Civil society strategy discussions to prepare for the review.
IFC Sustainability Framework review
For the first time in over a decade, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) is updating its globally influential safeguards. Recourse and allies are working together to demand that this important process results in stronger protections for people and the planet.
The IFC’s Sustainability Framework (SF) includes the Performance Standards: social and environmental protections which apply to almost all of the institution’s lending. Their purpose is to mitigate the risks faced by communities and the environment from IFC-backed projects, covering issues such as pollution, labour, land rights, biodiversity and impacts on Indigenous peoples. The Framework also includes the IFC’s Access to Information Policy, which deals with transparency and how information should be disclosed to the public.
These standards have a huge impact on investments and financial flows worldwide. Not only do they shape the projects funded via IFC commitments ($72 billion in 2025), they also influence investments made by 130 commercial banks which align with the Performance Standards via the Equator Principles, and the projects supported by export credit agencies and other development finance institutions.
Historically, however, the IFC has repeatedly failed to ensure that these standards are applied. Affected communities and civil society organisations have documented dozens of cases where IFC investments have caused severe social and environmental harms.
This review is a crucial opportunity to make global finance more responsible, ensure better implementation of IFC standards, and improve protections for project-affected communities.
Have your say in the IFC Sustainability Framework review
Nearly 200 civil society organisations (CSOs) around the world are working together to campaign for stronger IFC safeguards.
This informal network is open to any organisation working to increase protections for communities and the environment.
The network is structured in working groups on different elements of the Sustainability Framework. Each working group engages the IFC directly to advocate for specific policy changes, through written submissions and in-person or virtual meetings.
Click the boxes below to find out more about each working group and Performance Standard (PS).
Human rights, remedy and stakeholder engagement
This group combines CSOs working across several important accountability and rights issues. CSOs met with IFC to discuss Stakeholder Engagement in October 2025. CSOs in this group are also examining how to ensure the IFC’s Remedial Action Framework is mainstreamed throughout its safeguards.
CSOs have shared some preliminary recommendations for IFC on these issues in writing.
Labour
The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) is convening labour unions and CSOs to engage IFC on the need to better protect labour rights across the Sustainability Framework. The IFC held a dedicated dialogue on Labour with this group in October 2025. ITUC has submitted written recommendations to IFC on how to ensure stronger labour protections and better implementation of these rights by IFC.
Climate, resources and pollution
While IFC’s current PS1 and PS3 contain some climate and greenhouse gas emissions-related requirements, IFC does not have a standalone climate safeguard like the Asian Development Bank, nor do its existing requirements reflect international best practice or IFC shareholders’ climate obligations under international treaties. This group convenes to strengthen the climate-related requirements across the Sustainability Framework as well as improving resource efficiency and pollution prevention measures in PS3. It submitted the following recommendations to the IFC in early 2026.
Community health, safety and security
This group combines CSOs working on PS4 (Community Health, Safety, and Security) with others looking at the broader impacts of IFC investments on public services, such as healthcare and education systems.
Land
This group co-ordinates around proposals to strengthen PS5 on Land and reduce the impacts of forced resettlement on affected communities. Numerous CSOs have signed on to Inclusive Development International’s proposals for an alternative approach to forced displacement. This group joined a technical discussion with the IFC on PS5 in October 2025.
Biodiversity
Several CSOs are co-ordinating around how to strengthen PS6 on Biodiversity. This group submitted written recommendations in December 2025 and met with the IFC in February 2026. As well as covering forests, rivers, and Indigenous rights, it also covers agribusiness and livestock.
Access to Information
The IFC’s Access to Information Policy (AIP) governs how and when project information and documents are disclosed publicly by IFC. A strong AIP means a more transparent and accountable IFC. This group closely engages IFC around improvements to the AIP, and has already held a dialogue session and panel at the World Bank Group Annual Meetings 2025 and submitted initial recommendations in writing to IFC.
Financial intermediaries and indirect finance
IFC’s Approach Paper for the review talks about potentially differentiated approaches to the application of safeguards to indirect forms of IFC and MIGA financing, such as financial intermediary lending, guarantees, capital markets projects and trade finance. This group has convened to call on IFC/MIGA to ensure the highest standards of social and environmental protections are applied to subprojects supported through these instruments and for IFC/MIGA to strengthen their capacity to ensure safeguards are applied. Specifically, Recourse is calling for the introduction of a new, standalone safeguard on financial intermediary lending and indirect finance.
Gender
In a dedicated meeting in October 2025, CSOs requested that IFC ensure that gender-sensitive policies and requirements are mainstreamed throughout the Sustainability Framework.
Agriculture and food
Convened by the Stop Financing Factory Farming coalition, this group is engaging IFC to reduce the environmental and social impacts of industrial agriculture and improve animal rights. CSOs have highlighted cases of IFC-financed agriculture projects where stronger standards, and better implementation of existing standards, could have reduced impacts such as biodiversity loss, pollution, or poor water and energy efficiency.
Disability rights
This group engages IFC to ensure that the SF review process is accessible and inclusive of persons with disabilities, and to advocate for disability-inclusive provisions to be mainstreamed throughout the Sustainability Framework. A virtual discussion with IFC was held on this topic in February 2026.
Indigenous rights
Indigenous Peoples’ organisations have requested that IFC consult them through a dedicated mechanism, to which IFC has now committed. CSOs are also engaging IFC on how to strengthen PS7 on Indigenous Peoples.
Read our recommendations and related materials
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