We are pleased to confirm that we will once again be offering the training course "Land Acquisition, Resettlement, and Social Sustainability", to be held in person, 19-30 September 2022, Netherlands, Groningen. This two-week practical training course, which is delivered in English, promotes understanding about and develops skills in managing the social risks and impacts associated with the development of public and private investment projects (e.g. mines, dams, highways, industry parks, electricity transmission corridors, agricultural developments, etc), and particularly issues related to land acquisition and resettlement. The course is a partnership between the University of Groningen, IFC/World Bank, Community Insights Group, Intersocial Consulting, and Frederic Giovannetti.

This winter school (practical training course) promotes understanding about and develops skills in managing the social risks and impacts associated to the development of public and private investment projects (e.g. mines, dams, highways, industry parks, electricity transmission corridors, agricultural developments, et cetera), and particularly issues related to land acquisition and resettlement. Research into the displacement of peoples following large projects generally shows that, unless properly planned and managed, they are made worse-off. With the increasing number of international standards (e.g. World Bank safeguard policies, IFC Performance Standards, EBRD Performance Requirements, Equator Principles, and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights), there are established international standards and good practices that are expected to be met in the development of investment projects. The varying cultural and developmental contexts of different countries also presents significant challenges to fully implementing these standards. There are also concerns about human rights infringements. This training course will be based on good international practices and standards, lessons learned on the ground and practical case studies, and will include a technical site visit to a resettlement site. The course will be delivered by some of the world’s leading social assessment and resettlement practitioners, specialists from international development institutions, as well as key academics from the University of Groningen, to provide capacity building in the practice of managing the social issues of investment projects focusing on land acquisition and resettlement. It is targeted to an international audience of current and intending social performance and resettlement practitioners and people involved in the governance of projects from public and private institutions, and is also open to advanced students interested in the practical management of social issues associated with development. Registration closes 31 March 2020.

This winter school (practical training course) promotes understanding about and develops skills in managing the social risks and impacts associated to the development of public and private investment projects (e.g. mines, dams, highways, industry parks, electricity transmission corridors, agricultural developments, et cetera), and particularly issues related to land acquisition and resettlement. Research into the displacement of peoples following large projects generally shows that, unless properly planned and managed, they are made worse-off. With the increasing number of international standards (e.g. World Bank safeguard policies, IFC Performance Standards, EBRD Performance Requirements, Equator Principles, and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights), there are established international standards and good practices that are expected to be met in the development of investment projects. The varying cultural and developmental contexts of different countries also presents significant challenges to fully implementing these standards. There are also concerns about human rights infringements. This training course will be based on good international practices and standards, lessons learned on the ground and practical case studies, and will include a technical site visit to a resettlement site. The course will be delivered by some of the world’s leading social assessment and resettlement practitioners, specialists from international development institutions, as well as key academics from the University of Groningen, to provide capacity building in the practice of managing the social issues of investment projects focusing on land acquisition and resettlement. It is targeted to an international audience of current and intending social performance and resettlement practitioners and people involved in the governance of projects from public and private institutions, and is also open to advanced students interested in the practical management of social issues associated with development.

The fourth edition of the 8-week Social Impact Assessment online course is offered by Community Insights Group and the University of Strathclyde on 16 March – 8 May 2020. The course will build your practical knowledge in conducting SIA that conforms to IAIA’s International Principles for IA and Guidance for SIA, the IFC Environmental and Social Performance Standards, Good International Industry Practice (GIIP) and the United Nations Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights.

Registration is open for the third round of the the SIA e-learning programme offered by Community Insights Group and the University of Strathclyde . The 8-week course will build your practical knowledge in conducting SIA that conforms to IAIA’s International Principles for IA and Guidance for SIA, the IFC Environmental and Social Performance Standards, Good International Industry Practice (GIIP) and the United Nations Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights.

