An audit carried out by Secu found that allegations of Bidco’s engagement in human rights, labour and environmental violations were not adequately investigated.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) ignored its own policies and regulations in admitting Bidco Africa Ltd into the Business Call to Action Alliance (BCtA) partnership, its Social and Environmental Compliance Unit (Secu) says in a report.
An audit carried out by Secu found that allegations of Bidco’s engagement in human rights, labour and environmental violations were not adequately investigated.
“After the fieldwork and additional research, Secu concluded that the processes employed by UNDP for admission of Bidco were not consistent with UNDP policies,” the report reads.
UNDP also failed to use information that was available to determine Bidco’s suitability, a fact that could taint the image of UNDP and the BCtA agenda.
UNDP staff are reported to have done due diligence and found information suggesting that Bidco was unfit to admit into the BCtA partnership, but all this was ignored.
The audit was in response to a February petition in which the Bugala Farmers Association asked UNDP to sever its partnership with Bidco Africa over accusations of land-grabbing, human rights violations and environmental disasters in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
The report suggests that the 1,800 farmers under the Kalangala Oil Palm Growers Association that consistently come out to defend Bidco, could be doing so because they are marginalised and have limited choice.
“BCtA is premised on facilitating engagement between private business and low-income people as consumers, producers, suppliers and distributors to increase employment opportunities,” the report notes.
But the benefits from BCtA cannot be achieved when the environmental and social screening procedures (ESSP) have been ignored, as was the case with Bidco.
Secu’s report doesn’t implicate Bidco on the deforestation and displacement of farmers, since the investigation was centred around UNDP’s processes.