The True Role of Project Contractors: The influence of corporations in World Bank lending and complaints

Private sector involvement in multilateral development bank (MDB) projects, both in terms of investment and implementation, undeniably affects the implementation of a project, influencing banks’ adherence to their own policies. This tends to manifest in unpredictable ways, leading to communities being impacted by higher-level decisions they may not be able to see. Accountability Counsel has been tracking and analyzing World Bank projects with corporate influence that result in complaints.

Multilateral development banks (MDBs) contract private firms to execute multi-million dollar development projects. Although project contracts are open for bidding, these banks often choose multinational corporations (MNCs) as project implementing partners due to their high productivity, technology, organizational skills, and other intangible assets. These corporations hold significant political and lobbying power at government and MDB levels, influencing the course of a project’s implementation in ways that are often misaligned with the interests of impacted communities.

Holding these corporations accountable is challenging partly due to the lack of legal and regulatory frameworks in countries receiving development assistance. This allows MNCs to influence development projects and their outcomes as they please, even if it results in harm to the communities involved. MNCs mainly exert their influence through project disbursement; banks may release funds for projects evaluated as unsatisfactory or projects that have complaints against them. This puts communities at a disadvantage by hindering their access to remedy, and demonstrates that overall ethical and developmental considerations between companies, banks, and communities do not necessarily match.

The World Bank, the largest multilateral development bank, contracts more MNCs than any other development bank. It has developed relationships within its Management and Board with MNCs, highlighting the challenges in holding these corporations accountable.

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