This 12-week course starts 16 September 2019 and includes one-on-one communication with an experienced trainer using online tools. The course fee is US$595, and a limited number of bursaries are available. The Foundations course is designed for early-career professionals with some EIA experience. With over 16 topics in 5 units, this course covers the basic principles and objectives of EIA, its core concepts and methods, and the fundamentals of EIA review processes and study management. Each topic is comprised of a reading, a quiz, and an assignment, and each unit ends with an online conference call with the trainer. Some topics also include videos of experienced EIA practitioners discussing the application of various topics in their practice. This course is part of IAIA's Professional Development Program (PDP), a series of trainer-supported online courses. Registration is open till 27 August.

This two-week practical training course, which is delivered in English, promotes understanding about and develops skills in managing the social risks and impacts associated with the development of public and private investment projects (e.g. mines, dams, highways, industry parks, electricity transmission corridors, agricultural developments, etc), and particularly issues related to land acquisition and resettlement. The course is offered by the University of Groningen in conjunction with the IFC/World Bank, Community Insights Group, Intersocial Consulting, and Frederic Giovannetti. There has been over 10 previous offerings of this course, which has been highly regarded by course participants, with each course being evaluated with a mean score of around 9.0 (out of 10). For 2019, the normal registration fee will be 2750 euros. A discounted fee of 1750 euros applies to people from NGOs, public sector agencies in non-OECD countries, or staff from the World Bank Group. Full time research students and academic staff are entitled to a rate of 975 euros. Note that participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation. Research into the displacement of people required for large projects generally shows that they can be made worse-off unless the process is properly planned and managed. With the increasing number of international standards (e.g. World Bank environmental and social standards, IFC Performance Standards, Equator Principles, and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights), there are established international standards and good practices that are expected to be met in the development of investment projects. However, the varying cultural and developmental contexts of different countries present significant challenges to fully implementing these standards. This training course is based on the international standards and good practice, as well as on lessons learned from practical case studies on the ground. It includes a technical fieldtrip to a resettlement site. The course is delivered by some of the world’s leading social assessment and resettlement practitioners. It seeks to provide capacity building in the practice of managing the social issues of investment projects, focusing especially on land acquisition and resettlement. It is targeted to an international audience of current and intending social performance and resettlement practitioners, and people involved in the governance of projects from public and private institutions or international financial institutions. It is also open to advanced students interested in the practical management of social issues associated with development. For course participants who complete the optional assessment, 5 ECTS credits (at Masters level) are available.

This two-week practical training course, which is delivered in English, promotes understanding about and develops skills in managing the social risks and impacts associated with the development of public and private investment projects (e.g. mines, dams, highways, industry parks, electricity transmission corridors, agricultural developments, etc), and particularly issues related to land acquisition and resettlement. The course is offered by the University of Groningen in conjunction with the IFC/World Bank, Community Insights Group, Intersocial Consulting, and Frederic Giovannetti. There has been over 10 previous offerings of this course, which has been highly regarded by course participants, with each course being evaluated with a mean score of around 9.0 (out of 10). For 2019, the normal registration fee will be 2750 euros. A discounted fee of 1750 euros applies to people from NGOs, public sector agencies in non-OECD countries, or staff from the World Bank Group. Full time research students and academic staff are entitled to a rate of 975 euros. Note that participants are responsible for their own travel and accommodation. Research into the displacement of people required for large projects generally shows that they can be made worse-off unless the process is properly planned and managed. With the increasing number of international standards (e.g. World Bank environmental and social standards, IFC Performance Standards, Equator Principles, and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights), there are established international standards and good practices that are expected to be met in the development of investment projects. However, the varying cultural and developmental contexts of different countries present significant challenges to fully implementing these standards. This training course is based on the international standards and good practice, as well as on lessons learned from practical case studies on the ground. It includes a technical fieldtrip to a resettlement site. The course is delivered by some of the world’s leading social assessment and resettlement practitioners. It seeks to provide capacity building in the practice of managing the social issues of investment projects, focusing especially on land acquisition and resettlement. It is targeted to an international audience of current and intending social performance and resettlement practitioners, and people involved in the governance of projects from public and private institutions or international financial institutions. It is also open to advanced students interested in the practical management of social issues associated with development. For course participants who complete the optional assessment, 5 ECTS credits (at Masters level) are available.

