Chile: Alto Maipo-02/Cajon del Maipo

Date Filed
05 Jul 2017
Status
Open
Phase
Compliance
Country
Chile

Case Tracker

Eligibility
Eligibility
Assessment
Assessment
Dispute Resolution
Compliance
Appraisal
Investigation
CURRENT Status
Investi3gation (COMPLIANCE)

Complaint Overview

Complainant

Former worker

Concerns

Internal grievance mechanism, occupational health and safety

Cross-Cutting Issues
Risk Management Labor Women IFC/MIGA Due Diligence IFC/MIGA Supervision

Project Information

Region
Latin America & the Caribbean
Institution
IFC
Name & Number
Alto Maipo 31632
Company
Alto Maipo SpA
Sector
Infrastructure
Department
Infrastructure
Category
A
Commitment

Debt US $150 million

Synopsis

Project Overview

IFC has an active project with Alto Maipo SpA in Chile. According to IFC, the project comprises the construction of two run-of-the-river hydroelectric facilities connected in series with a combined capacity of 531 MW for the purposes of providing baseload electricity to the Chilean Central Interconnected Grid or SIC. AES Gener is the IFC Sponsor for this project. 

Complaint

CAO received a complaint filed by a former worker with the AES Gener Foundation and resident of the Cajon del Maipo, whose work focused on the Alto Maipo project. The complaint alleges that while she was working for the company, she was sexually harassed by one of her colleagues. The complainant raises concerns with regards to the appropriateness of the company’s response to her reporting the harassment internally, and thus to the proper functioning of the company’s internal grievance mechanism.

CAO Action

CAO found the complaint eligible for further assessment in August 2017. During the assessment, there was a lack of consensus amongst the parties to engage in a CAO-facilitated dispute resolution process. Hence, in accordance with CAO’s Operational Guidelines, the case has been referred to CAO’s Compliance function.

CAO concluded its compliance appraisal in May 2018 and decided that an investigation was warranted about the issues raised in the Alto Maipo-02 complaint. The appraisal noted that CAO has generally not initiated compliance investigations in response to individual employment-related disputes. In this case, however, IFC project documentation indicates concerns regarding other allegations of sexual harassment, at the level of the company and contractors, in addition to those brought by the complainant. CAO has identified questions as to IFC’s application of requirements that the “client will take measures to prevent and address harassment, intimidation, and/or exploitation, especially in regard to women” (PS2, para. 15). Given the issues raised by the complainant, CAO also has questions as to the application of PS2 requirements regarding the handling of worker grievances (para. 20).

The case was merged with the Alto Maipo-01 complaint about the purpose of the compliance investigation. CAO published the Terms of Reference for this investigation in August 2018. 

On October 26, 2022, the first Management Progress Report on the Implementation of the Management Action Plan was published and is available under the “Case Documents” section below this page.

Status

CAO is monitoring the effective implementation of the actions set out in IFC’s Management Action Plan, based on CAO Policy.

Status as of October 26, 2022.

Case Documents

  • Complaint
    Alto Maipo 02 - Complaint Summary
    Jun 30, 2017
    Spanish
    Alto Maipo 02 - Complaint Summary
    Assessment Report(s)
    CAO Assessment Report - Alto Maipo 02
    Dec 01, 2017
    English
    CAO Assessment Report - Alto Maipo 02
    CAO Assessment Report - Alto Maipo 02
    Dec 01, 2017
    Spanish
    CAO Assessment Report - Alto Maipo 02
    IFC Response to CAO Assessment Report
    Dec 11, 2017
    English
    IFC Response to CAO Assessment Report
  • Compliance

    Appraisal Report(s)
    CAO Appraisal Report - Alto Maipo 01&02
    May 01, 2018
    English
    CAO Appraisal Report - Alto Maipo 01&02
    CAO Appraisal Report - Alto Maipo 01&02
    May 01, 2018
    Spanish
    CAO Appraisal Report - Alto Maipo 01&02
    Audit Report(s)
    Terms of Reference fo CAO Investigation - Alto Maipo 01&02
    Aug 01, 2018
    English
    Terms of Reference fo CAO Investigation - Alto Maipo 01&02
    Terms of Reference fo CAO Investigation - Alto Maipo 01&02
    Aug 01, 2018
    Spanish
    Terms of Reference fo CAO Investigation - Alto Maipo 01&02
    Investigation Report
    Compliance Investigation Report - Chile Alto Maipo Hydropower Project
    Jun 08, 2021
    English
    Compliance Investigation Report - Chile Alto Maipo Hydropower Project
    IFC Response to Chile Alto Maipo Compliance Investigation Report
    Jul 16, 2021
    English
    IFC Response to Chile Alto Maipo Compliance Investigation Report
    Informe de Investigación de Cumplimiento
    Jun 08, 2021
    Español
    Informe de Investigación de Cumplimiento
    IFC Respuesta de la Gerencia Al Informe de Investigación de la CAO Sobre Cumplimiento: Resumen Y Plan de Acción de la Gerencia
    Jul 16, 2021
    Español
    IFC Respuesta de la Gerencia Al Informe de Investigación de la CAO Sobre Cumplimiento: Resumen Y Plan de Acción de la Gerencia
    Management Progress Report on Implementation of MAP – Alto Maipo - Chile
    Oct 26, 2022
    English
    Management Progress Report on Implementation of MAP – Alto Maipo - Chile
    Informe de Progreso de la Administración Sobre la Implementación del Plan de Acción MAP
    Oct 26, 2022
    Español
    Informe de Progreso de la Administración Sobre la Implementación del Plan de Acción MAP
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