Corporate accountability for the abuse of Indigenous peoples and their resources is an important human rights issue. This topic is a major focus of activism. At the same time, opportunities and pressures for development threaten these human rights. As they continue to produce contentious relationships between extractive industries and indigenous communities. First Peoples Worldwide (FPW) recognizes the need for establishing constructive dialogue. They focus on building positive, human rights-focused relationships between indigenous interests and businesses. Through an alliance with Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), FPW provides business partners with capacity-building training. Thus increasing corporate ability to spot and address human rights issues in their business practices.
Building Constructive Dialogues
In developing this tactic, FPW based their work on shared experiences from indigenous people’s communities and corporate engagement. They used research to investigate assumptions from both sides. For example, indigenous peoples may assume that the company, by nature, is bad. That the extractive industry is a problematic activity which needs stopping. The corporate side assumes that indigenous people will do all they can to stop the activity, regardless of whether it may benefit them. FWP’s corporate capacity-building training encourages businesses to take an alternative approach. They start dialogue where both communities and companies work together. By doing so they can better assess the cost-benefits. As well as explore ways to mitigate the costs and maximize the benefits. Through working together they find out what this would look like for the community and the extractive industry.
Capacity-Building Training
To implement the tactic, FPW first identified BSR as a powerful partner. BSR works in a variety of areas such as labor, security issues and relationships with indigenous peoples. It also has a well established business member network. FPW and BSR worked together to develop a corporate capacity building training. The training focused on dealing with prior consent and land rights. FPW encourages participants to incorporate lessons learned through the training. Especially to lay foundations for discussing these issues with indigenous people’s communities. The 2.5 day training developed as a general training, rather than one specific to a specific region or indigenous group. It grounded in “best practices” research gathered from contact with both companies and indigenous people’s. Interactive sessions involving role play exercises give participants a feel of what it’s like on the other side of the table. They get to experience the expectations placed on indigenous community representatives.
Training Challenges and Insights
FPW conducted a large training in Vancouver in March 2003 with nine companies from mining, oil and gas. Participants came from a broad mix of business roles. From headquarter office personnel to those with general corporate responsibilities, performance or executive team level positions, operations responsibility, and people in the field. This mix was helpful because large companies struggle to develop understanding at various levels. When a company is big and spread out, this challenge becomes even greater. Moreover, decision-making levels are often very local until there’s a problem. Such as with indigenous people’s issues, at which time headquarters takes over.
Three out of nine companies who participated in the training have requested follow-up interaction. These requests confirm both the impact of the general training model and its limitations. Many company and indigenous people concerns are site specific involving legal contexts. Later interaction will deal the specific aspects that will need situation specific adjustments.
Shared Experiences, Shared Solutions
The tactic takes actual experiences from communities and companies to develop directions. These directions are based on best practices and lessons learned. It’s important for people worldwide to recognize that constructive relationships can be built between Indigenous communities and corporate structures. FTP’s research documented the benefits gained on both sides when full community participation shapes the corporate relationship. Their training aims to foster this possibility. One significant drawback is that smaller companies don’t have the resources to invest in this level of community dialogue. Extractive business relationships last for 30-50 years depending on the resource extracted. So, laying solid groundwork at the outset of a relationship is essential for everyone involved.
For more information on this tactic, read our in-depth case study.