This five-week on-line course offers an overview of the principles and content that should be present for a consultation process to be considered “meaningful”. Since it is not feasible to discuss every possible circumstance in detail, the course reflects on principles and gives overall guidance, rather than a standard blueprint or “one size fits all” approach. Broadly, the course addresses three aspects of how consultation is approached in IDB policies and how good practice has evolved: (i) Explicit mandatory and binding requirements related to consultation in IDB policies and guidelines; (ii) Implicit requirements of the consultation process not stated explicitly in the policies, but that are necessary conditions and inputs to achieve the more explicit requirements; and (iii) International good practice related to consultation as developed in recent years, both by IDB and other development agencies, academia, civil society and others. The course is divided into five modules: (1) Foundations of MSE; (2) 10 Elements of MSE; (3) Diving Deeper into Elements of MSE, part 1; (4) Diving Deeper into Elements of MSE, part 2, and (5) Making Recommendations to Improve the Engagement Process and Course Conclusion. Please note that this course will have one synchronous session (live session to attend a specific day and time through videoconference) to be held during module 2, on Wednesday at 12:00PM Washington time. This session is entirely optional, therefore your participation will not affect the final grade of the course. We recommend this session for informative purposes only. More info and registration at: https://cursos.iadb.org/en/meaningful-Stakeholder-Engagement-5

This practical training course promotes understanding and skills development in managing the social risks and impacts associated with the development of projects in East Asia and Pacific (EAP) in sector such as infrastructure, energy, and agribusiness, among others. It is intended to help develop practical skills based on the IFC Performance Standards related to social risk including land Acquisition and resettlement with a detailed focus on the challenges in the EAP context. The training course will be based on good international practices and standards, lessons learned on the ground and practical case studies, and includes a technical site visit. The topics covered in this seven-day course include: · IFC Performance Standards in general, with emphasis on aspects related to social risk management, including compliance requirements and guidance related to: o PS1: identification and assessment of social impacts; o PS2: basics of labor & working conditions, impacts and management of workers camps; o PS4: community health &safety, including code of conduct, gender-based violence, labor influx, etc.; use of security forces; o PS7: indigenous peoples, including FPIC; and o PS8: cultural heritage. · Stakeholder engagement and grievance mechanisms; · Social Risk Management and Social Risk Management Plans, including considerations related to vulnerable groups and gender issues in the EAP[KML1] context; · Land Acquisition and Resettlement, including: o Eligibility, entitlements and replacement cost; o Land legacies issues and common challenges in the EAP context; o Livelihood restoration; o Government led resettlement and community engagements; and o Monitoring and evaluation.

This course is designed to provide practical guidance to professionals involved in the review and evaluation of Environmental Impact Assessments. It is aimed at professionals who participate in the process of reviewing proposed projects, policies, or programs and/or those working on environmental protection and management, social or natural sciences, public management, etc. and who review and evaluate the results of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) carried out by others. It is intended to apply to a range of legal, institutional, and cultural scenarios and to be used by reviewers from any country where Environmental Impact Assessments are conducted. The course is divided into five modules: (1) The EIA process and the role of the reviewer; (2) Evaluation of an Environmental Impact Assessment document, part 1; (3) Evaluation of an Environmental Impact Assessment document, part 2; (4) Preparation and communication of the reviewer's comments; and (5) Resources for the reviewer and course closing. Please note that this course will have one synchronous session (live session to attend a specific day and time through videoconference) to be held during module 2, on Wednesday at 12:00 PM, Washington time. This session is entirely optional, therefore your participation will not affect the final grade of the course. We recommend this session for informative purposes only. More info and registration at: https://cursos.iadb.org/en/principles-reviewing-environmental-impact-assessments-5

Registration is open for the second round of the the SIA e-learning programme offered by Community Insights Group and the University of Strathclyde . The 8-week course will build your practical knowledge in conducting SIA that conforms to IAIA’s International Principles for IA and Guidance for SIA, the IFC Environmental and Social Performance Standards, Good International Industry Practice (GIIP) and the United Nations Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights. Application deadline: 18 February

