ESHS Information related to COVID-19

Since the outbreak of COVID-19 caused by the novel corona virus, the world is trying to control the situation and reduce the risks caused by the virus. There are numerous valuable guidance documents by international and national institutions describing which precautions every one of us needs to take. With this information sheet, KfW intends to raise awareness for topics that might be overlooked when dealing with the virus in a development finance context, specifically from the perspective of international guidance on social topics and occupational health and safety (e.g. the Environmental and Social Standards (ESS) of the World Bank or IFC Performance Standards (PS)). Not all measures may be relevant for all the projects financed by KfW on behalf of the German government and there is unfortunately no “fit-for-all” solution.

The information sheet is addressed to project executing agencies, implementation consultants, EPC contractors, projects developers, private equity funds and financial institutions and at the same time to internal staff of KfW Development Bank to raise awareness for risks related to COVID-19. This document does not constitute medical advice and is not a substitute for professional advice from international public health organizations such as the WHO, national public health authorities, and national governments, which should be consulted for qualified and more detailed information. We strongly encourage our partners to seek daily updates from these sources as COVID-19 spreads/ evolves.

Corona virus disease (COVID-19) Info-Sheet (PDF, 231 KB, non-accessible)