We are happy to announce that our new Environmental and Social Policy Framework (ESPF)  entered into effect on October 31st, 2021.  We are also pleased to present the borrower guidelines developed in consultation with diverse stakeholders throughout the region.  The ESPF and its guidelines are the result of a rigorous drafting and review process that spanned 32 months and was based on an inclusive, transparent, and participatory process.

The Environmental and Social Policy Framework (ESPF) sets ambitious new standards in several areas and provides IDB clients with cutting-edge provisions to manage environmental and social issues. The new ESPF places respect for human rights at the core of environmental and social risk management and includes a dedicated, stand-alone standard on gender equality. It also has a new standard on labor and working conditions that is aligned with core international conventions.

To download the full ESPF, click on your preferred language:

The ESPF also includes considerations of risks associated with pandemics and epidemics, and is aligned with international best practices on biodiversity protection and conservation. Additionally, the ESPF includes specific circumstances under which free, prior, and informed consent is required from indigenous peoples, and requires differentiated management measures for vulnerable subsections of the population, including African descendants, persons with disabilities, and people of different sexual orientations and gender identities, among others.  To ensure an open, transparent, and inclusive engagement during project design and implementation, the ESPF also includes a stand-alone Standard on Stakeholder Engagement and Information Disclosure which, among other enhanced provisions, requires clients to implement project-level grievance mechanisms.

The ESPF includes a policy statement which outlines the roles and responsibilities, the scope of the framework and the IDB's commitments.  The policy statement is followed by ten Environmental and Social Performance Standards (ESPS) describing the borrower requirements.  This framework encourages positive environmental and social outcomes for Bank-financed projects, while minimizing the risks and negative impacts to people and the environment. 

The IDB has developed a series of guidelines and resources to provide practical guidance on the implementation of each performance standard. These guidelines are not intended to establish policy, but explain the requirements of each performance standard, offering good practices to improve project performance. 

These guidelines are available in the Bank's official languages.  To download the full borrower guidelines click here.