Inclusive Development International

THROUGH RESEARCH, CASEWORK AND POLICY ADVOCACY, INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT INTERNATIONAL HOLDS CORPORATIONS, FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS AND DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES ACCOUNTABLE TO THEIR HUMAN RIGHTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND WORKS TO PROMOTE A MORE JUST AND EQUITABLE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC SYSTEM.

CASE WORK: UPON REQUEST FROM LOCAL COMMUNITY ADVOCATES, OUR RESEARCHERS MAP AND ANALYZE THE INVESTMENT AND SUPPLY CHAINS OF HARMFUL INVESTMENT PROJECTS, IDENTIFY POINTS OF LEVERAGE, AND PROVIDE STRATEGIC ADVOCACY ADVICE. IN SELECT CASES, WE PROVIDE LEGAL ASSISTANCE, ADVOCACY SUPPORT AND NEGOTIATION ACCOMPANIMENT TO COMMUNITIES AND THEIR LOCAL PARTNERS. KEY HIGHLIGHTS FROM OUR CASEWORK IN 2021 INCLUDE: ------INVESTIGATING 55 HARMFUL PROJECTS, IDENTIFYING 121 NEW ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITIES FOR AFFECTED COMMUNITIES AND MOVING ADVOCACY STRATEGIES FORWARD IN 23 CASES. ------SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES IN MEDIATIONS WITH ANGLOGOLD ASHANTI SEEKING REDRESS FOR HARMS FROM ITS SIGUIRI GOLD MINE. WE SUPPORTED NEGOTIATIONS OVER AND MONITORING OF AGREEMENTS ON WATER, EDUCATION, COMPENSATION, LIVELIHOODS, AND SECURITY AND HUMAN RIGHTS. AS PART OF AGREEMENTS REACHED, AN INDEPENDENT EXPERT CONDUCTED A COMPENSATION AUDIT AND LIVELIHOODS ANALYSIS, MAKING FINDINGS THAT VALIDATED COMMUNITY CLAIMS AND STRONG REMEDIATION RECOMMENDATIONS THE COMPANY HAS AGREED TO HONOR. ------SUPPORTING GUINEAN COMMUNITIES TO VOICE THEIR DEMANDS IN MEDIATIONS WITH COMPAGNIE DE BAUXITE DE GUINE (CBG) AND BEGINNING TO SECURE REDRESS FOR HARMS FROM DYNAMITE BLASTING AND DESTRUCTION OF WATER SOURCES. OUR EXTENSIVE ADVOCACY WITH CBG'S OWNERS RIO TINTO AND ALCOA AND MAJOR CAR BRANDS THAT SOURCE FROM THE MINE HAS LED TO A CHANGE IN CBG'S CONDUCT. ------CO-LAUNCHING AND CO-LEADING THE #STOPEACOP CAMPAIGN TO STOP THE DISASTROUS EAST AFRICAN CRUDE OIL PIPELINE (EACOP) PROJECT. COSTS OF THE PROJECT SKYROCKETED AS 15 MAJOR COMMERCIAL BANKS AND 7 INSURERS AND REINSURERS AGREED TO STEER CLEAR, ALONG WITH EXPORT CREDIT AGENCIES AND DEVELOPMENT FINANCE INSTITUTIONS. HUNDREDS OF CSOS AND THOUSANDS OF INDIVIDUALS SUPPORTED THIS VIBRANT CAMPAIGN WITH PUBLIC MOBILIZATIONS, LEGAL ACTIONS, RESEARCH, SHAREHOLDER ACTIVISM, AND MEDIA ADVOCACY. ------SUPPORTING PLAINTIFFS REPRESENTING SEVEN HUNDRED CAMBODIAN FARMING FAMILIES IN ASIA'S FIRST TRANSBOUNDARY CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST SUGAR GIANT MITR PHOL FOR ITS COMPLICITY IN THEIR FORCIBLE DISPLACEMENT IN 