ID: 1608
Presenting Author: Giulia Troina
Session: 669 - Building Trust: Strengthening Accountability and Communication in Development Finance
Status: pending
Drawing on IPAM’s case experience, this session examines how transparency, communication, and accountability across stages of development finance projects foster trust and drive better outcomes.
As the grievance mechanism of a multilateral development bank, the Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM) provides a unique point of view on how trust is built, or eroded, through stakeholder engagement in development finance. Drawing on case trends, this panel aims to share insights from IPAM’s caseload, illustrating how transparency, early communication, and respect for community voice determine project outcomes.
The discussion will be structured around three stages of the project cycle (planning, monitoring, and grievance handling) to explore key elements for each and how trust evolves over time.
Through selected IPAM case examples, both positive and challenging, the presentation will explore how misinformation and limited access to project information can escalate distrust and conflict. The discussion will emphasize how grievance mechanisms serve not only as accountability tools but also as learning platforms that enhance institutional performance and stakeholder relationships. By reflecting on IPAM’s experience, this contribution identifies practical approaches that E&S practitioners can adopt to promote credible consultation, responsive disclosure, and collaborative approaches, all of which are essential ingredients for sustaining trust in development finance projects.
Giulia Troina works at EBRD’s Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM). She is responsible for institutional learning and monitoring of management action plans (MAPs).