Challenges and Advantages of IFC Performance Standards: ERM Experience

Abstract

This chapter discusses an interview with two partners from Environmental Resource Management (ERM) about important environmental and social issues in the IFC’s recently revised Performance Standards. These include climate change, biodiversity and ecosystems, stakeholder engagement, gender and business and human rights. They represent issues, where earlier requirements have been made more explicit, as well as emerging themes that have been introduced. This chapter addresses how these issues are reflected as cross-cutting themes rather than as stand-alone topics. This chapter also discusses conceptual and political dilemmas and challenges related to some of these themes, as well as practical aspects such as implementation and integration into decision-making and management systems.