environmental tools for financial intermediaries

When the EBRD invests via a financial intermediary (FI), the FI must implement the Bank's environmental procedures. For many FIs, this is the first time they integrate environmental considerations into their lending and investment procedures. To help FIs integrate the bank's procedures the EBRD has developed two supporting mechanisms - the environmental risk management manual and training programmes.

Training programmes

EBRD consultants regularly run workshops where FI staff are taught how to conduct environmental due diligence on SMEs. The training takes place on location and is donor funded.

The EBRD Environmental Risk Management manual

The manual is designed to help FIs implement the EBRD’s environmental procedures. It contains guidance on environmental issues related to over 80 industry sectors and provides information on regulatory requirements. It also explains how to perform a site visit, how to engage environmental consultants, and much more.

Environmental risk management manual (6.9Mb)

The manual is contained in self-extracting zip file, to use it:

• Right click the link and select 'Save target as..'
• Choose the folder where the file should be saved and select OK
• Double-click on the file and, when prompted, choose the folder where extracted files should be saved
• Open folder and click on welcome.htm
• The manual will open in your default web browser

The manual is also available in the these languages:

Ръководството на ЕБВР за екологичните процедури (BG) (9.1Mb)
Manuál pro řizení ekologických rizik (CZ) (8.6Mb)
EBRD ekoloģiskā riska pārvaldības rokasgrāmata (LV) (8.3Mb)
ERPD Aplinkosaugos rizikos vadybos programa (vadovas) (LT) (8.2Mb)
EBOR – Podręcznik zarządzania ryzykiem ekologicznym (PL) (8.5Mb)
Manualul BERD privind Managementul Riscului de Mediu (RO) (8.4Mb)
Руководство ЕБРР по управлению экологическими рисками (RU) (8.9Mb)

Environmental risk categorisation list

This checklist provides a guide to the typical level of inherent environmental risk related particularly to a business activity, to assist staff in judging the appropriate level of environmental investigation that should be carried out.

Checklist  (0.2Mb)

Environmental exclusion and referral list for financial intermediaries

Under the terms of their agreements with the EBRD, FIs are prohibited from financing certain types of projects and have to refer to the Bank before financing some environmentally high risk projects.

Environmental exclusion and referral list for financial intermediaries  (0.1Mb)

Procedures for financial intermediaries

Franchising  (0.3Mb)
Funds: general  (0.3Mb)
Funds: property  (0.4Mb)
Insurance companies  (0.3Mb)
Leasing companies  (1.1Mb)
Local banks  (1.1Mb)
Mortgage lending  (0.1Mb)
Passive investments  (0.9Mb)
Small hydros  (0.1Mb)
Small and micro loans  (0.9Mb)
Trade finance  (0.3Mb)
Экологические процедуры в рамках Программы содействия развитию торговли  (0.9Mb)

Sub-sectoral guidelines

The EBRD has developed a set of sub-sectoral environmental guidelines to assist credit/investment officers in local financial institutions and other non-environmental experts. They are designed to help in identifying major environmental activity risks, important management actions, and essential aspects of environmental due diligence. The guidelines are not part of the Bank's Environmental Procedures and are used as guidance only.

Sub-sectoral guidelines