ESG
IFC Performance Standards
Environmental and social sustainability requirements for project finance
About this course
Why this course exists
A practical guide to the eight IFC Performance Standards - the global benchmark for managing environmental and social risks in private sector investment projects.
What you will learn
After this course you will be able to
- Apply IFC Performance Standards 1 through 8 to a project finance transaction
- Run an environmental and social impact assessment that meets lender expectations
- Build a stakeholder engagement and grievance mechanism aligned with PS1
- Manage land acquisition and resettlement under PS5 without triggering legal risk
Course content
9 modules · 12 lessons
Walk through the modules in order or jump to a specific lesson. Each lesson is a real chapter you can open and start reading immediately.
Module 1·2 lessons
The Framework
What the Performance Standards are and why they matter
Module 2·2 lessons
PS 1: Assessment & Management System
The overarching standard that governs the entire ESMS
Module 3·1 lessons
PS 2: Labor and Working Conditions
Protecting workers across the project lifecycle
Module 4·1 lessons
PS 3: Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention
Managing environmental footprint
Module 5·1 lessons
PS 4: Community Health, Safety, and Security
Protecting communities affected by projects
Module 6·1 lessons
PS 5: Land Acquisition and Involuntary Resettlement
When projects displace people
Module 7·1 lessons
PS 6: Biodiversity and Living Natural Resources
Protecting ecosystems and managing natural resources
Module 8·2 lessons
PS 7 & 8: Indigenous Peoples and Cultural Heritage
Respecting rights, culture, and heritage
Module 9·1 lessons
Putting It All Together
How the standards work in practice