Environmental and Social Policy Revision

Letter From the President

After a productive public comment session, I am pleased to release OPIC’s revised and strengthened Consolidated Environment and Social Policy Statement/Labor and Human Rights Policy Statement.

For decades, OPIC has been a leader among bilateral international investment institutions in developing and applying environmental and social policies that advance long-term, sustainable economic development. With the issuance of this revised Statement which combines an evolving set of international best practices with our policy review criteria, OPIC is proud to remain at the forefront of these critical issues.

By adopting the International Finance Corporation’s Performance Standards on Social and Environmental Sustainability, we are aligning OPIC with leading development financial institutions, offering greater certainty to investors while ensuring the highest standards in responsible investment policy. At the same time, the Statement reinforces OPIC’s commitment to global challenges including climate change and is consistent with our attentiveness to the economic impacts of OPIC investments, at home and overseas.

We are particularly grateful for the many thoughtful comments we received from various OPIC stakeholders and pleased that most were incorporated into the Statement’s final language. The end result is a document which provides a consistent and transparent framework that defines OPIC’s own roles and responsibilities, clearly articulates the responsibilities of private sector investors with whom we do business, and promotes best practices in addressing stakeholder concerns.

I thank you for your interest in OPIC and welcome your continued input on how we can work together to further our common aim of bringing sustainable prosperity to developing countries around the world.

Best,

Elizabeth Littlefield

FINAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL POLICY STATEMENT (OCTOBER 15, 2010)

Click here  to read the final Environmental and Social Policy Statement (October 15, 2010), which includes OPIC’s labor and human rights policies. 

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL POLICY STATEMENT (ESPS) (AUGUST 26, 2010)

Click here   to read the Environmental and Social Policy Statement (August 26, 2010).  This version of the ESPS does not include the Labor and Human Rights Policy Statement.

DRAFT ESPS

Click here   to read the Draft Environmental and Social Policy Statement

DRAFT LABOR AND HUMAN RIGHTS POLICY STATEMENT (LHRPS) 

Click here  to read the Draft Labor and Human Rights Policy Statement

COMMENTS RECEIVED IN RESPONSE TO DRAFT ESPS 

• Accountability Counsel 
• American University 

• Amnesty International 
• Center for International Environmental Law 
• Contour Global 
• David Gordon 
• Food for Ferals   - text 
• Friends of the Earth 
• International Accountability Project 
• Pacific Environment 
• Sierra Club 
• World Resources Institute 1 
• World Resources Institute 2 
• World Resources Institute 3 

OPIC RESPONSE TO COMMENTS ON DRAFT ESPS

Click here   to read the OPIC Response to Comments Received.

 COMMENTS RECEIVED IN RESPONSE TO DRAFT LHRPS

• Accountability Counsel 
• AFL-CIO 
• Amnesty International 
• Calvert Investments 
• Specialized Technology Resources, Inc. 

 OPIC RESPONSE TO COMMENTS ON DRAFT LHRPS

 Click here  to read the OPIC Response to Comments Received.