The World Bank is holding a consultation meeting on its proposed Environmental and Social Framework in London on 20 January 2015. This meeting is part of the ongoing comprehensive review and update of the World Bank’s Environmental and Social Safeguard Policies.

The objective of this meeting is to gather input and views to inform the revision of the draft Environmental and Social Framework. The framework, along with additional information on the Review and Update process, the consultation plan, and background resources, are available on a dedicated consultation website.

If you are interested in attending, please contact Ian White on iwhite@worlbankgroup.org. Please note that space is limited.

People and the environment are at the center of the World Bank’s work. Through the revision of our environmental and social safeguard policies, the World Bank is ramping up its standards to ensure the delivery of an environmental and social framework which is more efficient and comprehensive; includes a strengthened approach to the management of environmental and social risks that will support sustainable development through standards that are clear to those impacted by the projects we finance, those who implement, and those holding us to account.

In late 2012 the World Bank launched a multi-phased process to review and update these policies. The multi-stage review, supported by several periods of global consultations with stakeholders, is being undertaken in response to the need to better address environmental and social issues that countries face today, to deliver better environmental and social outcomes in the projects and programs the Bank supports, to ensure treatment and coverage of environmental and social impacts and risks, to strengthen the ability to monitoring and supervising actual impacts on people and the environment, and to better meet the varied needs of borrowers, and help strengthen country frameworks and institutions to deliver sustainable results on the ground.