IFC, time to stop human rights violations
Call on the IFC to protect people and planet
Despite having a sustainability framework in place, IFC is responsible for investments that have left a trail of environmental harms and human rights abuses
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As well as governing its own performance, IFC’s standards influence over $4.5 trillion in investments by private banks, bilateral development finance institutions, and export credit agencies
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IFC’s review of its safeguards framework (2025-26) is a key opportunity to ensure its standards their implementation are strengthened – and to prevent any rollback.
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Case studies
Click here to read the stories of communities impacted by IFC projects
by Amy Ekdawi – June 27, 2025 Imagine two parallel universes within the world… Mar 1, 2025, Alessandro Ramazzotti Where: Online Sectors: Agriculture & forestry About the project… Where: Dairi regency, North Sumatra, Indonesia Sectors: Finance Mining and extractives About the project… Where: Ratanakiri province, Cambodia Sectors: Agriculture & Forestry Finance About the project Between… Where: Grand Cape Mount County, Liberia Sectors: Mining and extractives About the project In… Where: Kintinian, Prefecture of Siguiri, Guinea Sectors: Finance Mining and extractives About the project… Where: Sangaredi, Guinea Sectors: Mining and extractives About the project The CBG mine, operating… Where: 10 coal power projects across the Philippines Sectors: Climate & environment Energy –… Where: Suralaya, Indonesia Sectors: Climate & environment Energy – Fossil Fuels Finance About the… Where: Armenia, Jermuk community Sectors: Agriculture & forestry Climate & environment Mining and extractives… Where: Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Ecuador Sector: Agriculture & forestry About the project… Where: Midwest and Northeast regions of Brazil Sector: Agriculture & forestry About the project… Location: Syrdarya and Kashkadarya regions, Uzbekistan Sector: Agricolture Summary Multiple violations of labor rights,… Sectors: Climate & environment Energy – Fossil Fuels Energy – Hydro and renewables Finance… Where: Guigang, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China Sector: Agriculture & forestry About the project…The Need for a Sanction System for IFC Clients Violating Performance Standards: Ensuring Accountability Beyond Financial Fraud
False claims – Misleading webpage on the sustainability of the livestock sector
Indonesia: Dairi Prima Mineral lead/zinc mine
Cambodia: Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) rubber plantations
Liberia: IFC’s irresponsible exit from toxic gold mine
Guinea: Forced displacement at Siguiri gold mine financed through IFC financial intermediary
Guinea: Destruction of community livelihoods by the IFC-financed bauxite mine expansion
Philippines: Coal boom funded by financial intermediary RCBC
Indonesia: Financing coal expansion in Suralaya
Armenia: Violation of the rights on health and health environment in the Amulsar gold project
Ecuador: IFC-backed factory farming harms Indigenous peoples
Brazil: Dairy giant accused of animal welfare violations and potential environmental harms
Uzbekistan: rights violations at Indorama Agro cotton project
IFC’s Systematic Failures to Adhere to the Climate Change Requirements of its Sustainability Framework
China: “Hog hotels” as a potential vector for disease outbreaks
Advocacy letters
Check out our advocacy letters and submissions to the IFC
by Amy Ekdawi – June 27, 2025 Imagine two parallel universes within the world… Mar 1, 2025, Alessandro Ramazzotti Where: Online Sectors: Agriculture & forestry About the project… Where: Dairi regency, North Sumatra, Indonesia Sectors: Finance Mining and extractives About the project… Where: Ratanakiri province, Cambodia Sectors: Agriculture & Forestry Finance About the project Between… Where: Grand Cape Mount County, Liberia Sectors: Mining and extractives About the project In… Where: Kintinian, Prefecture of Siguiri, Guinea Sectors: Finance Mining and extractives About the project… Where: Sangaredi, Guinea Sectors: Mining and extractives About the project The CBG mine, operating… Where: 10 coal power projects across the Philippines Sectors: Climate & environment Energy –… Where: Suralaya, Indonesia Sectors: Climate & environment Energy – Fossil Fuels Finance About the… Where: Armenia, Jermuk community Sectors: Agriculture & forestry Climate & environment Mining and extractives… Where: Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas, Ecuador Sector: Agriculture & forestry About the project… Where: Midwest and Northeast regions of Brazil Sector: Agriculture & forestry About the project… Location: Syrdarya and Kashkadarya regions, Uzbekistan Sector: Agricolture Summary Multiple violations of labor rights,… Sectors: Climate & environment Energy – Fossil Fuels Energy – Hydro and renewables Finance… Where: Guigang, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China Sector: Agriculture & forestry About the project…The Need for a Sanction System for IFC Clients Violating Performance Standards: Ensuring Accountability Beyond Financial Fraud
