McMaster University

• Meaningful Stakeholder Engagement (MSE) is increasingly institutionalized in Ghana’s mining governance, shaped by UNGPs and the EU CSDDD. • In practice, engagement remains procedural and ritualistic , limiting answerability, responsiveness, and enforceability. • Elite-mediated consultation (via chiefs/elders) systematically marginalizes women, youth, farmers, and other affected groups. • Corporate governance culture and firm origin shape openness: some firms institutionalize feedback loops; others remain closed/reactive. • Inclusive, transparent, and responsive MSE can strengthen community agency, improve accountability, and enable fairer development outcomes. Meaningful Stakeholder Engagement (MSE) has become a central pillar of accountability in the mineral industry amid growing scrutiny of corporate responsibility, environmental harms and human rights. This paper examines how engagement with host communities, state institutions, civil society organizations and investors shapes accountability outcomes in Ghana’s mining sector. Drawing on qualitative fieldwork and informed by global governance frameworks—including the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights and the European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive—the study finds that although engagement is now formally embedded in mining governance, its practice remains largely procedural, uneven and often ritualistic. Such approaches limit communities’ ability to exercise voice, demand answerability and secure equitable developmental benefits from mineral extraction. At the same time, empirical evidence from community participants highlights that when engagement is grounded in the principles of MSE—particularly inclusiveness, transparency and responsiveness—it can enhance local capacity to contest decisions and influence resource governance. The paper argues that advancing accountability requires moving beyond tokenistic consultations towards engagement processes that explicitly address power asymmetries and meaningfully incorporate community actors into decision-making. It concludes that substantive stakeholder engagement, reinforced by robust regulatory frameworks and genuine participatory commitments, is critical to achieving accountable and sustainable mineral governance in Ghana.

Conducted in 2024at the time of the Government of Canada's announcement about a new National School Food Program (NSFP), this study explores parents' and educators' perspectives on food, funding, and preferred attributes of an NSFP. Using an Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility (EDIA) lens, we consider how to create socially just School Food Programs (SFPs). We conducted a mixed-methods study in publicly funded primary schools in two urban regions of Ontario, Canada. Parents/caregivers completed an online survey about family socio-demographics and views on SFPs with 267 valid responses. Twenty-seven parents participated in six focus groups and six primary school educators were interviewed. Equitable accessibility, cultural food, and including interest holders and community partners were organizing themes from qualitative findings that were compared to quantitative survey data. Equitable accessibility to SFPs was conceptualized as universally affordable but not necessarily universally free. Accessibility for students with dietary requirements was considered with concerns about logistical challenges. Consideration of cultural food in SFPs encompassed student representation, educational benefits, and challenges for incorporating it. Some parents advocated for the inclusion of key interest holders - students and parents - in planning and implementation along with broader community partners. Many participants envisioned SFPs that consider universal accessibility, cultural food diversity, and inclusive participation. Embedding EDIA in program design is key to socially just SFPs but questions remain about how to achieve this. We recommend that local level data are collected with interest holder consultation.

Shareable abstractThe organisation and implementation of long-term home noninvasive ventilation treatment for COPD patients across Europe is complex and heterogeneous. Further research and experience sharing is required to optimise and align the patient pathway.https://bit.ly/3M3r566

BackgroundParabens and phenols (PAPs) are widely used in consumer and personal care products. Although prior studies suggest links between PAP exposure and allergic outcomes, evidence across adolescents and adults remains limited.ObjectiveTo investigate associations between urinary PAPs and allergy-related outcomes.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional analysis of NHANES 2005-2006. Eight urinary PAPs were considered; three with >33.3% values below the limit of detection were excluded. Allergic symptoms and sensitization were assessed based on participants' self-reported health conditions. Three survey-weighted generalized linear models (crude model: unadjusted; Model I: partially adjusted; Model II: fully adjusted) and weighted quantile sum regression were used to evaluate the associations between PAPs exposure and allergy-related outcomes in both adolescents and adults.ResultsAmong adolescents, higher triclosan (TCS) exposure was positively associated with allergic rhinitis, allergies, sinus infection, and sneezing; in the fully adjusted model, odds ratios (ORs) were 2.04 (95% CI: 1.18-3.54), 2.36 (1.25-4.47), 3.28 (1.36-7.91), and 2.12 (1.27-3.52), respectively. Higher TCS, methyl paraben (MPB), and propyl paraben (PPB) were associated with dust-mite sensitization, with ORs of 2.00 (1.16-3.45), 2.09 (1.05-4.17), and 3.87 (2.09-7.16). Among adults, MPB was positively associated with allergic rhinitis (OR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.26-3.00) and sneezing (OR = 1.99, 1.27-3.10), and TCS was associated with hay fever (OR = 1.99, 1.22-3.23) and plant sensitization (OR = 1.40, 1.03-1.91). In mixture analyses, PAPs were positively associated with allergies (adjusted OR = 1.27, 95% CI: 1.07-1.51), sneezing (1.15, 1.00-1.33), and plant sensitization (1.21, 1.02-1.43) in adolescents, but no significant mixture associations were found in adults.ConclusionHigher levels of specific PAPs, particularly TCS, MPB, and PPB, and PAP mixtures were associated with increased risks of allergy-related outcomes in adolescents. In adults, TCS and MPB showed positive associations with multiple outcomes, whereas the overall PAP mixture was not statistically significant.