Accédez à la page de syndication de nos liens RSS

Social and Environmental Responsibility (SER) Policy

In line with the mission entrusted to it by its Supervisory Ministries, and in compliance with France’s international commitments, particularly those defined by the National Strategy for Sustainable Development and the strategies of the inter-ministerial committee for international co-operation and development (CICID), the government has requested Agence Française de Développement, through the adoption of its Strategic Orientation Plan 2007-2011, to set promoting equitable and sustainable development as an objective for its actions.

AFD’s commitment to act in favour of sustainable and equitable development is the cornerstone of its Social and Environmental Responsibility (SER) policy.

It applies to Agence Française de Développement and its subsidiary PROPARCO and reinforces and complements the values and principles of the Group’s charters of professional ethics and Group charter.

SER in internal management

Sustainable development is one of the group’s most important internal management priorities.  Social dialog, a mobility and assistance policy for staff members, training programmes, internal precedents, a charter of professional ethics are developed in the light of priorities of social and environmental responsibility. 

In terms of environmental protection, AFD has chosen “clean energy” for the management of its infrastructure, from its Head Quarters to the agencies in its network.  AFD thus hopes to contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. 

 

Operations in the light of sustainable development

Over the years, sustainable development has become a key component of AFD’s operations.  The priorities of environmental protection and social responsibility are now systematically taken into account during the design and implementation of projects. 

The private sector receives special attention.  It is the motor behind growth and contributes directly to achieving goals in the fight against poverty. But it can also have a negative impact on the environment and social cohesion. 

Thus, with regards to the private sector, AFD seeks chiefly to:

  • Bear in mind local environmental considerations by co-financing the environmental components of investments in infrastructure or industrial projects. 
  • Fight global warming by supporting projects that are energy efficient and that produce a minimal amount of waste.
  • Protect biodiversity by promoting the reasonable use of tropical forests.  
  • Improve the respect of social rights in the projects that it supports financially.
  • Improve training and education by improving public-private partnerships and getting corporations involved in training.  
  • Improving the health of workers in businesses by supporting private hospital projects and getting businesses involved in the fight against AIDS.  
  • Improving corporate governance by contributing to:  
    - Global corporate governance forum, implemented by the World Bank and the OECD to improve the institutional framework and good governance practices within businesses.
    - The Global Compact, a global agreement set up by the United Nations for the respect of basic rights and the environment.

 

Fight against financial crime

AFD is involved fighting against financial crime and corruption by strengthening the eligibility criteria for loans, by disseminating good practices and anti-laundering practices in the banking sector. 

The banks, as intermediaries with their SME clients can transmit the environmental and social responsibility policy. For businesses interested in export, the Social and Environmental Responsibility label could guarantee the respect of European standards and be a good vector for communication.