Full compliance with applicable laws and standards in force

BDC shall only fund investments and projects which are capable of demonstrating that applicable environmental laws (see section 2.4 of the Environmental and Social Management System Framework), labour laws and as well as any other enforceable regulations issued by competent authorities in the Republic of Botswana will be complied with without exception. In compliance with these legislations and standards, BDC and its clients shall meaningfully engage with its stakeholders through transparent consultative processes to address matters affecting their wellbeing as a result of BDC activities.

Systematic risk and impact assessment

BDC is committed to full and consistent compliance with its ESMS to ensure that environment and social risks are assessed and evaluated throughout project life cycles. Screening for environmental and social impacts for appropriate categorization is an integral part of credit assessment process and credit approval shall not be given where environmental and social risks cannot be avoided or minimized to manageable levels.

Health and safety

At the very minimum, BDC and its clients shall adhere to the generally accepted occupational health and safety standards (as stipulated in Botswana Labour Laws) and the International Labour Organisation core labour standards.

Gender equality and youth empowerment

In line with Government’s stated goals, BDC shall actively but responsibly invest in projects that advance the promotion of gender equality and youth economic empowerment.

Responsiveness to climate change

The assessment of the susceptibility to climate change shall form an integral part of BDC’s environmental and social assessment process. Wherever applicable, clients will be either encouraged or enticed to develop projects and initiatives that mitigate against the impacts of climate change with a proper costing mechanism for such projects and initiatives. A Climate Screening process has been introduced as the initial procedure towards safeguarding the climate, which entails a pro-active climate risk management approach that in part encourages and/or enforces the incorporation of climate adaptation measurers into the design of investment projects as may be applicable. The Climate Screening process will entail a detailed assessment of projects supported by BDC in order to determine the extent of additional climate risk management measures required.

Climate Change Screening is performed by Business Development Executives assigned to individual projects, using the ‘BDC Climate Screening Guidelines and Tools’.