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Social and Environmental Compliance Review and Stakeholder Response Mechanism
In June 2014 UNDP adopted mandatory Social and Environmental Standards (SES) for all of UNDP’s projects and programmes effective 1 January 2015. The objectives of the Standards are to:
- Strengthen the social and environmental outcomes of UNDP projects;
- Avoid adverse impacts to people and the environment affected by projects;
- Minimize, mitigate, and manage adverse impacts where avoidance is not possible;
- Strengthen UNDP and partner capacities for managing social and environmental risks; and
- Ensure full and effective stakeholder engagement, including through a mechanism to respond to complaints from project-affected people.
The Standards will be underpinned by an Accountability Mechanism with two key components:
1. A compliance review
A compliance review to respond to claims that UNDP is not in compliance with applicable environmental and social policies
view compliance review2. A stakeholder response mechanism (SRM)
A stakeholder response mechanism (SRM) that ensures individuals, peoples, and communities affected by projects have access to appropriate grievance resolution procedures for hearing and addressing project-related complaints and disputes.
view srmThe Social and Environmental Compliance Unit (SECU) investigates alleged non-compliance with UNDP’s Social and Environmental Standards and Screening Procedures from project-affected stakeholders and recommends measures to address findings of non-compliance.
The Stakeholder Response Mechanism helps project-affected stakeholders, UNDP’s partners (governments, NGOs, businesses) and others jointly address grievances or disputes related to the social and/or environmental impacts of UNDP-supported projects.
Affected people have a choice: They can ask SECU to pursue a compliance review examining UNDP’s compliance with UNDP social and environmental commitments, they can attempt to resolve complaints and disputes through the Stakeholder Response Mechanism or they can ask both for compliance review and for an effort to resolve their concerns.
Get involved - Share your feedback and receive updates on UNDP's Social and Environmental Compliance Unit and Stakeholder Response Mechanism
For specific inquiries:
Social and Environmental Compliance Unit:
secuhotline@undp.org
Stakeholder Response Mechanism:
stakeholder.response@undp.org
SECU Case Registry
SECU's Case Registry contains detailed information about SECU's current and prior compliance cases.
Visit SECU's Case Registry hereSRM Case Registry
SRM Case Registry contains detailed information about SRM's current and prior problem solving cases.
Visit SRM's Case Registry hereSubmitting a Request
You may submit requests via our telephone, post, email or social media applications. For more information on these options, please see below.
Complaints should be as specific as possible, describing current or potential adverse impacts that have a plausible causal link to a UNDP-supported project/programme and, if possible, the UNDP social and environmental standards/commitments that are believed to have been violated.
Call (costs are incurred by caller) using 001 (917) 207 4285. Skype is an affordable way to place such a call.
You may also mail any request or communication (in any language) to:
Attn: SECU/SRM, OAI, UNDP
1 U.N. Plaza, 4th Floor
New York, NY USA 10017
You may submit a SECU and SRM request or communication to: project.concerns@undp.org and secuhotline@undp.org (in any language).
If you choose to email or mail your complaint, please note that there are no strict format or language requirements. It is helpful if the complaint includes the following information:
- Name, address, telephone number, and other contact information.
- Whether the Complainant(s) wish to keep their identity confidential, and if so, why.
- Name, location, and nature of the UNDP project or programme (if known).
- How the Complainants believe they have been, or are likely to be, adversely affected by the UNDP-supported project or programme.
- If a third party, such as a civil society organization, is filing a complaint on behalf of an affected individual or community, the complaint should include evidence the third party is working on behalf of the individual or community.
- Although helpful, it is not necessary to cite to specific UNDP standards or policies (such as the UNDP's Social and Environmental Standards).
For assistance in submitting a request via email or mail, please download this guidance form.
Please message us on WhatsApp, Viber and Signal using 001 (917) 207 4285, or through our WeChat account @SECUSRM.