The Interlaken Group (link is external) is an informal network of individual leaders from influential companies, investors, CSOs, government, and international organizations, assisted by LEGEND funding since 2015. The purpose of the Group is to expand and leverage private sector action to secure community land rights. Together they develop and disseminate new tools, incubate in-country working groups for community tenure implementation, and advance new “pre-competitive” mechanisms to accelerate private sector learning on responsible land rights practices. The Interlaken Group was formed at the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) 2013 International Conference (link is external). DFID funding is provided through RRI, which hosts the secretariat.
Over the course of 2018 and 2019, the Interlaken Group has worked with LEGEND partners to catalyze three new in-country working groups in Kenya, Malawi, and Laos. The purpose of these platforms is to accelerate the implementation of land tenure reforms by providing new spaces for collaboration and partnership between local private sector stakeholders, CSOs, and developing country government representatives. Some of the resources that the Interlaken Group has published include:
-
Respecting Land and Forest Rights - A Guide for Companies: aims to help staff and suppliers make sense of company’s responsibilities under the VGGT.
-
Land Legacy Issues- Guidance on Corporate Responsibility: aims to inform companies’ operational teams and specialist service providers on how to address complex legacy land rights issues and conflicts arising on “brownfield” sites previously held and operated by other companies.
-
Emerging Corporate and Investor Practice to Support Community Land Rights- Case studies from Malawi, Mozambique, and Malaysia: details examples of agriculture and forestry companies highlighting challenges faced in pursuit of best practice on land issues, and innovations used to overcome them.
