategy that reflects the results of a broad study of community and GTE management. The strategy recognizes that two of the Company’s most important commitments are to build trusting relationships and to be a good neighbour. The objective is for the Company to be a trusted partner with the communities near its operations. Among its many provisions, the strategy calls for social investments to:
- Be tangible and measurable
- Align with business, Canadian, Colombia, Ecuadorian and international social impact standards
- Improve community feedback
To learn more about the way GTE works with communities to inform, educate and support local communities through projects and programs where they feel visible and heard view the stories below.
Gran Tierra Te Escucha: An Open Door for the Community
How Gran Tierra Handles Petitions, Complaints and Claims
Familiarization Trips
Gran Tierra in My Community
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Gran Tierra Te Escucha: An Open Door for the Community
As part of its efforts to maintain a strong, positive relationship with local communities, Gran Tierra has local offices that are part of a program called “Gran Tierra Te Escucha” (Gran Tierra Listens). The role of each office is to create a physical, easily accessible channel for community members to engage in two-way communications with the Company.
Community members are encouraged to visit the offices in an effort to uncover potential concerns, which are referred to as Petitions, Complaints and Grievances (PQR’s). This important feedback from community partners can highlight opportunities for improvement or specific issues that the company must respond to.
Gran Tierra also offers Mobile GTE Te Escucha offices in Ecuador to ensure that the residents of the more remote communities near the Company’s Charapa and Chanangue operations have the opportunity to be heard and regularly engage directly with the Company each month. With GTE’s mobile offices, the Company has logged in 329 hours of direct engagement, furthering open dialogue with the communities.
Gran Tierra can measure the effectiveness of its grievance management process through the number of PQRs, the higher the numbers of petitions, questions, complaints, or claims (PQRs) indicate that communities feel comfortable engaging with the company. In 2024, Gran Tierra Te Escucha offices received 1,527 PQRs.
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How Gran Tierra Handles Petitions, Complaints and Claims
Gran Tierra respects the evolving relationships with local communities and the Company has continued to build relationships based on mutual understanding and acceptance. Gran Tierra seeks to provide quality, timely, coherent, efficient and responsible responses that build trust, manage expectations and minimize environmental risks.
Whether Gran Tierra has delegated an activity or performed it directly, GTE is committed to being responsible for how it is carried out. Dialogue with communities through Petitions, Complaints and Claims (PQRs) embodies principles recommended by the World Bank Group and performance criteria that are set forth in the United Nations publication Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
This process serves as an early warning system for emerging community concerns, providing the Company an opportunity to analyze the situation, assess the impact, anticipate any issues, and appropriately respond.
The Process
There are four in-person and correspondence-based channels that people can use to file petitions, complaints and claims. These are screened and go through the documentation centre and the coordination centre. Everything is coded with a report received in real time at Gran Tierra’s Calgary office and regular reports are sent to senior management. An Effectiveness Committee meets every month, looking at trends. To ensure that the system continues to improve, internal and external satisfaction surveys and performance statistics are reviewed by GTE’s senior management team on a regular basis.
To see the ways to submit a PQR visit our Community Queries page here.
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Familiarization Trips
GTE has several programs that let people see first-hand what the Company does to minimize the impact of its operations on the environment. One program is called Familiarization Trips (FamTrips), which involves encouraging stakeholders to visit production sites and observe the Company’s practices, particularly with respect to operations and the environment. Since 2019, GTE has hosted nearly 40 FamTrips, welcoming over 780 people to the Company’s facilities: the Costayaco Forestry Centre, the Costayaco and Acordionero operations facilities, our fields, and the Suruma Museum.
This program has proved to be effective in countering myths some people have regarding industry practices, by providing basic information about hydrocarbons, and by providing basic information on how oil operations work. Some visitors come from areas near current operations and some are from areas where GTE is planning to operate.
In 2024, Gran Tierra Energy expanded FamTrips into Ecuador, with the activities now linked to complementary initiatives like training. This has generated expectations in areas of indirect influence and is seen as an effort to gradually engage the broader community. GTE hosted self-sustainable initiatives, ventures related to local production, manufacturing and marketing of small entrepreneurs in the country, with 79 people participating.
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Gran Tierra in My Community
Designed to strengthen relationships with local communities, leaders, and institutions in Putumayo, Cauca, Santander, and Cesar departments, GTE In My Community (GTE En Mi Comunidad) is Gran Tierra Energy’s community engagement program that promotes positive values, social connections and meaningful opportunities for families living near our operations.
Through interactive educational, cultural, and recreational activities, the program promotes dialogue, trust, respect, and collaboration while supporting the well-being of children, youth, parents, and community leaders. By creating inclusive spaces where families can learn and engage together, GTE In My Community contributes to stronger, more resilient communities and reinforces Gran Tierra’s commitment to sustainable social development.
As part of the 2025 program, GTE hosted a collection of special children’s holiday events focused on conflict prevention and resolution, teamwork, and positive social interaction. A central component of this edition was the Christmas Novena, where children took on leading roles in the celebration. Dressed in traditional Christmas attire, they actively participated in songs and prayers, reinforcing cultural traditions while strengthening their sense of belonging and community identity.
A Christmas fair complemented the Novenas, with games and a series of value-based learning stations. Participants formed groups with their families to play games and earn points at each station. These points could be redeemed for family-oriented prizes such as board games, cookies, grocery items, and colouring books.
The collection of events engaged over 4,600 children, adolescents and families across Colombia in interactive learning activities designed to promote communication, cooperation and the importance of cultural traditions.
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