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Accountability Counsel has joined with over 40 organizations to comment on the final report of an external review of environmental and social accountability at the International Finance Corporation and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, which included an examination of their independent accountability mechanism, the Compliance Advisor Ombudsman.

It has been nearly two years since Congress passed legislation to transform the U.S. government’s approach to development finance through the creation of the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC). Last week, DFC’s board of directors took an important step in fulfilling a key Congressional mandate by officially establishing an…

Accountability Counsel, together with our case partners, PAJHRA, PAD and Nazdeek, made a submission to the World Bank Board of Directors following the External Review of the IFC/MIGA accountability system urging IFC to implement a recommendation without delay and take responsibility to provide remedy to communities living and working in…

Jerry’s life-long commitment to speaking truth to power included serving as a founding Board Member of Accountability Counsel. We are grateful to have been touched by his humanity.

Les mécanismes de redevabilité aident les investisseurs de projets de développement à savoir si leurs investissements ont atteint les objectifs visés. Pour cela, ils offrent aux personnes directement concernées par ces projets, une plateforme d’échange avec les décideurs sur les problèmes rencontrés sur place. Il est dès lors surprenant que…

Los mecanismos independientes de rendición de cuentas ayudan a los inversionistas a saber si las inversiones efectivamente han alcanzado los objetivos previstos, proporcionando a las personas impactadas por las inversiones un foro para compartir sus solicitudes con los responsables de la toma de decisiones en materia de inversiones. Es sorprendente, entonces, que…

AC Policy Fellow Rocío Trujillo Sosa discusses three cases studies, identified through the Accountability Console’s document search function, where impact investors learned of unintended impacts of their investments from communities providing feedback to DFI accountability offices. The case studies demonstrate that accountability offices help impact investors better understand their net impact by hearing from communities most impacted by their investments.

Today Accountability Counsel submitted comments on the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) draft Gender Policy. USAID provided very little time for public comment on the policy, and our submission called on USAID to extend the consultation to ensure that stakeholders can provide feedback on this important policy.

The public can now see and comment on important recommendations regarding the accountability framework of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA).  On August 11, the World Bank Group shared a report by external experts that evaluates the environmental and social accountability landscape at the IFC…

Despite the promise of a new era of collaborative development, the premise of Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives actually bringing communities to the table for cooperative dialogue has remained questionable. As the UNDP looks to implement certifiable standards for the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals in the impact investing field, will it heed the call for greater stakeholder engagement and much needed accountability?  

Development institutions aim to finance projects that will lift vulnerable communities out of poverty. However, if not designed, implemented, or monitored properly, these projects can instead result in harm to communities and not achieve their development goals. This month, Accountability Counsel, Friends of the Earth, and several international partners submitted comments on the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation’s (DFC) new system of measuring development impacts – the Impact Quotient.

Yesterday, Accountability Counsel and 40 global partners submitted a joint letter to the Executive Directors of the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA), requesting the immediate disclosure of the long-awaited report of the external review of the IFC and MIGA’s accountability framework and for a subsequent…

We are delighted to announce three talented women joining Accountability Counsel’s Board of Directors in 2020: Caroline Bressan, Niranjali Amerasinghe, and Carolyn Rashby. Caroline, Niranjali, and Carolyn bring a diverse range of skills and talents, with expertise ranging from advocacy around equity, climate finance, and human rights, to philanthropic experience…

In her analysis of the latest report from the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights’ Accountability and Remedy project, AC policy fellow Shelby McGuire-Smith highlights the need for dedicated funds to resource remedial actions to address harm to communities affected by internationally finance projects.

Sarah Singh is leaving Accountability Counsel after over eight years at the organization. A brilliant advocate with a deep commitment to supporting communities to protect their human rights and environment, we honor her many accomplishments and contributions to Accountability Counsel, our clients, and our field.

Renewable technologies and green investments are critical to achieving carbon neutrality, but the vital climate benefits of these projects do not mean they are without social and environmental risk. The Business and Human Rights Resource Centre recently published the first Renewable Energy and Human Rights Benchmark, which assesses the policies…

Three years after signing historic agreements with Rio Tinto-backed Oyu Tolgoi (OT) mine and the local government to address impacts of OT’s massive mine on their traditional way of life, herders are still waiting for some of the most important promises to be implemented. As Accountability Counsel’s latest interactive progress report shows, with many commitments still pending, herders’ ability to continue their traditional livelihoods hangs in the balance.

Speaking at the 2020 OECD Global Forum on Responsible Business Conduct, Accountability Counsel’s Stephanie Amoako discussed the changes needed to effectively provide remedy to communities harmed by corporate activity or international investments.

Development institutions should pay close attention to the effects and lessons from Kenya’s current COVID response to make sure that the support they provide helps build resilience to this and future crises, and does not worsen the situation for communities who are already disproportionately harmed.

Our team is committed to anti-racist organizing as part of our work for accountability and systems change.