This one-day workshop provides participants with an overview of key concepts and tools for integrating human rights into impact assessment. The workshop is jointly facilitated by experienced social performance and human rights practitioners from the Danish Institute for Human Rights and Community Insights Group. Topics addressed include: Introduction to human rights and impact assessment. What are the differences and synergies between social impact assessment and human rights impact assessment? What are the pros and cons of integrated assessments? What are the key principles for assessing human rights impacts? Case study. What are the human rights issues and impacts? Who are the rights-holders and duty-bearers and what are the implications for our impact assessment practice? Scoping and baseline studies. How can human rights standards and a human rights-based approach inform our analysis? How can we develop human rights compatible baseline indicators? Impact analysis. How do we include human rights considerations in the assessment of impact severity and significance? How do we prioritize actions to address human rights impacts? What types of human rights impacts are to be included? Impact management. How can leverage be applied in impact management? What are some of the key considerations for reporting on human rights impacts?

The renewable energy (RE) sector has generated much optimism about the potential of the sector to bring development and associated socioeconomic benefits to project host communities. However, have you considered the negative social impacts associated with RE projects related to: Land access and resettlement? Social and economic change during construction and local procurement? The unexpected consequences of community benefit delivery? More info and RSVP at: http://www.gsb.uct.ac.za/event-management-social-risks-benefits-renewable-energy

Community Insights Group and the University of Strathclyde are pleased to offer a new SIA e-learning programme. The 8-week course will build your practical knowledge in conducting SIA that conforms to IAIA’s International Principles for IA and Guidance for SIA, the IFC Environmental and Social Performance Standards, Good International Industry Practice (GIIP) and the United Nations Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights.

Industry and Communities: A New Paradigm Around Social Performance is a three-day intensive workshop which will provide a comprehensive picture of where industry sits in terms of its engagement with the external world, particularly with local communities. It will argue strongly that achieving a social license to operate is a business imperative and that companies risk not only costs and delays but their very survival in not doing so. It can be done well! The course is designed to be practical with immediate application to participants' day to day work. The Master Class is designed for both practitioners and corporate managers who wish to understand this new paradigm of describing, understanding and implementing a system built around the 'social performance' of a company or a project. Participants will typically come from functional areas variously termed Community Relations, Corporate Social Responsibility, External Affairs, Government Relations, Communications, etc. The course material will be presented by Dr. Chris Anderson, who is one of the extractive world's leading Communities and Social Performance practitioners. He has worked on some of the most difficult projects with seemingly intractable community issues. Dr. Anderson is joined by Dr. Linda Battalora from Colorado School of Mines and Michael Oxman from Georgia Tech University For more information and registration, visit: https://csmspace.com/events/socialperform/

During this webinar for IPIECA members, Christiaan Luca of Community Wisdom Partners (formerly Global Manager of Sustainable Development at Shell) will share Shell’s journey of improving the way it is dealing with societal challenges. Christiaan will outline how Shell realigned its internal organization to give balance to technical, commercial and external considerations in investment and operational decision-making. This journey needed intervention in various existing processes, but more importantly it required a change in the way people work together. He will focus on the three key challenges that were encountered, how these were overcome, and the results: Improving cooperation between the various non-technical functions Aligning these functions with capital project and operational decision making Ensuring managers and decision-makers properly value and balance non-technical considerations with technical and commercial ones Please note if you are unable to attend the webinar, but would like to receive the recording, register as usual and the link will be sent directly to your inbox.

IAIA 18 is offering several training courses prior to the annual conference. Topics include Human Rights; Cumulative Impacts; Strategic Impact Assessment; Sustainability Assessment and Resettlement. For more details about the training available, please visit http://conferences.iaia.org/2018/training.php

This five-week on-line course offers an overview of the principles and content that should be present for a consultation process to be considered “meaningful”. Since it is not feasible to discuss every possible circumstance in detail, the course reflects on principles and gives overall guidance, rather than a standard blueprint or “one size fits all” approach. Broadly, the course addresses three aspects of how consultation is approached in IDB policies and how good practice has evolved: (i) Explicit mandatory and binding requirements related to consultation in IDB policies and guidelines; (ii) Implicit requirements of the consultation process not stated explicitly in the policies, but that are necessary conditions and inputs to achieve the more explicit requirements; and (iii) International good practice related to consultation as developed in recent years, both by IDB and other development agencies, academia, civil society and others. The course is divided into five modules: (1) Foundations of MSE; (2) 10 Elements of MSE; (3) Diving Deeper into Elements of MSE, part 1; (4) Diving Deeper into Elements of MSE, part 2, and (5) Making Recommendations to Improve the Engagement Process and Course Conclusion. Please note that this course will have one synchronous session (live session to attend a specific day and time through videoconference) to be held during module 1, on Wednesday at 4:30 PM, Washington time. This session is entirely optional, therefore your participation will not affect the final grade of the course. We recommend this session for informative purposes only. The course is available only in English.

