登录查看更多内容

What are the best practices for companies to engage with communities during an EIA?

由人工智能和领英社区提供技术支持

Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is a process that evaluates the potential effects of a proposed project or activity on the natural and social environment. It is a crucial tool for ensuring that companies comply with environmental and human rights standards, as well as for identifying and mitigating risks and opportunities. However, an EIA is not complete without meaningful engagement with the communities that may be affected by the project, as they have the right to participate in the decision-making process and to express their concerns and expectations. In this article, we will explore some of the best practices for companies to engage with communities during an EIA, and how they can benefit from building trust and collaboration.

此文章中的业界达人

由社区从 8 条内容中精选。了解更多

Oluwatobi Anjorin SDGs

Afrocentric ESG| Sustainability| SDGs| Startups| Climate change| Yahweh’s Bondservant
Daniel Truran

Chief Learning Officer, Director General at ebbf | Motivational Speaker | Partner at NOW Partners | Founding team at B…
Jha Arunima Esq. (CIPP/E)

Specialized Counsel in TMT, IP Governance, Private Equity & M&A | Ex-BookMyShow | Expert in Commercial Law, LLM & MBA…

1 Know the context

Before initiating an EIA, companies should conduct a thorough analysis of the context in which they operate, including the legal, political, cultural, and socio-economic aspects. This will help them understand the relevant stakeholders, their interests, needs, and values, as well as the potential impacts and benefits of the project for them. Moreover, companies should identify and respect the customary and formal institutions, norms, and practices that govern the community's participation and consultation, and ensure that they comply with the applicable national and international standards and guidelines.

添加您的观点

Jha Arunima Esq. (CIPP/E)

Specialized Counsel in TMT, IP Governance, Private Equity & M&A | Ex-BookMyShow | Expert in Commercial Law, LLM & MBA (Finance)
举报内容
Engaging with communities during an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) involves several best practices: 1. Early Engagement: Involve community stakeholders at the earliest stages of the EIA process to build trust and ensure their concerns are considered from the start. 2. Transparent Communication: Share clear, accessible information about the project and its potential impacts, avoiding technical jargon. 3. Inclusive Consultations: Ensure all segments of the community have the opportunity to be heard, including marginalized and vulnerable groups. 4. Continuous Dialogue: Maintain open lines of communication throughout the EIA process, not just at formal consultation meetings.

已翻译

赞
Sobhana (Shob-na) Jaya-Madhavan

Mother, Chief Impact Officer - MSM Unify, Keynote Speaker/Moderator, Top 25 Canadian Immigrant Award Recipient, Prez, BC-IBN, X: @sobhanajm9, Insta: sobhana_jaya_madhavan
举报内容
Applying an holistic approach that embraces different worldviews, especially Indigenous worldviews is critical to doing an assessment that looks at current needs and realities, with the future never forgotten.

已翻译

赞
Florence Metu

Change Enthusiast
举报内容
Some best practices to engage with communities during an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) are mostly engaging some of the community members in the assessment process knowing that the success of the project is dependent on the people within the community who can convince the entire community to cooperate with the team of accessors. Then, provide a means of communication for the diverse accessors and community to constantly update the appropriate quarters with information. Do not disrespect the culture of the community, try and comply with laws and regulations regarding community engagement. These are some best practices to successfully build a good relationship with communities during an EIA.

已翻译

赞

2 Plan and communicate

Companies should develop a clear and comprehensive plan for engaging with communities during the EIA, and communicate it effectively to the relevant stakeholders. The plan should include the objectives, scope, methods, timelines, and resources of the engagement process, as well as the roles and responsibilities of the parties involved. The communication strategy should ensure that the information provided is accurate, relevant, timely, accessible, and understandable for the communities, and that the feedback mechanisms are transparent, inclusive, and responsive. Companies should also use appropriate and culturally sensitive channels and tools to reach out to the communities, such as meetings, workshops, surveys, media, or online platforms.

添加您的观点

3 Build relationships

Companies should strive to build long-term and trust-based relationships with the communities during the EIA, and beyond. This requires listening to and acknowledging the communities' perspectives, concerns, and expectations, and addressing them in a respectful and constructive manner. Companies should also demonstrate their commitment and accountability to the communities by providing regular updates, reporting on the progress and results of the EIA, and disclosing any potential or actual adverse impacts and mitigation measures. Furthermore, companies should seek to collaborate with the communities on identifying and implementing opportunities for enhancing the positive impacts and benefits of the project, such as local employment, capacity building, or social investment.

添加您的观点

4 Respect diversity

Companies should recognize and respect the diversity and heterogeneity of the communities that may be affected by the project, and ensure that their engagement process is inclusive and equitable. This means that companies should identify and involve all the relevant sub-groups within the communities, such as women, youth, elders, minorities, indigenous peoples, or vulnerable groups, and ensure that they have equal access to information, participation, and influence. Companies should also take into account the different needs, preferences, and capacities of the sub-groups, and adapt their engagement methods accordingly. For example, companies may need to use different languages, formats, or venues to communicate with different sub-groups, or to provide special assistance or accommodation to facilitate their participation.

