DFF - Meros Pharm

Overview
Project Summary Document
Environmental and Social Documentation
Procurement
Complaints

Overview

The provision of a US$ 23 million senior secured loan to LLC Meros Pharm, one of the largest private wholesale pharmaceuticals distribution companies in Uzbekistan

Project ID 53947

Status Repaying

Location

Uzbekistan

Business Sector

Manufacturing and Services

Notice Type

Private

Project timeline

Exploratory
Passed Concept Review
Passed Structure Review
Passed Final Review
Board Approved
Signed
Implementing
Completed

Company Contact Information

Suhrob Pulotov
suxrob.pulotov@merospharm.uz
+998 97 915 40 25
www.merospharm.uz
1/5 Beruniy street Samarkand, 140100 Republic of Uzbekistan

Project ID 53947

Status Repaying

Location

Uzbekistan

Business Sector

Manufacturing and Services

Notice Type

Private

Environmental Category

Approval Date

09 May 2023

Disclosure date

10 May 2023

As per section 1.4.2 (iii) of the Directive on Access to Information: "For Projects approved by Bank management where the Board of Directors has delegated the approval authority, the PSD shall be disclosed at the start of the relevant no-objection notification period to a member country of the Bank in accordance with Article 13 (iii) of the Agreement Establishing the EBRD."

Project description

The provision of a US$ 23 million senior secured loan to LLC Meros Pharm, one of the largest private wholesale pharmaceuticals distribution companies in Uzbekistan

Project objectives

The project supports the Meros Pharm's growing working capital needs associated with its organic growth and expansion to the regions to provide a wider portfolio of branded high quality and affordable medication.

Transition impact

ETI Score:69

sive: project will help the company establish a training academy to improve skills-related needs of its core operational personnel.
- Competitive: the company will introduce Good Distribution Practice (GDP) standards for the new warehouses, which will ensure that the quality and integrity of medicines is maintained throughout the supply chain.

Client information

MEROS PHARM LLC

LLC Meros Pharm is one of the largest private wholesale pharmaceuticals distribution companies in Uzbekistan. It is the main operating and revenue generating company within the Meros Group, a leading vertically integrated pharma group in Uzbekistan covering the entire value chain from production to wholesale distribution and retail.

EBRD Finance Summary

USD 23,000,000.00

Total project cost

USD 23,000,000.00

Additionality

The EBRD offers financing not available from commercial banks and helps achieve higher standards including financial reporting and equal opportunities for employees.

Environmental & Social Summary

The Project has been categorised B in line with 2019 ESP. Environmental and social risks related to operation of the pharmaceutical distribution company and warehouse facilities are site specific and can be managed by appropriate mitigation measures. The Environmental and Social Due Diligence (ESDD) was carried out by Environment and Social Department through review of E&S questionnaire and information gathered by the Pharmaceuticals Sector Specialist during site visits and meetings with Company management in July and December 2022.

The Company implemented ISO 9001 quality management systems and has been certified to GDP for Pharmaceutical Products by the Agency on Development of Pharmaceutical Industry of Uzbekistan since 2022, with all its 5 operational warehouses compliant. This is considered as exemplary within pharma sector of Uzbekistan.

While Company's management, with their international experience, have been focused on implementation of quality standards, they understand that E&S considerations need improvement and systematic approach.

The Company has not established formal Environmental policy, however it addresses its key environmental risks related to waste management and expired drugs utilisation in line with national legislation and GDP. Improvements in regards to reuse and recycling of packaging waste has been addressed under Environmental and Social Action Plan (ESAP).

The Company will need to strengthen its H&S management systems through appointment of suitably qualified H&S manager and implementation of systematic approach to managing H&R risk in line with ISO 45001. This effort should be supported by an external H&S consultants, support the Company in occupational H&S training, risks assessments and occupational monitoring. The Company should develop a corporate H&S Handbook outlining company standards and good practices. This will also address the risks related to management of Company's more than 100 car fleet. All of the above H&S improvements are covenanted in the ESAP to be agreed with the Company before signing.

The Client employs ca. 1,000 employees (21 per cent female). The ESDD identified improvements required to the HR policies and procedures, including those covering retrenchment, workers organisations and grievance mechanism. As the Project is supported by TC committed to staff training and development, it will be explored if the same consultant may support the Company in addressing the above risks in line with PR2 and ESAP actions.

As the Company is in the rapid growth phase it also needs to improve its Contractor Management practices with development of standard E&S requirements, monitoring and capacity raising of in-house engineers in regards to Contractors EHS performance.

ESAP has been developed and will be agreed with the Company prior to the signing. The Bank will monitor the Project and the ESAP implementation through review of Annual E&S Reports and site visits as required.