In March and April 2018, the NBSAP Forum is co-hosting a three-part webinar series on human rights, environment and biodiversity with the Forum for Law, Environment, Development and Governance (FLEDGE), the UN Environment Law Division, the United Nations Development Programme and the Stockholm Resilience Centre. Maintaining a natural environment of certain quality is recognized as an essential human right. Environmental laws related to protection and governance incorporate various tenets of human rights. Principle 1 of the Stockholm Declaration, which was adopted at the U.N. Conference on Human Environment in 1972, recognizes the right to freedom, equality and adequate conditions of life, and underscores the importance of the environment in achieving a life of dignity and wellbeing. Additionally, Principle 1 of the Rio Convention, adopted in 1992, draws our attention to the importance of linkages between human rights and the environment when it states that human beings are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature. Next sessions: Thu, Apr 5, 2018 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM CEST Thu, Apr 19, 2018 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM CEST Registration: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6801174698200116994

This course is intended for people involved in land acquisition and resettlement for natural resource development projects such as mining, oil and gas, renewable energy, but also infrastructure and any other project requiring land acquisition, as well as for specialists in social performance, project or risk managers, community relations and liaison officers, government authorities and NGOs. Course participants will be provided with practical resettlement management tools and methodologies that can be immediately implemented on their projects. The sessions will use an interactive approach to facilitate practical training, based on direct exchanges between participants and trainers. The course will be mainly based on practical cases of projects in West Africa.

The Role of Government in Preventing the Escalation of Conflict in Mining, Oil and Gas English session: 21 February / 9:00 EST / NY Spanish session: 22 February / 9:00 EST / NY The webinar will explore the role and responsibility of government in extractive conflicts. The webinar will focus on how governments can help prevent the escalation of conflict related to mining, oil and gas, and transform socio-environmental conflict into opportunities for development. Participants will come away from this webinar with a better understanding of the root causes, drivers and pathways of conflict in the mining, oil and gas sectors. We will share findings from a new study on this topic, and also examine two cases in Latin America: one from Colombia and one from Peru. Governments in these countries took specific approaches to build stronger institutional capacity to prevent the escalation of conflict and address systemic causes. These cases will be used as a basis for discussion and sharing of experiences. Social and Environmental Safeguards, and Grievance Mechanisms as Tools to Prevent Conflict in the Extractive Sector English session: 27 March / 9:00 EST / NY Spanish session: 28 March / 9:00 EST / NY This webinar will focus on the evolving landscape of social and environmental safeguards, along with accountability mechanisms, as tools to prevent conflict and contribute to sustainable development in the extractive sector. This webinar will cover UNDP’s own approach to Social and Environmental Safeguards and its Stakeholder Response Mechanism. In addition, the webinar will feature an example of a case study brought through an accountability mechanism, highlighting challenges, opportunities and lessons for preventing future harms. Free registration: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4362377642383339522

As part of IAIA Professional Development Program, this course covers the basic principles and objectives of EIA, its core concepts and methods, and the fundamentals of EIA review processes and study management. It is comprised of 16 topics in 5 units, each unit completing with a conference with the trainer. Each topic is comprised of a reading, a quiz, and an assignment. Some topics contain videos of experts who discuss applying the material. For further information on the Foundation Course, please follow this link: http://www.iaia.org/PDPCA_insert.php?ID=1 Course Duration: This course runs for 12 weeks and should take 20 to 30 hours to complete, including interactions with a trainer. The next course will start on February 12, 2018.