添加您的观点

Daniel Truran

Chief Learning Officer, Director General at ebbf | Motivational Speaker | Partner at NOW Partners | Founding team at B Lab Europe | Business School Professor at EOI, ESADE, IESE
举报内容
You should not respect diversity, you should actively embrace and involve it! It is about a mindset shift FROM let's be nice to ... (obviously very welcome ??) TO let's be smart and get the best possible outcomes by actively searching for and then (often forgotten) create the best conditions for the most diverse group to feel comfortable, heard, enabled to be part of the process. Diversity is not a problem , it is an invaluable asset.

已翻译

赞

5 Manage conflicts

Companies should anticipate and prevent potential conflicts that may arise from the project or the engagement process, and manage them effectively if they occur. Conflicts may stem from divergent or competing interests, expectations, or perceptions among the stakeholders, or from the lack of transparency, fairness, or accountability in the engagement process. Companies should adopt a proactive and collaborative approach to conflict management, by identifying the sources and parties of the conflict, engaging in dialogue and negotiation, and seeking mutually acceptable solutions. Companies should also establish and support independent and credible grievance mechanisms that can provide timely and effective resolution of disputes and complaints.

添加您的观点

Tomás Nores

BWell Lab Founder - Psychologist and social entrepreneur - Helping people and companies with their social skills and team engagement - experience maker for retreats.
举报内容
Conflicts and disagreements are part of the process, nothing new. We need to encourage people to communicate openly about their concerns and ensuring that everyone listens and understands each other. Active listening is key. How do we embrace real participation? It takes time, and we need to promote real spaces for it creating a culture in conflict management. Creating a positive and respectful workplace culture is essential to prevent conflicts from escalating, someone needs to take the lead into making this part of the company. Dealing with conflicts in an assertive and inclusive way will foster a healthier and more harmonious workplace, seeing conflicts as opportunities to grow and build something together.

已翻译

赞

6 Evaluate and improve

Companies should monitor and evaluate the effectiveness and outcomes of their engagement with communities during the EIA, and use the feedback and lessons learned to improve their performance and practices. Companies should define and measure indicators that reflect the quality and impact of the engagement process, such as the level of satisfaction, trust, and collaboration among the stakeholders, or the extent to which the communities' views and concerns are reflected and addressed in the EIA and the project design. Companies should also solicit and incorporate the feedback and suggestions from the communities and other stakeholders on how to improve their engagement process, and communicate the changes and improvements made.

添加您的观点

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

添加您的观点

Oluwatobi Anjorin SDGs

Afrocentric ESG| Sustainability| SDGs| Startups| Climate change| Yahweh’s Bondservant
举报内容
Before, during and after the ESIA process, stakeholder engagement is key to the success of any proposed development. Companies should be encouraged to identify stakeholder groups and classify them according to their interest and influence on the company’s proposed development. In my experience, multiple stakeholder engagement workshops help to collate all stakeholder inputs and to unify the perspectives of different stakeholder groups. One-on-one with highly influential and interested stakeholders such as host community reps and regulators are also necessary to further ensure social license and early identification of policy risks to the project/development.

已翻译

赞
Neda Kardooni

PhD, MA, FSA Credential Level II Candidate, GRI Certified Sustainability Professional, ESG& Sustainability Consultant
举报内容
It's beneficial during the EIA to enhance our connections with vulnerable groups like women, elderly people, ethnic groups, and indigenous people. The legitimate expectations of stakeholders must be taken into account when determining the negative impact of companies' activities. To achieve this aim, it is better to define what are legitimate expectations and what are not. This process relies heavily on communications. Easy-to-understand reports and other forms of communication can assist companies in gathering feedback and making any necessary changes during EIA.

已翻译

赞
Mojabeng Ophelia Pinkoane

CRP, PRM and Project Management experience in Corporate Affairs Social Performance- actively searching for Social Performance and community development officer job.
举报内容
Most of the time when companies conduct a environmental impact assessment they tend to work with what is comfortable for them instead of ensuring that all diverse groups are accommodated for example making sure that all the political leaders within that community is including the opposing parties are involved to ensure a fair and transparent communication between the company and the community and the local government by including everyone The company insures that there is transparency and fair conduct on their site and it is easy for the community to intern become that same companies ambassadors

已翻译

赞

Corporate Social Responsibility

+ 关注

给文章评分

我们借助人工智能创建了此文章。您认为这篇文章怎么样？

很棒不太好

举报此文章

查看全部

What are the best practices for companies to engage with communities during an EIA?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Know the context

2 Plan and communicate

3 Build relationships

4 Respect diversity

5 Manage conflicts

6 Evaluate and improve

7 Here’s what else to consider

Corporate Social Responsibility

给文章评分

感谢您的反馈

更多Corporate Social Responsibility相关文章

更多相关阅读内容

What are the best practices for companies to engage with communities during an EIA?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Know the context

2 Plan and communicate

3 Build relationships

4 Respect diversity

5 Manage conflicts

6 Evaluate and improve

7 Here’s what else to consider

Corporate Social Responsibility

给文章评分

感谢您的反馈

查看其他技能