Request for information and recommendations for protecting workers in response to Covid-19

A group of civil society organizations and trade unions urged the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to implement binding protections for workers receiving Covid-19 response financing. The authors recommend that the IFC increase transparency by publishing a responsive financing strategy and a dedicated client website, integrate job preservation and occupational health and safety goals into loan documents, and establish an emergency grant facility for affected workers and communities. They specifically call for the prevention of discriminatory retrenchment and the provision of paid sick leave and childcare. Additionally, the document requests detailed data on the social protection policies of current IFC clients and the criteria used for distributing $8 billion in pandemic-related financing.

• The authors urge the IFC to increase transparency regarding its US$8 billion Covid-19 response financing by publishing a strategy that outlines goals for protecting workers' rights and creating a dedicated website to disclose client names, amounts received, and contractual obligations.
• The IFC is encouraged to integrate specific social protection goals into Environmental and Social Action Plans and loan documents, specifically prioritizing job preservation and requiring nondiscriminatory retrenchment plans that comply with Performance Standard 2.
• The document recommends that the IFC require clients to review and align occupational health and safety policies with international standards, ensuring the provision of personal protective equipment and paid sick, family, and childcare leave.
• The authors propose the establishment of an emergency grant facility, similar to one created by the Dutch development bank FMO, to provide resources for workers, ex-workers, and communities facing health and social risks.
• The IFC is urged to develop interim guidance for microfinance institutions to protect borrowers from economic distress by suspending debt recovery procedures, such as evictions and utility cutoffs.
• The coalition requested specific data from the IFC by June 5, 2020, regarding the criteria for distributing $2 billion in direct financing and the prevalence of paid leave, health insurance, and pension contributions among its clients.

APA

rrotadmin (2020). Request for information and recommendations for protecting workers in response to Covid-19. Recourse. https://re-course.org/newsupdates/letter-to-ifc-re-request-for-information-and-recommendations-for-protecting-workers-in-response-to-covid-19/

Chicago

rrotadmin. Request for information and recommendations for protecting workers in response to Covid-19. Recourse, 2020. https://re-course.org/newsupdates/letter-to-ifc-re-request-for-information-and-recommendations-for-protecting-workers-in-response-to-covid-19/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=rrotadmin |title=Request for information and recommendations for protecting workers in response to Covid-19 |publisher=Recourse |date=22 May 2020 |url=https://re-course.org/newsupdates/letter-to-ifc-re-request-for-information-and-recommendations-for-protecting-workers-in-response-to-covid-19/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{rrotadmin2020request, author = {rrotadmin}, title = {{Request for information and recommendations for protecting workers in response to Covid-19}}, publisher = {Recourse}, year = {2020}, month = may, url = {https://re-course.org/newsupdates/letter-to-ifc-re-request-for-information-and-recommendations-for-protecting-workers-in-response-to-covid-19/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }