Our engagement with the civil society community stems around three themes:
Disclosure of information about EBRD projects, policies and strategies is conducted in line with the requirements of the 2019 Access to Information Policy. Project information such as Project Summary Documents (PSDs) and Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) for category A projects is available online and via EBRD email alerts.
We advise our audiences about open consultation periods and welcome feedback on all upcoming institutional strategies and policies during their development. If you would like to receive consultation updates, kindly subscribe to our distribution list by emailing CSO@ebrd.com. We also publish this information on the Have your say on our work page.
The Civil Society Programme as part of the EBRD’s Annual Meeting and Business Forum provides a platform of outreach to CSOs in the EBRD’s regions of operations. We provide free passes for CSOs and offer a comprehensive programme of events to address the needs of civil society in any given year. We also organise ad-hoc meetings based on feedback received during consultations, particularly where we see trends emerging in a particular region.
Additionally we continue to respond to public enquiries and complaints via email, preparing and coordinating responses to information requests in accordance with the Access to Information policy.
Our dialogue with CSOs relates to the Bank’s Article 1 issues involving democracy, human rights and enabling environment for CSOs in the EBRD’s countries of operations. We also discuss issues relating to transparency, and good governance, economic inclusion and sustainable energy and resources both related to the Bank itself and our clients. The EBRD is a project-oriented bank and the majority of our activities consist of investment projects – in the form of debt or equity to private sector clients. We ensure that CSOs are able to engage in discussions on projects with banking teams, environmental and social experts, compliance and evaluation specialists. If you represent an affected party or are interested in a particular investment project, please contact us via the information request form.
CSOs – alongside members of local affected communities – also have an opportunity to raise their complaints or grievances about EBRD-financed projects, independently from banking operations, via the Independent Project Accountability Mechanism.
Regarding high-level dialogue, CSOs hold meetings with the EBRD’s President and members of senior management both at our London HQ and locally in the countries where we work. In addition to investment projects, CSOs are increasingly interested in broader policy issues relating to the EBRD’s operations, including our policy dialogue activities with governments.
The EBRD’s Board of Directors frequently undertake Board Consultation Visits (BCVs) to our countries of operations, meeting with major national and international CSOs active in the country visited.
Alongside this, we also host consultation meetings with CSOs during the development of upcoming EBRD strategies and policies. If you would like to be involved, kindly email CSO@ebrd.com.
We proactively cooperate, transfer knowledge and build capacity of local community groups and CSOs.
Since its inception in 2013, the Civil Society Capacity Enhancement Framework has allowed the EBRD to engage with stakeholders more proactively and constructively, providing support in the EBRD countries of operations when there is a link with specific EBRD financed projects and policy dialogue initiatives. The Framework, managed by the Civil Society Engagement Unit, utilises the EBRD’s technical cooperation (TC) funds in order to provide training, mentoring and small grants to support grass root and community-based groups, professional and business associations, NGOs, academic and training institutions, think tanks, social enterprises and other civil society actors.
The public is invited to comment on proposed EBRD policies and strategies during their development.
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