Guidelines for Enhancing Empowerment, Agency, and Stakeholder Buy-In for ESG in Mining and Related Industries

All happiness is my thing, therefore ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) is of great interest to me for many years, especially after visiting the Atacama. ESG has such a great potential to create so much general wellbeing. I am curious about ways that ESG could be utilized to create longer lasting and more profound change. I believe that by utilizing the conceptual frameworks of Positive Psychology and the Bhutanese "Gross National Happiness ", we could create mechanisms to enhance Agency, Empowerment, and Buy-in at a more profound level. Here is the result of a discourse between me and AI on this topic.

As a lay person in the field of ESG, I am curious to know what portions of this already parallel existing practice and what does not.

Informed by Gross National Happiness and Positive Psychology Frameworks.

Introduction

Mining and extractive industries face complex challenges in aligning profit-driven operations with ESG imperatives. Traditional ESG programs, though well-intentioned, can struggle to gain authentic buy-in and foster a sense of agency among employees, communities, and other stakeholders. Drawing from Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness (GNH) model (Ura et al., 2012) and principles from positive psychology (Seligman, 2011; Lyubomirsky & Layous, 2013), this document proposes a set of guidelines to build more empowering and participatory ESG strategies.

1. Foster Holistic Well-being as a Core Value

Guideline: Integrate holistic well-being metrics alongside conventional ESG indicators to account for the multidimensional impacts of mining activities on communities and employees.

Rationale: The GNH framework demonstrates that sustainable development must address material, emotional, cultural, and environmental well-being (Ura et al., 2012). Positive psychology literature confirms that multidimensional well-being supports greater individual and collective flourishing (Diener et al., 2017).

Actionable Steps:

Incorporate subjective well-being surveys (Diener et al., 2017) into ESG audits.

Prioritize well-being outcomes in community benefit agreements.

Train managers to apply well-being frameworks when assessing project impacts.

2. Strengthen Participatory Governance

Guideline: Develop participatory governance structures that empower local communities and employees to co-design ESG priorities and hold decision-makers accountable.

Rationale: Participation in decision-making increases perceived control and self-efficacy (Bandura, 2006), while GNH’s good governance domain emphasizes equitable and meaningful involvement of all stakeholders (Ura et al., 2012).

Actionable Steps:

Establish community advisory panels with binding influence on project operations (Reed, 2008).

Implement participatory mapping to identify community-valued assets (Corburn, 2003).

Include worker representation in ESG performance reviews.

3. Support Agency Through Capacity Building

Guideline: Provide systematic training and resources to build local capacities for managing environmental and social programs linked to mining projects.

Rationale: Agency grows when individuals believe they have the knowledge and skills to act effectively (Sen, 1999; Bandura, 2006). Positive psychology interventions similarly highlight that competence is central to motivation (Ryan & Deci, 2000).

Actionable Steps:

Offer workshops on ESG literacy for community members.

Provide grants for local innovation in environmental monitoring.

Train employees in conflict resolution and collaborative problem-solving.

4. Align ESG Initiatives with Local Values and Culture

Guideline: Co-develop ESG practices that respect, integrate, and celebrate local cultural and spiritual values.

Rationale: The GNH model places high emphasis on cultural resilience as a dimension of human flourishing (Ura et al., 2012). Research in positive psychology confirms that meaning and purpose — often rooted in cultural identity — are critical to long-term well-being and engagement (Seligman, 2011; Martela & Steger, 2016).

Actionable Steps:

Conduct cultural impact assessments (Baines & Taylor, 2011).

Integrate local knowledge systems in environmental monitoring.

Honor culturally significant sites through no-go zones or conservation offsets.

5. Reinforce Environmental Stewardship through Moral Elevation

Guideline: Frame environmental stewardship not only in regulatory or financial terms but as an ethical responsibility and opportunity for moral leadership.

Rationale: Positive psychology research shows that moral elevation — the uplifting emotion from witnessing virtuous acts — motivates prosocial behavior and sustained engagement (Haidt, 2003). The GNH framework similarly emphasizes ecological sustainability as a moral obligation (Ura et al., 2012).

