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#DecolonizeCorporatePower ✊ Putting Community Voices at the Center- What is Meaningful Engagement?

Writer: Manushya FoundationManushya Foundation
3 days ago

#PeopleOverProfit #DecolonizeCorporatePower ✊ Few weeks ago, on January 22, Manushya Foundation took part in Thomson Reuters Foundation’s event on ‘The role of business associations and civil society in advancing responsible business practices in Thailand’. 


Too often, communities are excluded from decision-making and are barely consulted as part of flawed environmental impact assessment frameworks while paying the cost of corporate abuses. 


A two-way meaningful engagement requires to:


  • Understand that communities members are rightsholders, not just stakeholders; 

  • Not view engagement as a mere tick the box exercise but as a real opportunity to learn from communities’ experience and improve companies’ practices;

  • Have a good understanding of the general context, in particular potential barriers in civic space such as the common use of SLAPPs and publicly commit to non-retaliation against dissident voices;

  • Ensure the participation of all, in particular vulnerable groups, through accessible channels by removing language, time, location, financial barriers;

  • Provide accessible and complete information;

  • Consider collaborating with CSOs that communities trust;

  • Address all concerns, questions, issues raised during the engagement.


Thank you again Thomson Reuters Foundation for inviting us.


#WeAreManushyan ♾️ Equal Human Beings 


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