False claims – Misleading webpage on the sustainability of the livestock sector
Indonesia: Dairi Prima Mineral lead/zinc mine
Cambodia: Hoang Anh Gia Lai (HAGL) rubber plantations
Liberia: IFC’s irresponsible exit from toxic gold mine
Guinea: Forced displacement at Siguiri gold mine financed through IFC financial intermediary
Guinea: Destruction of community livelihoods by the IFC-financed bauxite mine expansion
Philippines: Coal boom funded by financial intermediary RCBC
Indonesia: Financing coal expansion in Suralaya
Armenia: Violation of the rights on health and health environment in the Amulsar gold project
Ecuador: IFC-backed factory farming harms Indigenous peoples
Brazil: Dairy giant accused of animal welfare violations and potential environmental harms
Uzbekistan: rights violations at Indorama Agro cotton project
IFC’s Systematic Failures to Adhere to the Climate Change Requirements of its Sustainability Framework
China: “Hog hotels” as a potential vector for disease outbreaks
In December 2025, a group of 25 global civil society organizations shared its recommendations… In this submission, a group of over 30 civil society organizations calls on the… In November 2025, a group of global CSOs shared their analysis and recommendations on… In November 2025, the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) submitted its recommendations to IFC… In November 2025, a group of 17 CSOs submitted a series of recommendations to… In January 2025, a coalition of CSOs urged the IFC and its leadership to… Financial intermediary (FI) lending has increased during the past 15 years to the point… Civil society organizations are urging the IFC to strengthen its Policy on Environmental and… 28 October 2025 The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private sector arm of the… In this follow-up letter, CSOs respond to IFC’s proposed approach for reviewing the Sustainability… In December 2024, the IFC responded to a letter sent by 58 civil society… In December 2024, more than 50 civil society organisations sent a letter to the…Joint submission re: IFC PS6 to better protect biodiversity and ecosystems
Joint submission – Reforming IFC Performance Standard 5 on Land Acquisition and Involuntary Resettlement
Submission on IFC PS3: Resource Efficiency and Pollution Prevention & Climate Change
ITUC submission re: human rights and labour standards
CSO Recommendations: IFC PS 1 (Assessment and Management of Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts)
Joint letter re: IFC and climate change policy requirements
Integrating lesson learned from 15 years of campaigning on financial intermediary lending at the IFC
Submission re: industrial agriculture and IFC Sustainability Framework & Performance Standards
Submission on the International Financial Corporation’s Access to Information Policy
Follow up letter from CSOs on IFC Sustainability Framework review
Response to IFC re: Sustainability Framework Review response
Recommendations for the review of the IFC Sustainability Framework
In the media
Click here to read blogs and articles about the IFC
By Toby McIntosh October 2, 2025 The limited scope of the International Finance Corporation’s… By Toby McIntosh October 17, 2025 The International Finance Corporation has denied access to… By Katelyn Gallagher, September 3, 2025 Since the last update of its Performance Standards… 15 April 2025 , by Sue Godt, Development Researcher Summary Bloomberg exposé documents violations of… 16 October 2024, by Natalie Bugalski, Inclusive Development International Summary UN Secretary General panel’s… July 31st, 2023 By Carolina Juaneda In several IFC-financed projects, we have seen a… Feb. 4, 2025 By Margaux Day The International Finance Corporation is finally updating its… In July 2024, the World Bank Group celebrated its 80th anniversary. But for women… This op-ed was published by Kate Geary and Daniel Willis (Recourse) on 25 March… By Lama Almoayed, Accountability Counsel In our line of work, we too often see the… By Margaux Day, Accountability Counsel Shortly after the World Bank President Ajay Banga announced in October…IFC Denial of Document Request Reveals Narrow Scope of Info Access Policy
IFC Denies Access to Report on Possible Obstruction of Compliance Investigation
How can the IFC address policy gaps around reprisals in its Sustainability Framework review?
New report documents abuses at IFC-funded hospitals
IFC standards review must respond to UN’s call for rights-based transition mineral value chains
What needs to happen for the IFC to prioritize the Performance Standards?
Opinion: IFC’s Performance Standards Need Community-Led Accountability
Opinion: Why we cannot celebrate the World Bank’s 80 year anniversary
Opinion: IFC standards review is chance for more responsible global finance
Why IFC’s Practice Of Irresponsibly Exiting Projects Must Stop
The World Bank’s response to sexual abuse should shake donors’ confidence
