The construction industry typically consumes a substantial portion of a nation’s wealth, and governments tend to impose a variety of requirements on contractors to achieve goals that are deemed socially or environmentally important. Such restrictions may seek to promote environmental sustainability or use of local labour, or they may seek to provide employment and benefits to socially disadvantaged groups. In democratic states, these requirements are likely to reflect the priorities of voters, but they can add significantly to costs of construction. Government social goals also often run into practical limitations when prescribed goals prove difficult or uneconomical to achieve. This session will examine a variety of government goals imposed on construction projects and will discuss how contract parties must deal with obstacles to implementing them. The session will also discuss how to safeguard human rights on large infrastructure and other construction projects.