Managing project sustainability in the extractive industries: Towards a reciprocity framework for community engagement

Abstract

Merely a peripheral discussion in project management up until recent years, sustainability has become a central issue in both academia and practice. Despite growing interest and research on sustainable project management, we still know little about how projects in the extractive industries, known for their significant local impact, can be used to foster inclusive sustainable development for local communities. Arguing that extractive industries have inadequately addressed the increasing demands of stakeholders for contributing to sustainable development, we build on the philosophical theory of capabilities and the principle of reciprocity to propose a new framework for community engagement and sustainable project management. The reciprocity framework for community engagement is based on the premise that a sustainable extractive project requires its promoter to nurture constructive and mutually beneficial relationships with local communities. By integrating moral considerations into our framework, we contribute to the paradigm shift required to embed projects in sustainable development by better balancing stakeholders' needs at the economic, environmental, and social levels.