GEO services Angola The project partners, Fugro N.V. from the Netherlands and Augustos & Augustos S.A. from Angola, propose to set up the first geo/technical laboratory in Angola to serve the building sector with a firm building base.They will start a joint venture company.At the moment, the expertise for every soil analysis, necessary for building and infrastructural works is flown in from all over the world, and soil samples are sent (mostly illegally) to laboratories all over the world for analysis. The partners want to start a laboratory in Luanda and train Angolan employees (postdoc level) to do surveys and analyse the soil samples taken.The project is risky as it will be difficult to find enough Angolan citizens with the necessary level and to keep them with the joint venture after the training has been completed. The partners believe that in the long run this project will become profitable.The impact is high, as this level of services is not yet available in Angola and the needs are high as the government is very actively building roads and bridges. Also, the private sector is booming in Angola which shows itself in a great number of buildings being erected in the major cities. A large number of training days will be spent to get the Angolan employees at the desired level.Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)As Fugro N.V. is one of the shareholders of the joint venture, the CSR criteria that Fugro N.V. applies should be applied in the joint venture as well.Besides the technical certifications a social certification is part of this project.Impact•	Employment and working conditions30% of the budget will be invested in knowledge transfer to the employees. The salaries and fringe benefits are of course important and will be very good as is the possibility to make a career in a fast growing company. Lastly, the ever continuing training to reach higher, internationally accepted, levels will motivate the personnel to stay with the joint venture. The local partner added to this, that Angolans like to travel a lot. A large number of the Angolans have applied for asylum in the Netherlands. At a certain age, often after being well educated, they want to return to Angola. This has to do with firm extended family ties (like all the 11 children of Mr Augusto work within the family owned group of companies), but also with the nice social and physical climate of Angola.•	Innovation / Transfer of knowledgeThe services that the joint venture will offer are, at the moment, only executed by imported expats. This is an import substitution activity.•	Chain effectsThe joint venture wants to subcontract most non-specific parts of the contract. For instance the CPT truck is not supposed to travel long distances on bumpy roads as this might affect the machinery and precision measuring. Instead of buying a low loader to have the truck transported, they will hire a transport company who has an appropriate, air suspension equipped low loader. In this way the direct costing for the job is easier and the investments are smaller. To carry samples to the laboratory, subcontractors will be hired with trucks, in case the quantities become too much for the own pick-up trucks of the joint venture.The customers are mainly big, international operating building companies active in Angola as "Soares da Costa" and "Teixeira & Duarte". They will profit from more readily available services at a lower price.Local building companies are mainly active as subcontractor and will not have to hire the joint venture for its services.•	EnvironmentThe joint venture will adopt Fugro's high standards in not disturbing the environment with its work. This is why the ISO 14001 certification will be applied to the joint venture.•	Position of womenFugro N.V. is very progressive in employability of women. There are even female captains and other female crew, on Fugro surveyor vessels. Fugro organises a crèche with nannies for the children onboard. The MD of Fugro Angola is also a woman. The partners are convinced that for the MD job of the joint venture, also a female Angolan candidate should be found. The laboratory staff for 50% will consist of women. Only with the survey work, which is considered physically tough, especially under harsh conditions, the women will probably be absent. To start up a the first geo/technical laboratory in Angola to serve the building sector with stability surveys and soil analyses.