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Environmental and Social Management

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  • Overview
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Radishes

Businesses that implement sustainable practices and manage environmental and social risks responsibly are more likely to succeed.

Companies with clean, efficient operations and strong relationships with stakeholders, including local communities, are positioned to reduce operational costs, avoid fines or penalties, boost their reputation, maintain a social license to operate and increase their market share. Similarly, lenders with such companies in their portfolios are more likely to manage environmental and social risks more effectively, prevent credit risks, have a strong bottom line and attract funding on the international market.

Our Strategy

Throughout the life of every project, we focus on the most relevant environmental and social aspects and systematically address risks.
 

We work with our clients to implement measures to mitigate and adapt to the effects of climate change, as well as identify and manage the risks of natural disasters. We also promote practices and strategies to adequately identify and assess the environmental and social impacts and manage them through a systematic approach, with sufficient resources, to reduce waste and pollution, protect and conserve biodiversity, and sustainably use natural resources. When we invest in a project, we also require our clients to put in place certain practices to uphold human rights and promote strong social values. These practices include, but are not limited to:

  • Robust public consultation, communication and outreach to affected communities.
  • Adequate labor relations, including mechanisms to redress worker grievances.
  • Good working conditions and high standards for occupational health and safety.
  • Gender equality and diversity.
  • Participation and inclusion of indigenous peoples and other vulnerable groups, and prevention of adverse impacts on them.
  • Preservation of cultural heritage.

Whether we are making a direct investment, investing indirectly through financial intermediaries such as banks or providing technical assistance, we conduct due diligence reviews to understand the potential environmental and social risks and impacts involved. We evaluate the client’s ability to comply with our Environmental and Social Sustainability Policy and with the host country’s institutional regulatory framework. The level of evaluation and oversight varies, depending on the potential risks and impacts of each project.

For a direct investment, for example, we would do an appraisal that includes reviewing available information, records and documentation related to risks and impacts; conduct a site visit and interviews with client staff and relevant stakeholders; evaluate the project’s environmental and social plans or, if it is already in an operational phase, its performance; identify any gaps or areas of non-compliance with IDB Invest’s Sustainability Policy and with local standards, guidelines and regulations; and develop an Environmental and Social Action Plan to close any gaps. Once IDB Invest and the client agree on such a plan, it becomes part of the legal agreements between them.

We also have procedures in place that apply to indirect investments made through financial intermediaries and to technical assistance activities. We monitor the environmental and social performance of all our investments as part of our portfolio management program.

Engagement and Response Platform

IDB Invest aims to foster a proactive dialogue with those seeking information about our projects or interested in filing a grievance.

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From Thinkers To Doers, IDB Invest's Sustainability Week tag line

Sustainability Week goes digital!

IDB Invest Sustainability Platform will develop demand-driven and user-centric knowledge and tools aimed to promote, amplify, and accelerate the application of sustainability solutions across markets. It will expand IDB Invest Sustainability Week to a 365-day user experience with access to sustainability solutions, tools, and knowledge with a keen focus on partnerships and collaboration, localized actions, and innovation by convening doers to share best practices that drive development impact.

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ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY POLICY (2020)

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ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY POLICY (2013)

401.4 Kb

LIST OF EXCLUDED ACTIVITIES FOR NSG OPERATIONS

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IDB INVEST REAFFIRMS ITS COMMITMENT TO HUMAN RIGHTS

121.8 Kb

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL BROCHURE

2.6 Mb

CLIMATE RISK ASSESSMENT

515.4 Kb

CLIMATE RISK ASSESSMENT (EM PORTUGUÊS)

745.1 Kb

More publications

Meet Our Experts

  • Luiz Gabriel

    Azevedo

    About
  • Angela

    Miller

    About
  • Juan Carlos

    Páez

    About
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Gabriel Azevedo
Name
Luiz Gabriel

Last name
Azevedo

Biography

Luiz Gabriel Azevedo is the Division Chief of the Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance Division at IDB Invest. He has worked with development projects in some thirty countries for over twenty-five years, focusing on infrastructure development, natural resources management, agriculture, and environmental management.

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Angela Miller
Name
Angela

Last name
Miller

Biography

Angela Miller works as Principal Environmental and Social Specialist in IDB Invest's Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance Division. Angela, who has dual US and Colombian citizenship, has more than 20 years of experience in environmental and social management.

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Juan Carlos Páez
Name
Juan Carlos

Last name
Páez

Biography

Juan Carlos Páez is a civil engineer with a master's degree in infrastructure planning. He has been project manager and socio-environmental auditor certified in ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001.

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Blogs and News

News

22 Nov 2022

IDB Invest Promotes the Circular Economy in the Latin American Fashion Sector with GoTrendier Deal

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Blog

10 May 2023

Is Sustainable Finance Closing Gaps in Latin America & the Caribbean?

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News

23 Jun 2022

IMPCTRS, a new podcast from IDB Invest

IMPCTRS podcast

Blog

03 May 2023

IDB World: Good Jobs, Universal Health Coverage, Fighting Poverty With Remittances

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