Submit a complaint

A complaint may be submitted by:

• Individuals who believe they have been, or may be, adversely affected by an EBRD‑financed project
• Civil society organisations representing people who have been, or may be, affected by an EBRD‑financed project
• Organisation not directly affected in  special circumstances (reviewed under the compliance function only)

IPAM can accept a complaint if all of the followingapply:

• It relates to an EBRD‑financed project
• It describes harm or potential harm experienced or likely to be experienced by people or communities
• It relates to the Bank’s obligations under its Environmental and Social Policy or Access to Information Policy
• It is submitted any time after a project has been approved and up to 24 months after the Bank has ceased to have a financial interest in the project.

IPAM cannot review:

• Anonymous complaints
• Allegations of fraud, corruption, ethics, or integrity. File your complaint to the Office of the Chief Compliance Officer at whistleblowing@ebrd.com 
• Procurement‑related issues, which are handled by the EBRD Procurement Unit at ProcurementComplaint@ebrd.com
• Commercial disputes, contractual matters, or intellectual property issues, including complaints submitted in bad faith or to gain unfair advantage.
• General EBRD policies or internal administration, such as staffing decisions or internal management issues.
• Actions of third parties outside the Bank’s control, such as government authorities enforcing national law or international treaties.
• Issues already examined by IPAM, unless there is new evidence or new circumstances. 

IPAM is committed to ensuring safe andaccessible access to its processes. IPAM:

• Does not tolerate retaliation against complainants or others involved in an IPAM process. Complaints can request confidentiality if they fear retaliation
• Assesses retaliation risks and works with complainants to implement mitigation measures where risks are identified

IPAM takes all measures within its mandate to ensure safe access. Its role does not replace national or international protection mechanisms. 

For IPAM to review your complaint, you must include all of the following mandatory information:

• The name(s) of the individual(s) or organisation(s) submitting the complaint
• Contact information of the complainant(s)
• A description of the EBRD project
• A description of the harm or potential harm
• Information on any prior engagement with the project developer and/or Bank teams, or an explanation of why such engagement did not occur
• If applicable, details and written authorisation for any representative

You can also reach out to IPAM and ask for clarification on the IPAM process at ipam_comms@ebrd.com. Please note that we do not monitor this mailbox for incoming complaints.