CAO Compliance
CAO Compliance oversees project-level audits of the social and environmental performance of IFC/MIGA. The purposes of CAO auditing are to ensure compliance with policies, standards, guidelines, procedures, and conditions for IFC/MIGA involvement and thereby improve social and environmental performance.
The focus of compliance auditing is on IFC and MIGA, and how IFC/MIGA assured itself/themselves of project performance. In many cases, however, it will be necessary to review the actions of the project sponsors and verify outcomes in the field, in assessing the performance of the project and implementation of measures to meet the relevant requirements.
Initiating a Compliance Audit
A compliance audit may be initiated in response to any of the following circumstances:
- A request from senior management of IFC/MIGA or the President of the World Bank Group
- A complaint transferred from the CAO Ombudsman where no resolution was possible
- At the discretion of the CAO Vice President
Requests from senior management or the President for a compliance audit will be made to the CAO in writing.
Before undertaking a compliance audit, CAO Compliance will initiate an appraisal to determine whether a compliance audit should take place. The purpose of the appraisal process is to ensure that compliance audits are initiated only for those projects that raise substantial concerns regarding social or environmental outcomes.
In the event that CAO Compliance determines that the issues do not meet the appraisal criteria, the CAO will close the case.
Reviewing and Reporting
In cases where IFC, MIGA, and/or project sponsors are in compliance, CAO Compliance will close the audit.
In cases where IFC/MIGA is/are found to be out of compliance, CAO Compliance will keep the audit open and monitor the situation, until actions taken by IFC/MIGA assure the CAO that IFC/MIGA will move back in to compliance. The CAO will then close the audit.
The CAO will make public the current status of all CAO compliance cases.
For more information, please contact
the CAO at:
cao-compliance@ifc.org
Tel: 202 458 1973
Fax: 202 522 7400
Last updated: 07/22/2008
