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 AND CAPACITY BUILDING: UPON REQUEST FROM COMMUNITY ADVOCATES AROUND THE WORLD, WE INVESTIGATE THE CORPORATIONS, INVESTORS AND SUPPLY CHAIN ACTORS LINKED TO HARMFUL CORPORATE ACTIVITIES, IDENTIFY PRESSURE POINTS FOR ADVOCACY, AND SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH IMPACTED COMMUNITIES AND THEIR ADVOCATES. IN SELECT CASES, WE SUPPORT AND ACCOMPANY COMMUNITIES TO PREVENT HARMS AND SEEK REDRESS BY LEVERAGING PRESSURE POINTS THROUGH SUSTAINED, MULTI-PRONGED ADVOCACY STRATEGIES. AT THE SAME TIME, WE DEVELOP TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO STRENGTHEN THE MOVEMENT FOR CORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITY BY BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF LOCAL ADVOCATES TO SHAPE THE DECISIONS THAT AFFECT THEIR LIVES AND HOLD POWERFUL INSTITUTIONS ACCOUNTABLE. IN 2023, WE CONTINUED BUILDING A GLOBAL COMMUNITY OF CIVIL SOCIETY PRACTITIONERS TO APPLY OUR FOLLOW THE MONEY METHODS WHERE THEY ARE NEEDED MOST. THIS YEAR WE CONDUCTED TWO FOLLOW THE MONEY TO JUSTICE TRAINING COURSES FOR 40 CORPORATE ACCOUNTABILITY ADVOCATES FROM ACROSS THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION, AND WE PROVIDED ONGOING STRATEGIC SUPPORT TO THESE GROUPS TO PARTICIPANTS FROM OUR 2022 AFRICA COURSE AS THEY EXECUTE THEIR OWN RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY STRAGEGIES. . WE OPENED NEW AVENUES FOR COMMUNITIES TO DEFEND THEIR RIGHTS BY INVESTIGATING THE INVESTMENT AND SUPPLY CHAINS OF 27 HARMFUL PROJECTS IN 11 COUNTRIES OR REGIONS, WHILE PARTICIPANTS OF OUR TRAINING COURSES INVESTIGATED AN ADDITIONAL 26 PROJECTS. ALTOGETHER THIS RESEARCH UNCOVERED 155 NEW ADVOCACY OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITIES, WHICH WE AND OUR PARTNERS HELPED COMMUNITIES SEIZE IN 27 CASES. THIS YEAR WE SECURED 12 IMPORTANT CASE WINS AND CONCRETE REMEDIAL PREVENTATIVE OUTCOMES IN 3 CASES. . KEY CASE ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2023 INCLUDED: -----ACCOMPANYING AFFECTED COMMUNITIES IN GUINEAS BOKE AND SIGUIRI REGIONS IN MEDIATIONS WITH MINING COMPANIES TO SECURE FAIR BENEFITS AND REMEDIATE HARMS. THIS YEAR CBG, AN ALCOA-RIO TINTO JOINT VENTURE, TOOK IMPORTANT STEPS TO RESTORE LOCAL RIVERS THAT FOR YEARS HAD BEEN POLLUTED BY ITS BAUXITE MINING ACTIVITIES AND IT COMPLETED CONSTRUCTION OR REHABILITATION OF DOZENS OF BOREHOLES IN 13 VILLAGES, IMPROVING ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER. IN OUR OTHER GUINEA CASE INVOLVING ANGLOGOLD ASHANTI, WE HELPED THE COMMUNITY CONCLUDE TWO NEW AGREEMENTS WITH THE COMPANY TO UPGRADE LOCAL ROADS AND THE HEALTH CENTER WHERE THE COMMUNITY WAS RESETTLED. -----COLLABORATING WITH LOCAL, REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS ON A CAMPAIGN TO STOP THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EAST AFRICAN CRUDE OIL PIPELINE AND ASSOCIATED OIL EXTRACTION IN UGANDAS ECOLOGICALLY SENSITIVE ALBERTINE BASIN. OVER 50 MAJOR BANKS AND INSURANCE COMPANIES HAVE NOW COMMITTED NOT TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT DUE TO ITS SEVERE CLIMATE, ENVIRONMENTAL AND HUMAN RIGHTS RISKS. WE KEPT UP THE PRESSURE BY FILING A FIRST-OF-ITS- KIND OECD COMPLAINT AGAINST THE INSURANCE GIANT MARSH FOR ENABLING THE PROJECT BY SERVING AS ITS INSURANCE BROKER. -----ACCOMPANYING COMMUNITIES DEVASTATED BY THE NEW LIBERTY GOLD MINE IN LIBERIAS GRAND CAPE MOUNT COUNTY IN MEDIATIONS AIMED AT SECURING REDRESS FROM THE COMPANY AND ITS INTERNATIONAL FINANCIERS, INCLUDING GERMAN AND FRENCH DEVELOPMENT FINANCE INSTITUTIONS. -----WORKING WITH COMMUNITIES IN CAMBODIAS RATANAKIRI AND ODDAR MEANCHEY PROVINCES TO SEEK REDRESS FOR LAND GRABBING BY MULTINATIONAL AGRIBUSINESS COMPANIES THROUGH TRANSNATIONAL