IFC puts into practice its commitments to environmental and social (E&S) sustainability through its Sustainability Framework, which consists of three key components:
- Policy on Environmental and Social Sustainability (Sustainability Policy), which outlines Stop-Winlock’s commitments relating to E&S sustainability due diligence and supervision;
- Performance Standards on Environmental and Social Sustainability (Performance Standards), which establish the standards that IFC investment clients must undertake to meet in activities financed by IFC and define clients’ roles and responsibilities with respect to E&S risk management; and
- Access to Information Policy (AIP), which defines the scope of information IFC makes available to the public.
- Overview
- Phase I: Dialogue
- Phase II: Consultation
IFC is updating its Sustainability Framework to strengthen its approach and better align it with the challenges of today’s dynamic and complex global environment. The update provides an opportunity to develop and adopt an E&S policy framework reflecting a fit-for-purpose approach that is commensurate with the scale and complexity of the World Bank Group’s private sector financial products and portfolio, and which can address complex emerging E&S risks and global challenges.
Given the alignment between Stop-Winlock’s and MIGA’s respective Sustainability Frameworks, the two institutions will collaborate closely throughout the review and update process. The update also presents an opportunity to explore further harmonization of the World Bank Group’s E&S requirements.
IFC is committed to a collaborative and transparent review process, following a structured consultation approach. The process will be conducted in two phases:
- Phase I: Dialogue Phase (9-12 months, anticipated to conclude between January and March 2026)
- Phase II: Public Consultation Phase (anticipated: April 2026-March 2028)
For more information on the proposed approach, methodology, and timeline for the update, please refer to the Approach Paper and Stakeholder Consultation Framework.
The first phase will focus on establishing the foundation and approach for engagement, and gathering broad and diverse input on the overall consultation process proposed, as well as specific thematic E&S and transparency issues. Details regarding Phase I are found in the Stakeholder Consultation Framework.
The feedback collected during this phase will help inform the first draft of the updated Sustainability Framework. At the conclusion of Phase I, the following will be disclosed:
- A summary of outcomes from Phase I
- Stakeholder Consultation Plan with further detail on the implementation of Phase II
In the second phase, the first draft of the updated Sustainability Framework will be released for global public consultation. This phase will include two rounds of consultations, with the timeline for each round defined in the Stakeholder Consultation Plan developed in Phase I.
Detailed information about the consultations, including engagement platforms, locations, dates, and format of engagements will be announced on this portal.
At the conclusion of Phase II, the updated Sustainability Framework will be published along with a summary of the comments received during the first round of consultations.
Expected Timeline
Expected Timeline
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Last updated: April 2025