Integration of International Environmental and Social Standards into the Plan Vivo System

Due to increasing attention on the application of environmental and social safeguards in ecosystem management projects, the Plan Vivo Foundation undertook a gap analysis of the new Standard in July 2021, to identify synergies and gaps in relation to several key international Environmental and Social Standards. These gaps were then addressed both in the Standard revision itself and in the development of the draft Plan Vivo Environmental and Social Policy Framework.

TLLG supported Plan Vivo to review how the original gap analysis recommendations have been incorporated into the Standard and the E&S Policy Framework, including a review of the risk screening, assessment, and management tools and system. Furthermore, as some of the new Standard requirements will be new to existing and future projects, TLLG supported Plan Vivo with the development of sections of the Project Design Manual, in order to provide guidance on how to implement the Standard requirements in practice. Lastly, because Environmental and Social Safeguarding is relatively new in the ecosystem management space – although inherently part of the design of Plan Vivo projects – TLLG provided support with improving internal awareness and understanding of the Standards, key topics relevant to Plan Vivo projects, and their application in practice.

The aim of this assignment was to provide technical support and advice to the Plan Vivo Foundation core team on the integration of international Environmental and Social Standards into the Plan Vivo policy, guidelines and practice. The specific objectives of this assignment were to: 1. Review the integration of the gap assessment recommendations into the Plan Vivo Standard and E&S Policy Framework; 2. Review the E&S screening tool (PIN stage) and environmental and social assessment and management system (PDD stage); 3. Develop three sections of the Project Design Guidance Manual, notably on designing an FPIC Process, compensation for unavoidable negative impacts/ displacement, and designing a stakeholder engagement plan; and 4. Prepare and facilitate three E&S learning sessions to raise awareness and understanding of key safeguarding issues.

Client: Plan Vivo Foundation

Period: Mar to Dec 2022