Shaping a future worth living entails combining social responsibility, ecological balance and economic capability. The Safeguards+Gender management system is an active expression of these guiding principles of sustainable development. It is part of GIZ’s professional DNA.
The Safeguards+Gender management system ensures that our projects are environmentally and socially sustainable. This is where our own high standards align with those of our commissioning parties. We analyse reliably whether unintended impacts on people and the environment might arise before a project even begins. Where necessary, we take protective measures quickly and reliably and then actively follow up their implementation.
Specifically, GIZ focuses on the key questions: what effects will a project have on the environment and the climate? Conversely, will climate change influence a project and its objectives? How will the project affect the human rights situation? What role do conflicts and violence play in the implementation of the project? Is there any gender-specific discrimination, and how can it be ruled out as much as possible in project implementation?
In very practical terms, this can mean that a project aimed at reducing CO2 emissions in the textile industry ensures that the rights of garment workers are also respected, or that a project that promotes employment in agriculture seeks to affect the climate as little as possible. Besides, opportunities for promoting gender equality are actively explored in every project.
Our environmental and social safeguards are put in place before a project starts and remain in place until it is completed. The first step involves identifying unintended consequences and – in the case of gender equality – potentials. The second step consists of developing measures that avoid or mitigate unintended consequences or unlock potentials. These become an integral part of project implementation.
Environmental and social safeguards thus become an essential element of project implementation as well as reporting to the commissioning parties. We are not satisfied until we know that we have done all we can for sustainability and gender equality in our projects. ‘Safeguards+Gender Management’ is an important chapter in the success story of our projects.