3 March 2014: The UN Development Programme (UNDP) has announced an invitation to provide comments on its draft Social and Environmental Standards (SESs), which underpin UNDP’s commitment to mainstreaming social and environmental sustainability in its programmes and projects. The Standards aim to: strengthen UNDP’s social and environmental outcomes; minimize and manage adverse impacts when avoidance is not possible; and strengthen capacities for managing social and environmental risks.

The draft outlines UNDP’s seven project-level standards on: biodiversity conservation and sustainable natural resource management; climate change mitigation and adaptation; community health, safety and working conditions; cultural heritage; displacement and resettlement; indigenous peoples; and pollution prevention and resource efficiency. Each project-level standard provides an overview of the issue, its objectives, application and requirements.

The draft also details UNDP’s: overarching policy; three principles of human rights, gender equality and women’s empowerment and environmental sustainability; and policy delivery process and accountability.

UNDP requests that inputs help to ensure the proposed standards are: consistent with best practices; practical and relevant for UNDP; and respond to the needs of those UNDP aims to help. Comments should be submitted by 18 April 2014. [UNDP Press Release] [Publication: UNDP’s Social and Environmental Standards]