Indigenous Peoples’ participation in sustainability standards for extractives

Abstract

Extractives industries are increasingly operating on Indigenous Peoples’ territories and can have profound environmental and socio-cultural (including human rights) impacts for these and other stakeholders. Sustainability standards (i.e. best-practice operational procedures, including sector-specific certification programs) have emerged to mitigate these impacts and improve the benefits for impacted communities. Best-practice design, implementation and verification of sustainability standards underpinning certification programs requires active participation by Indigenous Peoples. This study uses literature review and a survey of key informants to both map the literature relevant to the participation of Indigenous Peoples in extractives industry certification programs and standards, and to highlight best-practices in program governance and assurance processes. There is little literature on Indigenous Peoples’ participation in certification program governance and assurance processes. The literature is dominated by reporting on the environmental and socio-cultural impacts of extractives developments for Indigenous Peoples, and associated conflicts and negotiations/agreements to achieve equitable and sustainable development outcomes consistent with international norms. In this context, there is an increasing focus on Indigenous Peoples’ ‘Free, Prior & Informed Consent’ (FPIC). Key informants identified few best-practice examples of Indigenous Peoples’ participation in sustainability standards for extractives. Most emphasised the importance of Indigenous Peoples’ FPIC in project development, operation and completion. Discussions also highlighted limitations of standard assurance processes and the potential for simple but innovatively-applied digital technologies to support Indigenous Peoples’ participation in data collection for auditing. A key concern for Indigenous communities impacted by extractives developments is effective rehabilitation of their biocultural landscapes, incorporating environmental values, cultural traditions (i.e. obligations and practices) and provision for sustainable livelihoods. The study’s findings provide guidance for certification program managers, extractives operators and auditors to improve engagement of Indigenous Peoples in certification program governance and assurance processes.