New tool to address social inclusion in large infrastructure projects

Inclusivity and social equity in the planning, design and implementation of major infrastructure projects.

Global Infrastructure Hub (GI Hub) has now signed a consultancy contract for the development of a reference tool to address inclusion in large infrastructure projects. 

This initiative responds to the growing political emphasis and recognition by governments around the world on the importance of socially inclusive growth as a crucial issue in both developing and developed economies.  

The tool, expected to be delivered mid-2018, will provide practical guidance that can be used by government teams around the world that wish to maximise the social inclusivity of large-scale infrastructure projects. 

It will identify and analyse different approaches to addressing inclusion of low-income and other disadvantaged groups in large-scale infrastructure projects and will provide detailed case studies illustrating leading practices.

For the purposes of this initiative, the definition of inclusive infrastructure will encompass:

• access to infrastructure services by low-income customers
• addressing other aspects of exclusion from access to the infrastructure service (which, depending on context, may be related to gender, disability, location etc.)
• access to other benefits enabled by the infrastructure, such as job creation, access to markets and services (e.g. education)
• infrastructure that supports civic engagement of all communities and breaks cycles of disadvantage

GI Hub has engaged Atkins Acuity, the global advisory business from the Atkins Group, who are leading a consortium on the project. 

Throughout this initiative we are planning an active stakeholder engagement strategy. If you would like to send in comments or join our distribution list, please contact the GI Hub Leading Practices team by emailing comms@gihub.org