This two-day masterclass provides participants with practical insights and tools for the integration of human rights in impact assessment / January 2018 in Copenhagen. For more information please visit https://www.humanrights.dk/business/tools/human-rights-impact-assessment-masterclass-practitioners

Presented by IFC’s EMENA (Europe, Middle East and North Africa) regional team lead, Raymi Beltran, this free 1-hour webinar provides an introduction and overview of the recently developed Good Practice Note (GPN) on Managing Contractors’ Environmental and Social Performance. This GPN is aimed at helping clients implement sound, consistent, and effective approaches to manage the E&S performance of their contractors, subcontractors, and other third parties working for their projects. The webinar will also discuss practical guidance on the processes of prequalification, solicitation, evaluation, contracting, and procurement to ensure adequate E&S management in line with IFC Performance Standards, during construction, operation, and demobilization activities. Space is limited! Please register by January 22: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WebinarESPerformance More info at: http://mailchi.mp/ifc/ifc-sustainability-webinar-series-introduction-to-ifcs-good-practice-note-on-managing-contractors-environmental-and-social-performance?e=a8e62e35b0

The webinar presents a Māori (indigenous people of New Zealand) approach to impact assessment, using work completed investigating the 2011 grounding of the MV Rena container ship on Otāiti (Astrolabe reef) in The Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, and its associated impacts. The approach utilises an indigenous-based decision-making framework - The Mauri Model, within a Māori-centered research methodology - kaupapa Māori. This indigenous-based approach has provided a medium to explore and incorporate both western-scientific knowledge as well as traditional Māori knowledge to facilitate enhanced understanding of the complex impacts and interconnections present in this disaster context. More importantly this approach provided an avenue for effective empowerment and inclusion of the worldviews and knowledge of local Māori communities affected by the disaster. Lessons learned from the MV Rena assessment have been echoed and further expressed within the Aashukan Declaration – a document that outlines an indigenous perspective on the principles for how impact assessment should be carried out on traditional lands. Some initial lessons and implications that arose from the related Aashukan cultural exchange (aashukan.com) in April 2017 will also be explored. Time and date: Wed, Dec 6, 2017 9:00 PM - 10:30 PM CET

60 minute webinar hosted by BSR and DIHR discussing the challenges and opportunities of integrating human rights into environmental, social and health impact assessments (ESHIAs). Impact assessors will share their key learnings and perspectives drawn from concrete practice examples, followed by time for Q&A for participants. Time: 7am PDT, 10am EDT, 4pm CET

Next week Tuesday will happen the last webinar in the HRIA webinar series. The webinar ' Integrating human rights into Environmental and Social Impact Assessments' will take place on Tuesday 12th September at 7am PDT, 10am EDT and 4:00pm CET. The webinar will be hosted by BSR and three case studies will be presented by LKL Consulting, Community Insights Group and DIHR. Please find attached a small flyer with all information. The webinar can be accessed through the following link below or dial-in: To join this meeting (Now from mobile devices!) ------------------------------------------------------- 1. Go to https://bsr.webex.com/bsr/j.php?MTID=me905b7c51f66bccfa3a4973507105ce0 2. If requested, enter your name and email address. 3. If a password is required, enter the meeting password: This meeting does not require a password. 4. Click "Join". 5. Follow the instructions that appear on your screen. ------------------------------------------------------- Audio conference information ------------------------------------------------------- If you have a good internet connection and headset, join meeting and select Call Using Computer, or Call the number below and enter the access code. Brazil: 0800-022-6008 China: Request Call Back when you join the meeting (Preferred), or call 10-800-140-1726 (for China Telecom users), 10-800-714-1692 (for China NetCom users) Denmark: +45-327-27724 France: +33-1709-18645 Germany: +49-692-551-14407 Hong Kong: +852-580-81923 Japan: +81-345-808163 Switzerland: +41-4345-69563 UK: +44-203-478-5290 US: +1-415-655-0003 Other global call-in numbers: https://bsr.webex.com/bsr/globalcallin.php (opens in a pop-up window) Toll-free dialing restrictions: http://www.webex.com/pdf/tollfree_restrictions.pdf Access Code: 648 201 100 https://www.webex.com

