Summer 2022 Update

As 2022 enters its latter half, MSI Integrity staff have been hard at work advancing the Shifting Power project, which was announced in late 2021 as the next iteration of our organization’s evolution towards understanding some of the root causes and structural features of corporate power in the United States. Towards that end, we’re thrilled to announce our collaboration with both our Summer Legal Fellow — Amelia Tam — and the Forum for Global Human Rights (FGHR)

Amelia Tam joins us from the University of Baltimore, where she is pursuing a J.D. with an interest in employment, labor, and immigration law. Her work with us is focused on research and analysis for Shifting Power. It has been an absolute pleasure working with Amelia since May 2022! 

Forum for Global Human Rights logo with overhead view of 3 abstract people embracing each other to form a circle to the left of the organization's name in an all caps serif font

FGHR is a new, student-led and run organization that aims to provide opportunities for young people interested in human rights research and advocacy through practical experience and partnerships with organizations from around the world. FGHR students and recent graduates will be assisting MSI Integrity on research and outreach activities related to the Shifting Power project until October 2022.

We will soon enter a period of review and community collaboration on Shifting Power. We are preparing a draft interactive website that gives an overview of existing alternative corporate models that hold the promise of greater worker economic benefits and decision-making, as well as a new framework for workplace rights — the right for workers to have input and influence over their working conditions, and to share in the profits/economic benefits they generate (i.e. to share in ownership) — against which we have assessed whether and how each of these alternative models show promise. Interested organizations and individuals are welcome to participate in our upcoming review, and should contact us to learn more about how they can be part of the review process or related outreach events and activities. 

EITI Governance Assessment to be released on February 12 – do you want to discuss the findings?

On February 12, 2015, MSI Integrity will release Protecting the Cornerstone: Assessing the Governance of Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative Multi-Stakeholder Groups.

The report will present the findings and recommendations from our 2014 independent research project to assess whether the multi-stakeholder groups (MSGs) at the national level in the EITI — which are responsible for implementation of the EITI process in each country — are being governed and operated effectively.

To our knowledge, this is the most comprehensive analysis of national-level EITI MSG governance processes ever conducted. The assessment involved independently reviewing every EITI implementing countries’ governance documentation (over 40 countries), as well as a closer look at the MSG governance practices in 15 countries, including in-country visits to Azerbaijan, Cameroon, DR Congo, the Philippines, and Tanzania. The findings paint a portrait of how decisions are made to implement EITI on the ground — and who makes those decisions — and therefore shed light on important questions about the operation and potential impact of EITI. The report will also include helpful tools for MSGs and civil society, such as a protocol for developing good internal governance policies and practices, and a guidance note that identifies good practices for civil society to participation in MSGs.

A number of events are taking place around the globe to discuss the report findings.  The first is being organized by Publish What You Pay International (PWYP) on February 12, 2015 in Washington, DC: an international and multi-stakeholder panel discussion to explore the findings and recommendations of the report. Preliminary statements from Amelia Evans (MSI Integrity) and Eddie Rich (EITI International Secretariat) will open the event. Panelists include:

  • Tess Tabada (MSG Civil Society Representatives in the Philippines, Associate Professor for Development Studies at Visayas State University)
  • Jean-Claude Katende (MSG Civil Society Representative in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Director of ASADHO and PYWP-DRC Coordinator)
  • Paul Bugala (MSG Investors Representative in the United States, Senior Sustainability Analyst at Calvert Investments)
  • Moderator: Ian Gary (Senior Policy Manager of Extractive Industries , Oxfam America)

We encourage as many people as possible to come and contribute to the discussion (and join us for an informal reception afterwards!). To RSVP or find more details, please click here.

If you are also interested in holding a discussion on the report, please contact us and we would be happy to see how we can assist or be involved.

This research project was initiated following a request for research from PWYP. It was conducted independently of PWYP, EITI, and its members.