Our Policies

Site Selection

Involuntary resettlement

Sites (including those for related1 and associated2 facilities) will be selected to avoid involuntary resettlement, where individuals or communities do not have the right to refuse land acquisition and which results in involuntary displacement that is physical and/or economic.
Displaced persons may be classified as persons i) who have formal legal rights to the land they occupy; ii) who do not have formal legal rights to land, but have a claim to land that is recognized or recognizable under the national laws3 ; or iii) who have no recognizable legal right or claim to the land they occupy4.
Where involuntary resettlement is unavoidable, appropriate measures to mitigate adverse impacts on displaced persons and host communities will be undertaken through a resettlement planning process with reference to IFC’s Performance Standard on Land Acquisition and Involuntary Resettlement 5.
The adverse social and economic impacts from land acquisition or restriction on affected persons’ use of land will be mitigated by i) providing appropriate compensation for loss of assets; ii) ensuring that resettlement activities are implemented with appropriate disclosure of information, consultation and the informed participation of those affected; iii) improving or at least restoring the livelihoods and standards of living of displaced persons; and iv) improving living conditions among displaced persons through provision of adequate shelter with security of tenure (protection from future forced eviction) at resettlement sites.
Wherever possible, land rights will be acquired through negotiated agreements, even when there are legal means to gain access to the land without the occupant’s consent, to avoid expropriation and the need to use government authority to remove people forcibly.
Where land acquisition and resettlement are the responsibility of the host government, we will collaborate with the responsible government agency, to the extent permitted by the agency, to achieve outcomes that are consistent with the objectives of the IFC’s Performance Standard on Land Acquisition & Involuntary Resettlement.
Where government capacity is limited we will play an active role in resettlement planning, implementation and monitoring.
Involuntary resettlement planning is not required where resettlement arises from voluntary land transactions.

Agricultural Land

Sites of prime agricultural value will be avoided, unless in areas with an abundance of prime agricultural land.

Biodiversity Conservation

As both natural and modified habitats can support important biodiversity, site selection (including areas for related & associated facilities) will recognize the need for the development activity to i) avoid or minimize conversion or degradation of any habitat of important biodiversity value and ii) identify opportunities to enhance and protect the biodiversity of sites.
Sites where the development (including areas for related & associated facilities) will impact on areas of critical habitat6 will not be developed unless the development can meet the following requirements:
- There will be no measurable adverse impacts on the ability of the critical habitat to support the established population of species for which it is critical (refer to footnote defining critical habitat);
- There is no reduction in the population of any recognised critically endangered or endangered species;
- Any lesser impacts are mitigated to achieve no net loss of biodiversity where feasible through actions such as: post-operation restoration of habitats, offset of losses through the creation of ecologically comparable areas that is managed for biodiversity; compensation to direct users of biodiversity.
Sites in legally protected areas will be avoided and where not possible will be developed in accordance with IFC’s Performance Standard on Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Natural Resource Management.

Cultural Heritage

Site selection and site design will not remove any cultural heritage7 unless there are no technically or financially feasible alternatives to removal; the overall benefits of the project outweigh the anticipated cultural heritage loss from removal; any removal of cultural heritage is conducted by the best available technique.
Site selection and site design will not result in the alteration, damage or removal of any critical8 cultural heritage.

Flood Risk

Sites with a high probability of flooding from rivers and sea will be avoided.

Other sources of potential flood risk to the site will be identified and assessed e.g. sewerage infrastructure, surrounding stormwater drainage infrastructure

Brownfield Sites, Land Contamination and Site Remediation

Potential brownfield sites may be included in the site selection process particularly in locations where there is growing pressure on undeveloped land and the site can be made safe through affordable and appropriate remediation measures.

Preferred Sites, Infill, Connectivity

Where the capacity of service infrastructure is not a constraint, the order of preference will be:
- An infill site that is also a previously developed site
- An infill site that is not a previously developed site
- An adjacent site that is also a previously developed site
- A previously developed site that is not an adjacent or infill site
- An adjacent site that is not a previously developed site
Sites should be in accordance with all local, regional or national master planning guidelines as established by the appropriate authorities.
Preference for sites located either within walking distance of established transportation routes or in areas that transport operators would establish a service to
Preference for sites located within walking distance of existing or planned schools, health centres and other community services (e.g. stores (food, hardware, pharmacy), civic centre, police station, fire station, outdoor recreational facility, post office, place of worship) and that access does not involve crossing main roads unless appropriate crossing points provided for.

1 Facilities not located on the primary site but are developed by the project for the project such as power transmission corridors, pipelines, relocation and access roads, borrow and disposals areas, quarries for construction materials, construction camps.

2 Facilities not directly funded by the project but provided separately and whose viability and existence depend exclusively on the project and whose goods or services are essential for the successful operation of the project.

3 Such claims could be derived from adverse possession or from customary or traditional law.

4 Such as opportunistic squatters and recently arrived economic migrants who occupy land prior to the cut-off date.

5 Also refer to Handbook for Preparing a Resettlement Action Plan (IFC, 2001) and Involuntary Resettlement Sourcebook (World Bank, 2004)

6 Includes areas with high biodiversity value (refer to criteria set by the World Conservation Union IUCN) including habitat required for the survival of critically endangered or endangered species; areas having special significance for endemic or restricted-range species; sites that are critical for the survival of migratory species; areas supporting globally significant concentrations or number of individuals of congregatory species; unique assemblages of species which are associated with key evolutionary processes or provide key ecosystem services; and areas having biodiversity of significant social, economic or cultural importance to local communities.

7 Includes sites with archaeological, paleontological, historical, cultural, artistic and religious values as well as unique natural environmental features than embody cultural values such as sacred groves.

8 Internationally recognised heritage of communities who use or have used within living memory the cultural heritage for long-standing cultural purposes; and legally protected cultural heritage areas, including those proposed by host governments for such designation.