Helping parties resolve disputes

The Corporate Stakeholder Response Mechanism (CSRM) helps project-affected communities, governments and others partners jointly resolve concerns and disputes about environmental and social impacts. It is available when Implementing Partner, Country Office SRMs and UNDP project-level stakeholder engagement processes have not successfully resolved issues of concern, or where there are valid reasons for not using these channels.

CSRM can help affected people, government agencies, and other project and program stakeholders, start or restart dialogue, facilitate discussions, mediate disputes, enhance understanding of the facts, and undertake other activities that might help resolve concerns and disputes.
 

Who may request the Stakeholder Response Mechanism?

Any person or community potentially affected by a UNDP-supported project may file a request with CSRM.  The request must relate to a UNDP-supported project and a possible environmental or social impact, and identify how the Requestors have been, or may be, adversely affected by the UNDP project or programme.

What happens after the request is submitted?

The following describes the steps in a CSRM process:

1.    Eligibility Determination

Where the requestor wants a collaborative problem solving process, CSRM will determine whether the request meets its three eligibility criteria:

•    Does the request relate to a current or proposed UNDP project?
•    Does the request explain how the requestors have been experiencing or may experience adverse socio-economic or environmental impacts from the UNDP project; and
•    Does the request indicate what steps have already been taken to try to resolve the grievance or dispute at the Country Office Stakeholder Response Mechanism, and if not provide valid reasons for not doing so.

2.    Voluntary Commitment to Mediation

For eligible requests, CSRM will determine whether the necessary parties consent to a collaborative problem solving process.   Most often the parties include the requestor and the entity implementing the project.   The UNDP Country Office plays an important role as either a party to the process, or in support of the process.  

3.    Ground Rules and Process Framework

CSRM will facilitate development of the grounds rules and process framework with the parties.  These ground rules will govern the process and can include how to handle the media, confidentiality, and the structure of the process.  

4.    Facilitated Dialogue

CSRM will facilitate the problem solving process.  Mediation is commonly used by CSRM.  This is an impartial and independent process facilitated by individuals who have no role in UNDP operations.  No judgements are made regarding the merits of the issues raised. The focus is on developing a common understanding of the issues, and exploring the possibility of joint solutions.  

5.    Agreement

Where agreement is reached between the parties regarding the solutions, CSRM will record the agreement.

6.      Monitoring and Closure

CSRM will monitor implementation of the agreement and once implemented will close the case
 

Click here for an Infographic on the process. 

Click here for the SRM Guidance Note that establishes CSRM’s mandate. 

Click here for the SRM Guidance Note Revisions 2026. 

Click here for the SRM Operational Infographic

For specific inquiries

SRM Case Registry
The SRM's Case Registry enables the public to view information about the SRM's current and prior stakeholder response cases.

Contacting the SRM
Please send your SRM-specific inquiries via email to:
stakeholder.response@undp.org

Submitting 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.