Actionable Steps:

Publicly recognize and reward environmental champions among employees and community partners (Grant & Berry, 2011).

Share success stories of restoration or conservation to inspire pride.

Facilitate community events around restoration projects.

6. Embed Positive Relationships in ESG Processes

Guideline: Design ESG processes to actively cultivate trust, belonging, and positive relationships among stakeholders.

Rationale: Social relationships are among the strongest predictors of well-being (Diener & Seligman, 2002) and community resilience (Kirmayer et al., 2011). In GNH, community vitality is a central pillar of sustainable progress (Ura et al., 2012).

Actionable Steps:

Incorporate relational accountability in supplier and contractor codes of conduct.

Establish long-term relationship management teams within ESG departments.

Support community events to build trust among diverse stakeholders.

7. Promote Continuous Reflection and Learning

Guideline: Incorporate reflection, feedback, and adaptive learning as continuous components of ESG initiatives.

Rationale: Psychological research shows that reflective practices enhance growth mindsets and personal agency (Dweck, 2006). The GNH model is dynamic, encouraging periodic review to recalibrate for genuine progress (Ura et al., 2012).

Actionable Steps:

Implement structured ESG reflection workshops after each project phase.

Use third-party facilitators to encourage honest dialogue about mistakes.

Create a knowledge-sharing platform to capture lessons learned.

Conclusion

Integrating the Bhutanese Gross National Happiness approach with robust positive psychology research provides a promising, evidence-informed pathway for transforming ESG practices in mining and related industries. By prioritizing holistic well-being, participatory governance, cultural respect, and moral leadership, organizations can strengthen empowerment, agency, and authentic buy-in, leading to more sustainable and resilient outcomes.

Key References

Bandura, A. (2006). Toward a psychology of human agency. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 1(2), 164–180.

Baines, G., & Taylor, N. (2011). A survey of cultural impact assessment practice in New Zealand. Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal, 29(4), 251–260.

Corburn, J. (2003). Bringing local knowledge into environmental decision making. Journal of Planning Education and Research, 22(4), 420–433.

Diener, E., Oishi, S., & Tay, L. (2017). Advances in subjective well-being measurement. Annual Review of Psychology, 68, 577–603.

Diener, E., & Seligman, M. E. P. (2002). Very happy people. Psychological Science, 13(1), 81–84.

Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House.

Grant, A. M., & Berry, J. W. (2011). The necessity of others is the mother of invention: Intrinsic and prosocial motivations, perspective taking, and creativity. Academy of Management Journal, 54(1), 73–96.

Haidt, J. (2003). The moral emotions. In R. J. Davidson, K. R. Scherer, & H. H. Goldsmith (Eds.), Handbook of Affective Sciences (pp. 852–870). Oxford University Press.

Kirmayer, L. J., Sehdev, M., Whitley, R., Dandeneau, S. F., & Isaac, C. (2011). Community resilience: Models, metaphors and measures. Journal of Aboriginal Health, 5(1), 62–117.

Lyubomirsky, S., & Layous, K. (2013). How do simple positive activities increase well-being? Current Directions in Psychological Science, 22(1), 57–62.

Martela, F., & Steger, M. F. (2016). The three meanings of meaning in life: Distinguishing coherence, purpose, and significance. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 11(5), 531–545.

Reed, M. S. (2008). Stakeholder participation for environmental management: A literature review. Biological Conservation, 141(10), 2417–2431.

Ryan, R. M., & Deci, E. L. (2000). Self-determination theory and the facilitation of intrinsic motivation, social development, and well-being. American Psychologist, 55(1), 68–78.

Seligman, M. E. P. (2011). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. Free Press.

Sen, A. (1999). Development as Freedom. Oxford University Press.

Ura, K., Alkire, S., Zangmo, T., & Wangdi, K. (2012). An extensive analysis of GNH index. Centre for Bhutan Studies.