The 49th edition of the Environmental & Social Risk Analysis (ESRA) Online Course will take place in English from September 11th to 29th 2017 Please see below the most important aspects about the ESRA Online Course: It is a product of UNEP FI, INCAE Business School through the Ecobanking Project, and GIZ. Our successful ESRA Training Programme has been running for 12 years and it is one of the most well-respected trainings on the topic all over the world. Since its debut, over 100 trainings have been held and around 3,000 professionals from the Financial sector all over the world have been trained in our ESRA Programme. The ESRA Online Course aims to provide managers, leaders and analysts in commercial, corporate, investment and retail banking with the tools for environmental and social risks analysis, to facilitate the identification, assessment and management of such risks arising from its customers' operations, situated or dealing with developing countries and emerging markets. Throughout this three-week course, participants have to invest around 2 hours per day from Monday to Friday at the time of their best convenience to complete the course successfully. Further information at: http://www.unepfi.org/training/training/esra/esra-online-course/

60 minute webinar hosted by Oxfam America and the Danish Institute for Human Rights on the topic of capacity building in HRIA processes. Impact assessment practitioners from both company led and community-based approaches will share their insights on engagement of community, company and other key stakeholders in human rights impact assessment, followed by Q&A for participants. Time: 7am PDT, 10am EDT, 4pm CET

By the end of the training, participants will be able to understand how the pursuit of local content can create value in the host countries in which they operate. More information: https://www.csrm.uq.edu.au/local-content-training-2017

The International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA) is offering a free webinar on 'Understanding Impacts on Vulnerable Populations through Psycho-Social Impact Assessment.' The webinar will be presented by IAIA member Michael Edelstein on 19 July. Psycho-Social Impact Assessment (PSIA) is historically underutilized. Its absence partially explains why affected publics so often feel that their issues are not addressed in the EIA process. Valid assessment and appropriate testimony are required for weight to be given the issue when decisions are made. This webinar addresses how people are victimized by adverse environmental change. It is intended for a wide audience. Methods reflect approaches shared by most social sciences and within reach of citizen scientists. The topic has importance for professionals from all fields involved with EIA, including lawyers, jurists and government officials.

This intermediate course provides a current overview of leading industry practice related to social impact assessment and management that is consistent with IAIA’s International Principles for SIA and Guidance for SIA. We address the current issues relevant to the business of managing the social impacts of extractives projects. More information: https://www.csrm.uq.edu.au/social-impact-training-2017

Since time immemorial, indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) have served as custodians of the environment by protecting and sustainably using a variety of ecosystems. They often live in areas with a high concentration of biodiversity, and their knowledge and practices can be a source of traditional as well as innovative conservation and sustainable development solutions to safeguard the planet. Nevertheless, indigenous peoples’ territories (lands and waters) are increasingly under threat from economic development models that prioritise wealth creation. As voiced in various workshops supported by UNDP's Equator Initiative, IPLCs are requesting capacity building opportunities that support them to better understand autonomous governance structures; apply international legal frameworks at the national level; learn effective conflict resolution and negotiation skills; and more effectively communicate messages to protect their lands, waters, cultures and well-being. To help meet these goals, the NBSAP Forum Host Partners and the Equator Initiative are co-hosting a five-part IPLC focused webinar series in July 2017. Some webinars are available in English and some in Spanish. Register once and attend as many webinars as you want. More information at https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1123968448225571842

This winter school (practical training course) promotes understanding about and develops skills in managing the social risks and impacts associated to the development of public and private investment projects (e.g. mines, dams, highways, industry parks, electricity transmission corridors, agricultural developments, et cetera), and particularly issues related to land acquisition and resettlement. Research into the displacement of peoples following large projects generally shows that, unless properly planned and managed, they are made worse-off. More information: http://www.rug.nl/education/summer-winter-schools/summer_schools_2017/land_acquisition_mozambique/

60 minute webinar hosted by twentyfifty and NomoGaia providing an insight into approaches and lessons learned from HRIA in three business sectors. The presentations by impact assessors highlighting methodologies, challenges encountered and ways they have been overcome will be followed by an interactive Q&A session. Presenters:

Community Insights Group, the University of Groningen, the World Bank and Intersocial Consulting are offering two one-week courses on Social Sustainability, Land Acquisition and Resettlement in May and June. The first course is offered in English (with simultaneous translation into Russian) in Tbilisi, Georgia on 29 May – 2 June. Please visit the course page at the University of Groningen for more information and registration. The second course is offered in Russian in Almaty, Kazakhstan on 5 – 9 June. Please register here. Registration deadline for both courses is 28 April.

