Environment and Safeguards Compliance Policy
(01/06, En, Es) See also Environment and Natural Resources
The new Environment and Safeguards Compliance Policy strengthens the Bank's commitment with environmental sustainability in the region. This Policy consists of a set of directives that will guide the Bank's work towards environmental sustainability through mainstreaming environmental considerations into social and economic development objectives. With this Policy, the Bank will safeguard the environmental quality of all operations and introduce socially and environmentally responsible practices within its own facilities.
This new Policy is part of the implementation of the Bank's Environment Strategy (GN-2208-4) approved by the Board in July of 2003, which identifies key principles and priority actions to improve the effectiveness of internal Bank activities and procedures. The development of the Policy involved a wide collaborative effort that engaged different areas of the Bank, including central and operational departments as well as country offices. This internal review process allowed the mobilization of the best technical capacities available at the Bank and the experience gathered from over 20 years of environmental action in the region. It is important to recognize the valuable orientation and advice provided by all members of the Board of Executive Directors during the Policy revision and approval process.
As part of the consultation process, the Bank opened ample space for discussion, dialogue and validation of different aspects of the Policy. A high-level advisory group of environmental experts, the Blue Ribbon Panel, was formed to advise the Bank Management on how to orient the Bank's leadership to achieve the highest impact in support of sustainability in the region. A wide consultation process, involving electronic and regional and extra-regional consultations with governments, nongovernmental organizations, private sector and multilateral and bilateral development organizations was carried out to review draft versions of the document. Such interaction between stakeholders and the Bank Administration allowed the incorporation of key elements to improve the environmental performance of the Bank's operations and activities.
With this publication, we make this important Bank Policy available to all Bank professionals, executing agencies and interested parties with the expectation that its application will improve the sustainable development impact of the Bank.
Last updated: 05/08/07
