Environmental and social due diligence (ESDD)

Providing independent environmental and social impact advice for clients

Our consultancy experts help clients navigate the complex environmental and social due diligence requirements for internationally funded development projects.

Our environmental assessment and management consultants have experience in:

  • Undertaking equator principle-compliant ESIAs
  • Undertaking International Finance Corporation (IFC)-compliant ESIAs
  • Working as a lender advisor
  • Monitoring compliance with environmental and social action plans (ESAP)
  • Monitoring compliance with equator principle action plans (EPAP). 

Our team regularly provides site supervision services for projects under construction and in operation. This gives us practical experience across the entire project lifecycle for a multitude of international projects. We aim to help clients work towards achieving international environmental best practice standards, not only to secure investor funding, but also as part of due diligence and risk management.

We provide clients with specific, independent, environmental technical advice. This includes the compliance of ESIAs to lender standards and requirements, as well as ensuring the lender banks undertake environmental and social due diligence (ESDD) site compliance audits.

We also conduct a thorough review of site activities, consider the adequacy of control measures relating to the environment, health, safety and labour performance, review practices against the relevant documentation, and examine whether international best practice is being undertaken by the appointed environmental contractors.

As part of the client’s loan conditions, a requirement is set so an ESIA can be undertaken to obtain both IFC compliance and approvals. This task ensures that funding is made available to finance the project. Buro Happold can provide independent ESIA advice and reviews for projects which require this international funding. In this capacity Buro Happold can act as a reviewer for the project’s ESIA, in order to ensure compliance with both national and international requirements, and to support the successful delivery of the overall scheme.

These ESIA review reports are undertaken as part of the ESDD process. They consider the environmental aspects of the proposed project and its adherence to local regulatory requirements. In addition to local requirements, relevant IFC Performance Standards will also be considered when undertaking any reviews.

Project highlights

Environmental and social due diligence consultant

ESIA Reviews

Benin and Togo, West Africa

We recently completed ESIA reviews for two internationally funded projects in Benin and Togo, West Africa. We reviewed the draft ESIA in line with the IFC Performance Standards. These projects aim to meet IFC standards and receive international recognition.

Both projects were designed to create new economic zones within their respective countries. The ESIA covered all aspects of the environment, including social, economic and ecological impacts. The work undertaken by Buro Happold provided a third-party review to ensure the ESIA aligned with the IFC Performance Standards and provided an action plan of areas to improve upon.