Asia Society Policy Institute

Guidelines for contractors operating overseas.

Offers recommendations and tools to support project staff and management in engaging communities and fulfilling social responsibilities.

Contractors should: 

• Base community engagement on equality, respect, and mutual benefit.
• Incorporate community engagement into decision-making.
  • Create community engagement departments and hire community engagement specialists.
• Research local communities to understand their needs fully.
• Engage in two-way communication with communities, understanding their needs and problems.
  • Discontinue practices that do not involve talking or listening.
• Communicate consistently to avoid giving contradictory signals to communities. 
• Foster community exchanges in areas such as education, cultural exchange, sports, and health activities.
• Respect local customs and use local languages.
  • Utilize local festivals and religious events to understand local customs. 
• Consider how projects disproportionately impact certain groups of stakeholders.
• Promote consultation, communication, and cooperation between Chinese companies and host country stakeholders. 
  • Empower civil society organizations (CSOs)/nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to supervise projects, engage in advocacy, and collaborate with contractors during the investment process. 
  • Communicate with the media to create trust with the local society.
  • Communicate with communities through key local intermediaries who are trusted and respected in their local communities. 
• Establish a grievance mechanism to allow community members to pose questions, raise concerns, or file complaints. 
• Act on and respond to stakeholders’ complaints.

Contractors should: 

• Develop evaluation indicators to manage, monitor, and review community engagement activities. 
• Develop emergency response plans based on social and environmental hazard assessments. Minimize damage to companies and local communities.