CIVIL LITIGATION AND ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROCESSES. -----WORKING WITH INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES IN INDONESIAS CENTRAL JAVA AND NORTH SUMATRA PROVINCES TO SECURE THEIR RIGHT TO FREE, PRIOR AND INFORMED CONSENT VIS-A-VIS PLANNED LIMESTONE AND ZINC MINING OPERATIONS THAT THREATEN THEIR LIVELIHOODS, HEALTH AND SAFETY AND THAT COULD DESTROY CRITICAL WATER RESOURCES. THIS YEAR WE HELPED PARTNERS SECURE A RARE LEGAL VICTORY IN THE INDONESIAN COURTS REVOKING THE ENVIRONMENTAL PERMIT FOR A TOXIC TAILINGS DAM PLANNED IN THE EARTHQUAKE-PRONE REGION OF NORTH SUMATRA. -----SUPPORTING INDONESIAN COMMUNITIES THREATENED BY THE JAVA 9 & 10 COAL PLANTS TO FILE A COMPLAINT TO THE COMPLIANCE ADVISOR OMBUDSMAN OF THE INTERNATIONAL FINANCE CORPORATION (IFC) REGARDING THE BANKS EXPOSURE TO THE HARMFUL PROJECT THROUGH A FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY INVESTMENT. -----SUPPORTING COAL-AFFECTED COMMUNITIES IN THE PHILIPPINES TO SEEK REMEDY FROM THE IFC FOR ITS ROLE IN FINANCING 10 COAL PLANTS, WHICH HAVE HAD DEVASTATING IMPACTS ON PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT. -----SUPPORTING SURVIVORS OF CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE AT FOR-PROFIT SCHOOLS FINANCED BY THE IFC AND THE US DEVELOPMENT FINANCE CORPORATION TO DEMAND REMEDIAL ACTION FROM BOTH INSTITUTIONS FOLLOWING A SCATHING COMPLIANCE INVESTIGATION, AND WE HELPED EXPOSE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO COVER-UP THE ABUSE AND UNDERMINE THE IFCS INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM.

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 2023, WE LAUNCHED A NEW FIVE-YEAR STRATEGY FOCUSED ON ENSURING THAT THE ENERGY TRANSITION IS BOTH RAPID AND JUST. WE ADVANCED OUR WORK STRENGTHENING HUMAN RIGHTS DUE DILIGENCE WITHIN THE ALUMINIUM SUPPLY CHAIN, AND WE LAUNCHED A NEW CAMPAIGN WITH PARTNERS AIMED AT ENDING COAL FINANCE. . KEY POLICY ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN 2023 INCLUDED THE FOLLOWING: . -----THE OECD ADOPTED NEW AND IMPROVED GUIDELINES FOR MULTINATIONAL ENTERPRISES AND STRENGTHENED ITS NATIONAL CONTACT POINT PROCEDURES, WHICH WE ADVOCATED FOR WITH OUR SUBMISSIONS AND IN A PRESENTATION BY OUR LEGAL AND POLICY DIRECTOR AT THE OECDS 10- YEAR MINISTERIAL MEETING ON RESPONSIBLE BUSINESS CONDUCT IN PARIS. -----THE ASIAN INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT BANK COMMITTED TO UNDERTAKING A PROPER CONSULTATIVE REVIEW OF ITS ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM TO ADDRESS THE ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES THAT WE HIGHLIGHTED IN A JOINT REPORT WITH RECOURSE & ACCOUNTABILITY COUNSEL. -----THE IFC UPDATED ITS GREEN EQUITY APPROACH TO PROHIBIT ITS FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY CLIENTS FROM FINANCING NEW COAL PROJECTS. THE MOVE CAME FOLLOWING YEARS OF ADVOCACY BY IDI AND PARTNERS TO CLOSE THIS LOOPHOLE. WE PUSHED THE IFC TO CLOSE REMAINING POLICY GAPS WITH A NEW REPORT SPOTLIGHTING THE BANKS ONGOING EXPOSURE TO DOZENS OF COAL PLANTS THROUGHOUT ASIA. -----WE ENGAGED WITH THE IFC AND THE WORLD BANK GROUP BOARD TO ADVOCATE FOR THE ADOPTION OF A ROBUST REMEDIAL ACTION FRAMEWORK. -----WE ACCOMPANIED REPRESENTATIVES OF A MAJOR CAR COMPANY ON A TRIP TO GUINEA TO WITNESS FIRSTHAND THE IMPACTS OF ITS ALUMINIUM SUPPLY CHAIN ON AFFECTED COMMUNITIES, WHICH LED TO A NEW INITIATIVE AIMED AT SUPPORTING THE COMPANY TO IMPROVE WATER AND LAND MANAGMENT PRACTICES. -----WE ENGAGED WITH THE CHINA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF METALS, MINERALS AND CHEMICALS IMPORTERS AND EXPORTERS TO HELP GUIDE THEIR PROCESS OF CREATING A NEW ACCOUNTABILITY MECHANISM FOR THE MINING SECTOR - A FIRST OF ITS KIND IN CHINA.