BSR Insight | Free, Prior, and Informed Consent: New IFC Standards Raise the Bar on Stakeholder Engagement
About the Author(s)
Jasmine Campbell, EMEA Manager, BSR Advisory Services
Publication Date
June 5, 2012
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Following a 2008 UN declaration regarding free, prior, and informed consent (FPIC) of indigenous peoples before states or companies operate in their areas, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) introduced new consultation standards and an accompanying guidance note in 2012 that increase requirements for community consultation for private-sector, IFC-funded projects. The mere recognition of FPIC by the IFC raises the bar on stakeholder engagement. The IFC’s requirements make project assessment and consultation processes, including mitigation and compensation measures, more stringent and inclusive of indigenous peoples. As a result, the extractives industry has had to adopt a more rigorous approach to consulting and engaging with local communities, particularly where there are national laws requiring full community consent before granting permits for new projects, such as in the Philippines. BSR will host a full-day workshop on FPIC, led by our energy and extractives experts and other private sector and NGO stakeholders, at the British Museum in London on June 19, 2012. For more information, please visit the event page.
About the Author(s)
Jasmine Campbell, EMEA Manager, BSR Advisory Services
Topics
Community Engagement & Development, Economic, Social & Cultural Rights, Land Use & Biodiversity, Stakeholder Relations
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