About Us
Photo by Dominic Chavez, IFC
About CommDev
CommDev is the International Finance Corporation’s (IFC) curated repository for information around benefit sharing in the infrastructure and natural resources sectors. Managed by IFC’s Sustainable Infrastructure (SI) Advisory, it hosts content around SI Advisory’s areas of work, including our programs and projects. It also serves as the online hub for information around the IFC Sustainability Exchange.
CommDev draws from the diverse experience of IFC, clients, on-the-ground practitioners, partner institutions and industry alliances to present a range of thought leadership, including multimedia content, blogs and reports. These exemplify best practices and offer guidelines for private, public and civil society actors.
We welcome the opportunity to connect with other practitioners working towards sustainable development in infrastructure and natural resources and related industries. To submit content to CommDev, for questions or suggestions, please contact us.
We would like to thank the Governments of Canada, Hungary, Japan, and Norway for contributing to the development of this website and its content.
About IFC’s Sustainable Infrastructure Advisory
IFC’s Sustainable Infrastructure (SI) Advisory engages with infrastructure companies (mostly IFC investment clients) and at the sector level to increase benefits to local communities and address sustainability challenges in those projects and countries that are priority for IFC. We offer a range of solutions aimed at mitigating IFC client social and environmental risks and at ensuring that development benefits are shared locally, specifically with women and youth.
Our primary focus is on the infrastructure and natural resources sectors with an increasing focus on renewable energy and transport. We draw on a global team of experts who advise clients on a range of topics, including developing local suppliers, guiding strategic community investment, or establishing partnerships. We operate in a variety of contexts, and on a wide range of projects – from mining and water in Mongolia, to revenue management in Bolivia, to stakeholder engagement in Ghana.
We aim to raise the bar on how business sustainability and community development are implemented while establishing a foundation for long-term socioeconomic empowerment that enables communities and companies to profit and share value.
Good practice in this area continues to evolve. Companies are moving away from philanthropic donations and practices created for a particular purpose to more sophisticated and strategic ways of planning and delivering benefits across broader geographic areas. There is greater emphasis on the business case and on creating shared value by aligning business goals and competencies with the development priorities of local stakeholders. Other trends include a focus on building social capital and local ownership through multi-stakeholder processes, factoring sustainability and handover/continuity strategies into project design and measuring and communicating results to optimize both business and societal value.
SI Advisory’s benefit-sharing services focus on the following areas:
- Cities & Urban Communities
- Climate & Resilience
- Fragility & Social Cohesion
- Gender & Empowerment
- Government Capacity Building
- Local Economic Development
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Strategic Community Investment
- Transparency, Data & Voice
- Water Stewardship
- Youth & Inclusion
Click here for information on IFC’s Environmental and Social Performance Standards defining IFC clients’ responsibilities for managing environmental and social risks.
Read More on Our Work
Donors
Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs works for Norway’s interests internationally: to safeguard the country’s freedom, security and prosperity. Norway’s interests are determined by such factors as its geographical location in a strategically important area, its open economy, its position as a coastal state and steward of substantial marine resources, and its extensive exports of oil and gas.
Global Affairs Canada
Global Affairs Canada manages Canada’s diplomatic relations, provides consular services to Canadians, promotes the country’s international trade, and leads Canada’s international development and humanitarian assistance.
Government of Hungary
The Hungarian Export-Import Bank Plc. (Hungarian EXIM Bank) is wholly owned by the State of Hungary. The mission of Eximbank is to support Hungarian exporting enterprises in facilitating the retention of jobs, growth in employment and an expansion of Hungary’s export capacities. Eximbank performs the tasks of Hungary’s export credit agency, which are regulated by the legislative frameworks of the OECD and the EU, with the basic objective of facilitating the sale of Hungarian goods and services in foreign markets.
Ministry of Finance, Japan
The Japanese Ministry of Finance (MOF) was established as a government body in charge of public finance and monetary affairs. MoF is the key ministry responsible for MDBs including WBG. Japan is 2nd largest shareholder for both IFC & World Bank with MOF in charge of oversight and providing the Japanese Executive Director.