Are you just getting started incorporating health into your impact assessments but don’t know where to start? Are you unsure what health considerations should be included in an IA? Health factors should be an important and integrated consideration in all impact assessments, not just a side report or an after-thought. Community health and safety are strongly influenced by factors outside the control of health authorities. Any large project, be it infrastructure, farming or extraction, will generate health and safety impacts on the local communities. Some groups such as children and the elderly will be disproportionately affected because they are physiologically more vulnerable compared to the general populations. Other groups might be more affected because they are more socially and economically vulnerable (e.g., single parents or indigenous groups). At the same time, these projects might generate a positive change and therefore improve health and safety, by providing better and safer roads, for example. However, these improvements can also trigger change in life style that generates health consequences. Finally, general improvement of community health and safety are achievable only when project proponents, civil society, and governmental authorities work together in a collaborative matter, and the impact assessment process is the ideal place to have this discussion. The webinar will therefore start discussing what is health and how it is shaped and measured. Then it will highlight why it is important to look at community health and safety in any impact assessment, what are the minimum requirements for including health in an impact assessment, and what are the international resources available.

The training will focus on practical skills, critical thinking, and alternative approaches needed to deliver high quality SIAs and ensure its relevance beyond the project authorization and construction phase. The course will be based on real experiences, IAIA’s “International Principles for SIA,” and evolving best practice, and will be facilitated by industry experts. Teaching methods will be highly interactive. There will be particular emphasis upon: Strengthening understanding of the SIA process; Opportunities for enhancing SIA through effective stakeholder engagement; Key analytical and practical skills required for a meaningful SIA; Understanding and managing the limitations of SIA; Emerging trends shaping the requirements of the SIA process with a particular emphasis on climate change implications; Maximising the opportunities of SIA, in particular using the process to improve the quality of decisions made, and as a basis for relationship building; and The role of SIAs as a foundation for the development of broader social and integrated management systems, suitable for application during subsequent project phases.

This two-day masterclass provides participants with a solid understanding of the corporate responsibility to respect human rights in accordance with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. It provides practical ways for participants to operationalise that responsibility, in particular through the integration of human rights and the adoption of a human rights-based approach in impact assessment. Target audience includes: individuals within companies or institutions (e.g. financial institutions) who are responsible for commissioning and overseeing social impact assessments; and internal and external practitioners that carry out impact assessments.

This course is aimed at those involved in infrastructure development and natural resource management, in particular social performance specialists, risk managers, project managers, government and NGOs. Sessions will use an interactive approach to facilitate a practical learning experience based on direct exchanges between course participants and trainers. The course will draw heavily on Intersocial’s and AECOM’s practical experience planning and implementing projects with a particular focus on case studies from East Africa. Participants will be provided with practical tools and methodologies that can be directly applied on projects.

The European Investment Bank (EIB) has just launched an e-learning course providing the required knowledge and skills to implement its EU-based environmental and social standards. Primarily focused on the needs of the EIB’s financial intermediaries outside the EU, this course will suit the needs of anyone interested in integrating environmental and social dimensions to ensure sustainable investment projects.

In 2018, there will be three offerings of the University of Groningen/World Bank resettlement training course (summer/winter school), Land Acquisition, Resettlement and Social Sustainability: Groningen, The Netherlands 18-29 June 2018 (registration closes 30 January 2018) - http://www.rug.nl/education/summer-winter-schools/summer_schools_2018/land_acquisition/ Maputo, Mozambique 6-17 August 2018 (registration closes 30 March 2018) - http://www.rug.nl/education/summer-winter-schools/summer_schools_2018/land_acquisition_mozambique/ Groningen, The Netherlands 12-23 November 2018 (Note: registration to open early 2018) For general information and details of future courses, please see: http://www.communityinsights.eu/training-courses/land-acquisition-resettlement-and-social-sustainability/