information so that stakeholders understand a project’s risks and impacts, including “potential risks and impacts of the project on local communities...highlighting potential risks and impacts that might disproportionately affect vulnerable and disadvantaged groups and describing the differentiated measures” to mitigate them.27 that enables meaningful consultations with stakeholders in a culturally appropriate format, in relevant local languages.”33 iv. Meaningful consultation “supports active and inclusive engagement with project-affected parties.”34 e. Grievance mechanism requirements i. Grievance mechanisms should be set up in a way that is “readily accessible to all project-affected parties” and “proportionate to the potential risks and impacts” of projects.35 ii. Borrowers must also disclose information about the stakeholder engagement process, as well as “the time and venue of any proposed public consultation meetings” and how stakeholders will be notified about them.28 iii. Information must be disclosed in “relevant local languages and in a manner that is accessible and culturally appropriate,” such that they take “into account specific needs of groups that may be differentially or disproportionately affected by the project or groups...with specific information needs (such as disability, literacy, gender, mobility, and differences in language or accessibility).”29 iv. Borrowers must continue to provide information in manners appropriate to the interests of stakeholders throughout the life cycle of projects.30 ii. Grievance mechanisms are “expected to address concerns promptly and effectively, in a transparent manner.”36 iii. They must “allow for anonymous complaints to be raised and addressed.”37 iv. Organizational capacity requirements f. Borrowers must “designate specific personnel” to carry out “implementation and monitoring of stakeholder engagement.”38 In addition to the mandatory requirements under ESS10, the Bank issued guidance for Borrowers to help them apply the requirements. Relevant guidance from the “Guidance Note for Borrowers” about ESS10 and the “Template for ESS10: Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure Stakeholder Engagement Plan and Stakeholder Engagement Framework” include: d. Meaningful consultation requirements g. Stakeholder engagement is most effective when initiated early in the process of project development.39 People “make up their minds about a project” early in the process, so if they only receive limited information, people may form opinions from less credible information. Thus, it is “typically a mistake to delay providing information to stakeholders.”40 i. Borrowers must “undertake a process of meaningful consultation” with stakeholders.31 ii. This process begins early in the preparation of a project to get initial views from stakeholders, and continues on an ongoing basis “as risks and impacts arise.”32 iii. Consultations with stakeholders must be “based on prior disclosure and dissemination of relevant, transparent, objective, meaningful and easily accessible information in a timeframe 27 28 29 30 31 32 “Environmental and Social Framework,” 99, par. 19. “Environmental and Social Framework,” 99, par. 19(d)-(e). “Environmental and Social Framework,” 99, par. 20. “Environmental and Social Framework,” 100, par. 23. “Environmental and Social Framework,” 99, par. 21. “Environmental and Social Framework,” 99 par. 22(a); 100, par. 22(c). BANK INFORMATION CENTER | MAR 2021 h. When key factors about a project are unknown during project preparation, the SEP needs to provide specific details about ways people can get more information once 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 “Environmental and Social Framework,” 100, par. 22(d). “Environmental and Social Framework,” 100, par. 22(f). “Environmental and Social Framework,” 99, par. 27. “Environmental and Social Framework,” 99, par. 27(a). “Environmental and Social Framework,” 99, par. 27(b). “Environmental and Social Framework,” 100, par. 28. “Guidance Note: ESS10,” 1, par. 2. “Template for ESS10,” 8. 24