How to implement our Environmental and Social Requirements (ESRs)

This guidance note is for the EBRD's Performance Requirement 1, which preceded ESR 1 and relates to the Bank's previous Environmental and Social Policy (ESP), dated 2019. 

The guidance note for ESR 1, which relates to the Bank's 2024 ESP, is in progress and will be published here once complete.

We have produced a range of supporting guidance documents designed to help clients manage specific labour issues.

The Environmental and Social Requirement 3 guidance note on resource efficiency and pollution prevention and control provides guidance on interpreting and implementing ESR 3.

The Environmental and Social Requirement 4 guidance note on health, safety and security provides guidance on interpreting and implementing ESR 4.

Briefing notes BN01-BN05: these notes outline good international practice in occupational health and safety when managing work  on temporary construction projects.

The Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated the speed of disease transmission and the effects. It is crucial to prevent exposure to all diseases for project workers and project-affected communities. A risk assessment should be conducted to identify potential diseases, exposure routes and vulnerable groups, as the severity of exposure may vary based on age, gender and immunity. Control measures should also be developed in collaboration with local health authorities and key stakeholders to reduce exposure.

The documents below have been designed to provide advice on interpreting and implementing the EBRD's Environmental and Social Requirement 5 on land acquisition, restrictions on land use and involuntary resettlement.

The Environmental and Social Requirement 7 guidance note on Indigenous Peoples provides guidance on interpreting and implementing ESR 7.

The Environmental and Social Requirement 8 guidance note on cultural heritage provides guidance on interpreting and implementing ESR 8.

The Environmental and Social Requirement 9 guidance note on financial intermediaries provides guidance on interpreting and implementing ESR 9. 

The Environmental and Social Requirement 10 guidance note on stakeholder engagement provides guidance on interpreting and implementing ESR 10.

Good practice document on stakeholder engagement: this document has been developed by the Multilateral Financing Institutions’ Working Group on E&S Standards primarily for practitioners tasked with organising consultations and stakeholder engagement. While not specific to ESR 10, the document summarises key objectives, principles and elements of stakeholder engagement.

The Public Consultation Report (PCR) template has been created by the EBRD to help guide the creation of PCRs.

The EBRD is committed to promoting European Union environmental requirements. We are also signatories of the European Principles for the Environment. Together with the Council of Europe Development Bank, the European Investment Bank, the Nordic Environment Finance Corporation and the Nordic Investment Bank we have developed the Sourcebook on EU Environmental Law in order to help our clients implement EU environmental requirements at the project level.