The Voice of Sambong, Implementing a Community Feedback Loop for BPE’s Social Performance

SAMBONG, BLORA – True accountability does not end with financial spreadsheets or data mapping. The final and most critical pillar of a robust Social Audit Report (SAR) is the Community Feedback Loop. It is a mechanism that grants the residents of Sambong—the very people living alongside the oil wells of Ledok—the power to officially "grade" the social performance of PT Blora Patra Energi (BPE) at the close of each fiscal year.

In many corporate structures, CSR is a top-down approach where the company decides what the community needs. The Community Feedback Loop flips this hierarchy, ensuring that the 2.5% net profit allocation is judged not by the giver, but by the receiver.

From Objects to Subjects, The "Social Report Card"

Through the Community Feedback Loop, marginalized groups—including the elderly, the disabled, and the chronically ill—are given a formal platform to voice their experiences. This is facilitated through a "Social Report Card" system, where residents assess BPE on several key indicators:

1. Relevance: Did the aid provided match the actual urgent needs of the vulnerable in Sambong?

2. Dignity and Respect: Was the aid delivered in a way that respected the dignity of the recipients, or was it used merely as a photo opportunity for the company?

3. Timeliness: Was the medical or nutritional support delivered consistently, especially during the months when oil lifting was operational?

4. Accessibility: How easy was it for a disabled citizen in a remote part of Sambong to access the CSR grievance or application channel?

Mitigating the "Echo Chamber"

Without a formal feedback loop, corporate directors often live in an "echo chamber," hearing only the positive reports from their internal teams. The Community Feedback Loop breaks this bubble. By collecting anonymous yet verified feedback, the Board of Commissioners and the Regent of Blora can gain a raw, unfiltered view of the social reality on the ground.

If the residents of Ledok give a "low grade" despite high CSR spending, it signals a systemic failure in how the 2.5% profit is being managed. This data becomes a powerful catalyst for reform, ensuring that the company’s social license to operate remains valid and earned.

Institutionalizing the Dialogue

The "Voice of Sambong" is not merely about complaints; it is about collaborative growth. By institutionalizing this feedback loop at the end of each fiscal year, PT BPE creates a "Social Contract" with the people. It ensures that the wealth extracted from the earth of Sambong contributes to a legacy of mutual respect and measurable social progress.