There is a growing expectation that extractive industries will contribute positively to the long-term development of the communitiesandregions in which they operate. Formal,negotiated agreements between impacted communities and developers–often referred to as Community Development Agreements (CDAs)–have been proposed as one means of progressing this objective. Potential benefits of these agreements include: increased community support forand more realistic expectations ofprojects, greater certainty for all parties and promotion of a sense of shared responsibility. However, whether these benefits are realised in practice will dependon the context, the design of the CDA itself and, in particular, the way in which it is formed.