2008-2009 AND ONGOING REFUSAL TO PROVIDE REMEDY OR COMPENSATION. WE ALSO FILED A SUCCESSFUL PETITION IN THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF GEORGIA, UNDER THE U.S. FOREIGN LEGAL ASSISTANCE STATUTE, ASKING THE U.S. COURT TO HELP THE PLAINTIFFS OBTAIN EVIDENCE FROM COCA-COLA, A FORMER CUSTOMER OF MITR PHOL, TO ASSIST THE LITIGATION IN THAILAND. ------STARTING FORMAL MEDIATION PROCESS WITH AVESORO RESOURCES, CREATING A VITAL OPPORTUNITY FOR AFFECTED LIBERIAN COMMUNITIES TO SEEK REDRESS FOR THE TERRIBLE IMPACTS SUFFERED AS A RESULT OF THE NEW LIBERTY GOLD MINE PROJECT. ------SUPPORTING THE SAMIN INDIGENOUS PEOPLES IN FILING A COMPLAINT AGAINST HEIDELBERGCEMENT WITH THE GERMAN NATIONAL CONTACT FOR RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS CONDUCT, RESULTING IN THE COMPANY AGREEING TO PAUSE DEVELOPMENT OF A PROPOSED LIMESTONE MINE AND CEMENT FACTORY THAT THREATENS THEIR SACRED KARSTS, LIVELIHOODS AND WATER RESOURCES, WHILST MEDIATIONS ARE PENDING. ------HOLDING IFC ACCOUNTABLE FOR ITS ROLE IN FINANCING THE PHILIPPINES' COAL BOOM DUE TO ITS IRRESPONSIBLE FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY LENDING PRACTICES. IN 2017, WE WORKED WITH THE PHILIPPINE MOVEMENT FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE TO FILE A COMPLAINT ON BEHALF OF 19 COAL AFFECTED COMMUNITIES TO THE INTERNATIONAL FINANCE CORPORATION'S COMPLIANCE ADVISOR OMBUDSMAN. THE CAO COMPLETED ITS INVESTIGATION IN 2021 AND THE SUBSEQUENT REPORT INCLUDES SEVERAL SIGNIFICANT RECOMMENDATIONS FOR REMEDIAL ACTION TO ADDRESS THE LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL IMPACTS OF COAL PLANTS. ------SUPPORTING COMMUNITIES DOWNSTREAM OF THE PROPOSED DAIRI PRIMA MINERAL'S ZINC AND LEAD MINE IN NORTH SUMATRA AND TAILINGS DAM TO UNDERSTAND THE CATASTROPHIC RISKS OF THE MINE AND TO ADVOCATE FOR IT TO BE STOPPED. OUR ADVOCACY ALONGSIDE COMMUNITIES AT RISK FROM A COLLAPSE OF THE PROPOSED TAILINGS DAM SO FAR HELPED STALL THE GOVERNMENT IN GRANTING AN ENVIRONMENTAL PERMIT, SLOWING DEVELOPMENT OF THE MINE WHILE MORE ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS IS CONDUCTED. ------DISTRIBUTING ANZ BANK'S COMPENSATION SETTLEMENT TO 1,096 FAMILIES DISPLACED BY A FORMER CLIENT. EACH FAMILY RECEIVED AN AMOUNT GREATER THAN THE CAMBODIAN MEDIAN ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME, AND COMMUNITIES SET ASIDE 3% TO CAPITALIZE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS. BECAUSE OF OUR WORK, ANZ BECAME THE FIRST COMMERCIAL BANK TO ADOPT A HUMAN RIGHTS COMPLAINTS MECHANISM GIVING OTHER COMMUNITIES A PATH TO JUSTICE. ON BOTH FRONTS, THE CASE SET AN IMPORTANT HUMAN RIGHTS PRECEDENT FOR THE BANKING INDUSTRY WORLDWIDE.

