What we did
The project
The International Finance Corporation (IFC) launched an ambitious training initiative to elevate the application of its Performance Standards on Environmental and Social sustainability on funded projects. The goal was to improve the efficacy of these standards by developing a comprehensive training program to educate IFC’s clients, partners, and the broader financial community.
This program is a testament to IFC’s commitment to not only set standards but to ensure they are understood and implemented effectively worldwide.
Standardizing sustainability excellence
IFC’s Performance Standards are designed to help clients manage environmental and social risks and improve developmental impacts. Recognizing the need for standardized practices across various regions and sectors, we helped IFC to assess the current state of its training resources and map out the diverse needs of external constituents including commercial banks, development finance institutions, and external consultants involved in IFC-financed projects.
Creating a comprehensive learning framework
We performed an assessment of IFC’s existing learning materials in order to identify gaps, find connected resources, and develop potential learning pathways. This involved a detailed stock-taking exercise to evaluate all available resources and align them with the training needs of various stakeholders.
Our analysis led to the creation of a multi-tiered learning environment catering to varying levels of expertise and functional roles within the financial community. Each module was designed to progressively build knowledge and skills related to the eight Performance Standards.
Leveraging existing resources with new ideas
The development of the training program involved a blend of strategic foresight and creative execution, including cataloging over 2,200 existing resources and mapping them against specific learning outcomes. The program was built to engage learners at multiple levels, using self-paced e-learning modules enriched with interactive content, practical scenarios, and assessments.
Each phase of the learning journey was designed to build on the last, ensuring understanding of the Performance Standards and their critical role in sustainable development.
Future growth planning and expansion
Our current and future state assessments created a roadmap for IFC to improve the global application of IFC’s Performance Standards. It has empowered a wide array of stakeholders to better understand and implement sustainable practices effectively, leading to better environmental and social risk management.
The program has not only standardized the application of these standards across different projects and regions but has also fostered a deeper commitment to sustainable development within the global financial community.
Looking ahead, IFC plans to expand the training initiative by incorporating advanced technologies and learning methodologies to enhance user engagement and knowledge retention. The future phases of the program will focus on updating the course content to reflect the latest environmental and social governance practices and exploring partnerships with academic institutions to further disseminate the knowledge.
