Multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) are the collaborations between businesses, civil society and other stakeholders that seek to address the negative impacts of business operating in a globalized economy. Over the last two decades, MSIs have been established to set standards in almost every major global industry, ranging from certifying the production of clothing and food, through to monitoring the extraction of oil and gas, or to establishing codes of conducts for internet companies regarding privacy and freedom of expression. By joining an MSI, companies or governments agree to adhere to that MSI’s standards.
The Institute for Multi-Stakeholder Initiative Integrity (MSI Integrity)’s mission is focused on fulfilling this need by examining and understanding the impact and value of voluntary initiatives that address business and human rights.
They partner with academic institutions, and local, national, and international organizations to research key questions surrounding the effectiveness of these initiatives; facilitate and share learning in the field; and develop tools to evaluate initiatives that apply current understandings of what makes initiatives effective from a human rights perspective. They share these toolsopenly and encourage others to use them to evaluate MSIs and voluntary initiatives. In all of their work, they take a particular interest in how initiatives include, empower, and impact affected communities.
MSI Integrity is committed to independence, transparency, and human rights principles. They strive for engagement and reflexive consultation with all stakeholders.
MSI Integrity is currently funded with general support from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Any specific funding received for individual projects is transparently disclosed within those projects and publications, and outlined online.
Mission
The Institute for Multi-Stakeholder Initiative Integrity (MSI Integrity) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to understanding the human rights impact and value of voluntary initiatives that address business and human rights. MSI Integrity researches key questions surrounding the effectiveness of these initiatives, facilitates learning in the field, and develops tools to evaluate initiatives from a human rights perspective. MSI Integrity takes a particular interest in how initiatives include, empower, and impact affected communities.
In partnership with academic institutions and local, national, and international organizations, MSI Integrity:
> Develops, applies, and promotes criteria and methodologies to assess the design and impact of voluntary initiatives from a human rights perspective;
> Shares learning with initiatives and concerned stakeholders on good practices and encourages innovation to ensure that initiatives protect and promote human rights;
> Facilitates research into the design and human rights impact of these initiatives, including studying effects on affected communities.
Principles
MSI Integrity is committed to independence, transparency and human rights principles. They strive for engagement and reflexive consultation with all stakeholders.
Funding
MSI Integrity is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt public charity organization. MSI Integrity is currently funded with general support from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Any specific funding received for individual projects is transparently disclosed within those projects and publications. In particular:
> The MSI Evaluation Tools project received funding from Cordaid solely for its publication and release.
> The travel costs associated with research for the Protecting the Cornerstone: Assessing the Governance of Multi-Stakeholder Groups in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative were directly reimbursed by the World Bank Multi-Donor Trust Fund. Once the report was completed, Publish What You Pay International arranged for design and printing of physical copies.
> The Foundation to Promote Open Society has provided project support, including for outreach relating to Protecting the Cornerstone, as well as completing and conducting outreach related to the forthcoming MSI Pilot Evaluation Reports.
The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs provided seed funded to support the launch and development of MSI Integrity from 2012-2014.
