Companies focused on social sustainability and accountability to fragile communities are better positioned for long-term success. This leads to more loyal customers, happier employees, better general public perception, and cheaper cost of capital from funders and investors.
Companies operating in fragile settings face multiple challenges
Risk of theft & disruption
Vulnerability in local communities can lead to theft and disruption of projects’ construction works or operations, resulting in significant delays, cost overruns and financial losses.
Litigation risks & investors’ requirements
Legislations now require companies to obtain community consent for projects and operations, to manage and mitigate the community impact of their activities (e.g. Community Development Agreements, Duty of Care laws, CSRD, etc.).
Security risks & re-incidences
Social instabilities and tensions within local communities might threathen the safety of companies’ staff and subcontractors working on the ground.
Bad reputation & human rights abuses
Companies are often accused of human rights violations and tend to have a negative reputation with local communities.
VOI ADDRESSES THESE CHALLENGES
A systematic framework such as VOI can be used by companies to promote positive
social impact, mitigate disruption risks, build local capacity, and improve their reputation with local communities.
This ensures the successful delivery of projects, compliance with ESG-related legislation, and contribution to companies’ social sustainability, and impact goals.
VOI improves economic conditions
VOI works with communities to identify and implement consensual socioeconomic interventions that promote their economic development. This increases the effectiveness of funds designated for community development and reduces the likelihood of communities resorting to illegal activities or seizing company assets.
VOI builds capacity, representation & legitimacy
VOI contributes to establishing local governance structures, such as implementation and local peace committees, which are collaborative, inclusive, and representative of all community groups. These home-grown structures ensure that agreements made with the communities will be honoured, addressing misrepresentation and legitimacy issues often encountered by companies when working with communities.
VOI minimizes the history of conflict
VOI draws on decades of research in peacebuilding, emotions, social justice, identity, and intergroup conflict theories to strengthen social bonds, build community consensus, and improve interpersonal relationships.
VOI measures community impact systematically
VOI places local communities, their well-being and accountability at its core, helping them define the indicators that measure impact and the specific actions that improve their well-being and peaceful coexistence. Impact and progress across multiple dimensions (violence, social, economic, and emotional) are measured at all stages of a VOI project.
