Safeguards

External Consultation Process
Updated: 6 August 2009

The three objectives of ADB's consultation process are to:

• enhance ADB's understanding of stakeholders' perspectives
• establish a shared understanding of safeguard objectives, principles and requirements
• guide the formulation of the safeguard policy statement

ADB has engaged in a transparent and robust consultation process with all stakeholders by adjusting the consultation process and responding to comments received from interested stakeholders:

• A dedicated facility for written comments submitted to SPU website, via e-mail (safeguards_update@adb.org)
• A Discussion note [ PDF: 999kb | 21 pages ] summarizing the key issues of the SPU was posted on ADB's website for a 90 comment period in October 2005
• An independent assessment of ADB's environmental and social safeguards, was undertaken by Operations Evaluations Department in 2006/07 and the results were shared on ADB's website
• The Consultation Draft of the Safeguard Policy Statement [ PDF: 509kb | 86 pages ] [ PDF: 890kb | 104 pages ] [ PDF: 681kb | 100 pages ] [ PDF: 1,067kb | 81 pages ] Bahasa Indonesia was placed on ADB's website for comment from 12 October 2007 until 30 April 2008
• A series of 14 consultation workshops were held worldwide from November 2007 until April 2008
• A Second Draft of the Safeguard Policy Statement [ PDF: 440kb | 83 pages ] is available for a 60-day comment period from 3 October 2008 until 4 December 2008 . This document is also available in [ PDF: 933kb | 94 pages ] and Bahasa Indonesia [ PDF: 431kb | 103 pages ]
• A comments-response matrix [ PDF: 595kb | 129 pages ] that reflects comments received on the consultation draft of the Safeguard Policy Statement during the 14 country/subregional consultations and written comments received during the comment period of 12 October - 30 April 2008 was made available on the website October 2008.
• A Draft Safeguard Review Procedures (Preliminary Draft Operations Manual) [ PDF: 93kb | 14 pages ] was posted on the website 24 October 2008. This document outlines the process through which ADB staff will deliver ADB's commitments to ensure the social and environmental sustainability of the projects it supports. This is also available in [ PDF: 143kb | 16 pages ] and Bahasa Indonesia [ PDF: 82kb | 19 pages ]. The draft OM is being revised, based on external and internal comments, and will be finalized for circulation to the Board together with the final policy document (R-paper).
• Consultation Workshops (Indigenous Peoples, Multistakeholder and Post-Consultation Dialogue) were held in Manila on the second draft of the Safeguard Policy Statement 18 - 21 November 2008
• An Updated Consultation Plan [ PDF: 32kb | 3 pages ] was made available on 19 January 2009
• The draft policy paper (W-paper) [ PDF: 404kb | 109 pages ] was circulated to the Board and posted on the ADB website on 19 January 2009. The Board's consideration of the W-paper was held on 24 February 2009.
• The final draft policy paper (R-paper) [ PDF: 320kb | 97 pages ] was submitted to the Board on 29 June 2009, and approved on 20 July 2009.

Second Draft of the Safeguard Policy Statement

In order for the new safeguard policy to be responsive to a wide range of views, ADB Management decided to introduce an additional step and prepare a second draft of the safeguard policy statement [ PDF: 440kb | 83 pages ]. The document was available for a 60-day comment period: from 3 October 2008 until 4 December 2008, and is also available in Russian and Bahasa Indonesia.

Consultation Workshops in November 2008 on the Second Draft of the Safeguard Policy Statement

ADB hosted a one-day consultation workshop for Indigenous Peoples representatives at its headquarters in Manila on 18 November 2008. The workshop, which included 18 participants, provided them with a dedicated forum to review the second draft of the SPS and related documents. This workshop recognized the unique nature of Indigenous Peoples and acknowledged the value of their involvement in SPU.

In addition to the consultation workshop for Indigenous Peoples representatives, ADB held a two-day consultation workshop for multistakeholders on 19-20 November 2008. The consultation workshop consisted of 73 stakeholders including representatives of project-affected communities, government agencies, civil society organizations (CSOs), businesses, academia, and other international, multilateral and bilateral organizations.

The NGO Forum on ADB, a coalition of civil society groups that monitors ADB operations, requested an additional half day to further discuss the second draft of the Safeguard Policy Statement. This event was hosted by ADB at its headquarters in Manila on the morning of 21 November 2008, following the completion of the Indigenous Peoples and multistakeholder consultation workshops.

Fourteen previous workshops held to discuss the Consultation Draft of the Safeguard Policy Statement (SPS)

From November 2007 until April 2008, ADB engaged extensively with important stakeholders, organizing 14 workshops including ten country/ subregional consultation workshops for ADBs developing member countries and four consultation workshops with its developed member countries in North America, Western Europe and Japan. These workshops formed the core of the consultation process, providing an open forum that helped build a shared understanding of key safeguard policies, principles and requirements among the participants. A total of 415 people participated, 45% representing Government, 34% from CSOs, 6% from academe, 7% from development agencies and 8% from the private sector. Consultation reports from each workshop have been posted on SPU website. Through these workshops and submitted written comments, primarily from CSOs, ADB has received widespread feedback and detailed suggestions.

Consultations

ADB continues to engage with external stakeholders on SPU through informal meetings, teleconferences, and other interactions with stakeholders, such as the NGO Forum on ADB. Mission travels will continue to maximize discussions on the Safeguard Policy Update, and opportunities to obtain feedback and clarify perceptions. DMCs are consulted on safeguards in a variety of ways at headquarters and in the context of operations missions to the field, as well as through seminars such as Orientation Programs for DMC Officials. Dialogues with relevant multilateral and bilateral partners and other international and regional organizations continue to be carried out, such as meetings with multilateral financial institutions (MFI) Environment Working Group.

Electronic and Mail Consultations

A dedicated website and email address, safeguards_update@adb.org, have been set up for written comments on the SPU.

Internal Consultation Process