Environmental and Social Responsibility Policy

This policy applies to AFRDA’s governance, offices, procurement, travel, field diagnostics, restoration and climate adaptation activities, community development programmes, demonstration sites, partnerships, communications and supplier relationships.

• Stewardship. We protect land, soil, trees, water sources, wetlands, biodiversity and ecosystems as shared foundations of present and future resilience.
• Do no harm. We avoid, minimise and manage negative environmental and social impacts.
• Community ownership. Development is designed and implemented with communities, not merely for them.
• Inclusion. Women, young people, schools, persons with disabilities, vulnerable groups, local leaders and grassroots community members are meaningfully considered.
• Evidence and learning. Decisions are informed by field information, local knowledge, technical advice and documented learning.
• Prevention. Proportionate environmental, social, safeguarding and privacy risks are considered before activities begin.
• Partnership. We work with public institutions, universities, civil society, community organisations, private-sector actors, foundations and donors where collaboration supports responsible development.

• Support community-centred restoration and responsible management of natural resources.
• Promote soil protection, tree and vegetation restoration, water-source protection, biodiversity awareness and locally relevant ecosystem mapping.
• Design climate adaptation activities for local rainfall, temperature, pest, soil, ecosystem and livelihood conditions.
• Avoid activities and inputs that cause unacceptable pollution, habitat loss, unsafe waste, resource depletion or other serious environmental degradation.
• Consider durability, energy efficiency, waste reduction, responsible disposal and environmental performance in procurement.
• Reduce unnecessary printing, single-use materials, avoidable travel and inefficient use of water, energy and office supplies.
• Use practical mitigation and monitoring measures where impacts cannot be fully avoided.

• Treat communities as partners, knowledge holders and active participants in change.
• Engage local leadership while also seeking voices that may be excluded by power, status, disability, gender, age or geography.
• Avoid creating dependency, unrealistic promises, unequal benefits or conflict between community groups.
• Protect dignity in data collection, images, stories, reports and donor communications.
• Consider accessibility, safety, livelihoods, land use, cultural context, social relations and distribution of benefits and burdens.
• Provide understandable feedback and complaint channels to people affected by AFRDA activities.
• Prioritise practical interventions that communities and partners can maintain and adapt over time.

Before a new programme, demonstration site, restoration activity, livelihood support action, training, data collection exercise or partnership project begins, AFRDA undertakes a proportionate screening. The level of assessment depends on the scale, location, sensitivity and potential impacts of the activity.

• Potential effects on land, soil, water, trees, biodiversity, waste, drainage, energy and local ecosystems.
• Potential effects on livelihoods, access, safety, social relations and community expectations.
• Groups that may be excluded or disproportionately affected.
• Safeguarding, privacy, consent and community dignity risks.
• Permissions, technical guidance, community consultation and partner capacity required.
• Mitigation measures, responsibilities, indicators and decisions to proceed, redesign, postpone or not proceed.

AFRDA assesses major partners and suppliers for alignment with its mission, safeguarding, integrity and environmental and social commitments. AFRDA will not knowingly support arrangements that create serious harm to communities, undermine natural resources, rely on serious labour abuse or expose AFRDA and communities to unacceptable ethical or reputational risk.

• Relevant programmes include environmental and social indicators in monitoring and activity reports.
• Serious incidents are escalated to responsible management and the Board and reported to donors or authorities where required.
• Corrective measures are documented and followed to closure.
• Learning from projects, complaints and community feedback is used to improve future design and avoid repeating harm.

Community members, partners, staff, suppliers and members of the public may report environmental or social concerns through AFRDA’s Complaints and Feedback Procedure. Urgent safety or safeguarding concerns should be reported immediately through the safeguarding channels.

The Board oversees AFRDA’s environmental and social responsibility. The Secretariat integrates screening, mitigation, monitoring and learning into programme and operational decisions. This policy will be reviewed at least every year and after material incidents, programme expansion or relevant legal and donor changes.