Strengthening IAMs: Lessons from Palm Oil Accountability

Drawing on a landmark case from West Kalimantan, Indonesia, Stanford student Michelle Kalu examines how Indigenous communities challenged land grabs by palm oil giant Wilmar, backed by International Finance Corporation (IFC) investment. With support from civil society organizations (CSOs), they filed a complaint through the IFC’s accountability mechanism, securing a settlement. Based on an analysis of 1,648 complaints on the Console, the article explores why Palm Oil complaints stand out among agribusiness cases and how CSO support helps communities secure results.