CHINA GLOBAL PROGRAM: AS CHINESE COMPANIES AND FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS HAVE EXPANDED GLOBALLY, IT HAS BECOME INCREASINGLY IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND HOW THEY OPERATE, HOW THEY UNDERTAKE, INVEST IN AND SECURE FINANCING FOR OVERSEAS PROJECTS, AND WHAT REGULATIONS APPLY. HAVING WORKED ON THESE ISSUES FOR MANY YEARS, INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT INTERNATIONAL HAS DEVELOPED SIGNIFICANT EXPERTISE IN RESEARCHING, UNDERSTANDING AND INFLUENCING CHINESE ACTORS. . TO HELP CIVIL SOCIETY PARTNERS KEEP UP WITH THESE DEVELOPMENTS AND UNDERSTAND HOW THEY APPLY TO THEIR WORK, OUR CHINA GLOBAL PROGRAM PRODUCES INFORMATIONAL TOOLS, INCLUDING OUR SAFEGUARDING PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN CHINESE INVESTMENTS GUIDE FOR ADVOCATES. WE ALSO MAINTAIN A DATABASE OF POLICIES, REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES ISSUED BY CHINESE REGULATORS THAT APPLY TO OVERSEAS PROJECTS, AND SINCE 2020 HAVE PUBLISHED QUARTERLY NEWSLETTERS FOCUSING ON EMERGING ISSUES IN THE GLOBAL CHINA SPACE. IN 2021, WE PRODUCED NEW PRIVATE BRIEFINGS ON THE ASIAN INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT BANK FOR CIVIL SOCIETY STAKEHOLDERS, AS WELL AS PUBLIC PIECES RELATED TO CHINA'S GLOBAL INVESTMENT FOOTPRINT. . INCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT INTERNATIONAL ALSO SUPPORTED THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PEOPLE'S MAP OF GLOBAL CHINA, A COLLABORATIVE PLATFORM FOR TRACKING CHINA'S INTERNATIONAL ACTIVITIES, WHICH LAUNCHED IN 2021. THE PROJECT SOURCES CONTENT FROM CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS, RESEARCHERS, JOURNALISTS AND ACADEMICS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, PRODUCING PROFILES ON CHINA'S BILATERAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH VARIOUS COUNTRIES AS WELL AS PROFILES ON SPECIFIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS.

POLICY ADVOCACY: WE ADVOCATE TO STRENGTHEN INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS AND ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS IN THE SPHERES OF TRANSNATIONAL INVESTMENT AND DEVELOPMENT FINANCE, AND WE WORK TO MAKE THESE STANDARDS MORE ENFORCEABLE THROUGH EFFECTIVE ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISMS. DRAWING ON OUR EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH IMPACTED COMMUNITIES AND OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE REGULATORY AND ACCOUNTABILITY GAPS THAT WE ENCOUNTER THROUGH OUR INVESTMENT CHAIN RESEARCH AND CASE WORK, WE DEVELOP AND PROMOTE POLICY SOLUTIONS TO ADVANCE A MORE JUST AND EQUITABLE GLOBAL ECONOMY. . IN 2021, WE LAUNCHED A POWERFUL NEW REPORT AND ADVOCACY CAMPAIGN WITH HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH TO SAFEGUARD HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE GLOBAL ALUMINUM SUPPLY CHAIN, DRAWING ON YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES IN MINING-AFFECTED REGIONS OF GUINEA. WE ENGAGED IN VARIOUS POLICY DEVELOPMENT AND REFORM PROCESSES, INCLUDING STRENGTHENING ACCOUNTABILITY AT THE INTERNATIONAL FINANCE CORPORATION BY CONTRIBUTING EXTENSIVELY TO A NEW COMPLIANCE ADVISOR OMBUDSMAN POLICY WHICH WAS ADOPTED BY THE WORLD BANK GROUP ON JULY 1, 2021. . IN ADDITION, WE SUBMITTED DETAILED COMMENTS AND ENGAGED DIRECTLY WITH ASIAN INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT BANK (AIIB) AND THEIR PARTNERS TO INFORM AND INFLUENCE THE DEVELOPMENT AIIB'S NEW ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL FRAMEWORK, WHICH EXPANDS THE BANK'S ROLE IN REVIEWING AND APPROVING-OR EXCLUDING-THE HIGHEST-RISK PROJECTS FROM FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY PORTFOLIOS AND ADDS IMPORTANT REQUIREMENTS FOR CLIENTS TO DEVELOP ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGMENT SYSTEMS. . AND WE CONTRIBUTED TO THE STAKEHOLDER WORKING GROUP THAT HELPED ANZ BANK DEVELOP A NEW HUMAN RIGHTS GRIEVANCE MECHANISM, WHICH GIVES COMMUNITIES HARMED BY THE BANK'S PROJECTS ACCESS TO REMEDY - A FIRST FOR THE COMMERCIAL BANKING SECTOR.