Technical Cooperation and Grant Financing

€ 20,000 supported by the Japanese-EBRD Cooperation Fund to cover 50 per cent of associated legal due diligence costs;

€ 66,096 from the Shareholder Special Fund to improve the Company's financial reporting practices and prepare first-time audit;

up to € 100,000 to establish a training academy, supported by the Action for Equality and Gender Fund or by the Shareholder Special Fund.

Company Contact Information

Suhrob Pulotov
suxrob.pulotov@merospharm.uz
+998 97 915 40 25
www.merospharm.uz
1/5 Beruniy street Samarkand, 140100 Republic of Uzbekistan

PSD last updated

10 May 2023

Understanding transition

Further information regarding the EBRD’s approach to measuring transition impact is available here.

Business opportunities

For business opportunities or procurement, contact the client company.

For business opportunities with the EBRD (not related to procurement) contact:

Tel: +44 20 7338 7168
Email: projectenquiries@ebrd.com

For state-sector projects, visit EBRD Procurement:

Tel: +44 20 7338 6794
Email: procurement@ebrd.com

General enquiries

Specific enquiries can be made using the EBRD Enquiries form.

Environmental and Social Policy (ESP)

The ESP and its associated Environmental and Social Requirements (ESRs) set out the ways in which the EBRD implements its commitment to promoting “environmentally sound and sustainable development”. The ESP and the ESRs include specific provisions for clients to comply with the applicable requirements of national laws on public information and consultation, and to establish a grievance mechanism to receive and facilitate resolution of stakeholders’ concerns and grievances, in particular, about the environmental and social (E&S) performance of the client and the project. Proportionate to the nature and scale of a project’s environmental and social risks and impacts, the EBRD also requires its clients to disclose information, as appropriate, about the risks and impacts of projects or to undertake meaningful consultation with stakeholders and consider and respond to their feedback.

More information on the EBRD’s practices in this regard is set out in the ESP.

Integrity and compliance

The EBRD's Office of the Chief Compliance Officer (OCCO) promotes good governance and ensures that the highest standards of integrity are applied to all of the Bank's activities in accordance with international best practice. Integrity due diligence is conducted on all Bank clients to ensure that projects do not present unacceptable integrity or reputational risks to the Bank. The EBRD believes that identifying and resolving issues in the project assessment and approval stages is the most effective means of ensuring the integrity of Bank transactions. OCCO plays a key role in these protective efforts andhelps to monitor integrity risks in projects post-investment.

OCCO is further responsible for investigating allegations of fraud, corruption and misconduct in EBRD-financed projects. Anyone, either within or outside the Bank, who suspects fraud or corruption should submit a written report to the Chief Compliance Officer by email to compliance@ebrd.com. OCCO will follow-up all matters reported. It will review all matters reported. Reports can be made in any language of the Bank or of the Bank's countries of operation. The information provided must be made in good faith.

Access to Information Policy (AIP)

The AIP, which entered into force on 1 January 2025, sets out how the EBRD discloses information and consults with its stakeholders to promote better awareness and understanding of its strategies, policies and operations. Please visit the Access to Information Policy page to find out what information is available from the EBRD website.

Specific requests for information can be made using the EBRD enquiries form.

Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM)

If efforts to address environmental, social or public disclosure concerns with the Client or the Bank are unsuccessful (for example, through the client’s project-level grievance mechanism or through direct engagement with Bank management), individuals and organisations may seek to address their concerns through the EBRD’s Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM).

IPAM independently reviews project issues that are believed to have caused (or to be likely to cause) harm. The purpose of the mechanism is: to support dialogue between project stakeholders to resolve environmental, social and public disclosure issues; to determine whether the Bank has complied with its Environmental and Social Policy or the project-specific provisions of its Access to Information Policy; and where applicable, to address any existing non-compliance with these policies, while preventing future non-compliance by the Bank.

Please visit the Independent Project Accountability Mechanism webpage to find out more about IPAM and its mandate and how to submit a Request for review. Alternatively, contact IPAM by email at ipam@ebrd.com for guidance and more information on IPAM and how to submit a request.

Environmental and Social Documentation is not available for this project.

Selected procurement notices related to this project may be shown below. Further procurement opportunities related to this and other projects, if available, maybe be viewed in the EBRD Procurement Portal.

The EBRD's Environmental and Social Policy (ESP), Access to Information policy (AIP) and Project Accountability Policy (PAP) enable sound and sustainable development in its projects. The Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM) deals with complaints about environmental, social and disclosure matters related to the Bank’s investments.

No complaints about this project have been made so far.

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DFF - Meros Pharm

Overview

Project timeline

Company Contact Information

Project description

Project objectives

Transition impact

Client information

EBRD Finance Summary

Total project cost

Additionality

Environmental & Social Summary

Technical Cooperation and Grant Financing

Company Contact Information

PSD last updated

Understanding transition

Business opportunities

General enquiries

Environmental and Social Policy (ESP)

Integrity and compliance

Access to Information Policy (AIP)

Independent Project Accountability Mechanism (IPAM)