"IFC Position Statement on Retaliation Against Civil Society and Project Stakeholders", Oct 2018

IFC recognizes the responsibility of the private sector to respect human rights. IFC’s Sustainability Framework integrates human rights considerations, applicable to business, into our environmental and social standards, due diligence and supervision processes.... Respect for human rights includes the ability of stakeholders to engage freely with IFC and its clients. This is essential to promoting positive development outcomes. Civil society organizations (CSOs) and project-impacted stakeholders must be able to provide feedback, voice opposition, and raise concerns with our clients and with IFC when necessary to ensure that environmental and social impacts in IFC-financed projects are avoided, minimized or mitigated and that the project achieves its intended development impact. We value the input and views of all stakeholders. IFC does not tolerate any action by an IFC client that amounts to retaliation – including threats, intimidation, harassment, or violence – against those who voice their opinion regarding the activities of IFC or our clients. We take seriously any credible allegations of reprisals... When complaints of this nature are raised with IFC, we work – within the scope of our mandate – with our clients or other appropriate parties to try to address them. In such instances, we raise our concerns directly with the client or relevant party, make our position against reprisals clear, and take follow up action as and where appropriate...