Sustainability advisory services are a small but growing part of IFC's portfolio of advisory activities. Dedicated to engaging the private sector in addressing global challenges, our projects address climate change, seek to slow the loss of biodiversity, and leverage social capital in emerging markets.
From its beginnings as a delivery mechanism for environmental advisory services, the Sustainability Business Innovator today is first and foremost a partnership for social and environmental innovation that takes the private sector well beyond mere compliance. It has become a platform for donor governments, development institutions, IFC and the private sector to test and demonstrate the business case for environmental protection and social development — something that is now a firm necessity in the current global landscape. This annual report for the fiscal year 2008 holds numerous examples of how, together, the Innovator and its partners are making it possible to change the way business operates so that it benefits all parties.
This is the first annual report of IFC's Sustainability Business Innovator, which also stands as the fifth and last report of the Corporation's Sustainable Business Assistance Program. The successful bundling of our activities fostering social and environmental innovation in this new facility is more evidence that sustainability issues are best addressed by taking a comprehensive approach.
This is the fourth annual report to donors for the Sustainable Business Assistance Program (SBAP). With four years of operation behind us, the SBAP is a well-established program with a successful, proven track record. The current SBAP report demonstrates how the IFC-Donor partnership makes a difference in helping us bring innovative approaches to environmental and social sustainability in private sector-led development.
IFC's SBAP facilities have completed their third year of operations, and each has enjoyed success in delivering its unique brand of environmental and social technical assistance to the private sector in emerging markets. With three full years of experience, SBAP is looking to build on successes and lessons learned to focus efforts in areas that have delivered the greatest development impacts, and shown the greatest promise for independent private sector replication.
This is the second annual report to donors for the Sustainable Business Assistance Program (SBAP). It offers information on completed, ongoing and pipeline projects for the three Environment and Social Development donor-funded facilities — Corporate Citizenship, Environmental Opportunities, and Sustainable Financial Markets — and their planned activities for FY05 and beyond.
In 2003, IFC established three new donor-funded facilities under its Sustainable Business Assistance Program (SBAP): the Corporate Citizenship Facility; the Sustainable Financial Markets Facility; and the Environmental Opportunities Facility. This is the first report on SBAP's activities since its inception. It covers the operations of the facilties since their establishment, as well as planned activities for FY04 and beyond.
