Sustainability Frameworks is a partnership of seasoned professionals established in response to market demand for comprehensive environmental and social expertise. We are strongly aligned with a business-focused global development agenda and understand the growing needs of the private and financial sectors to go beyond traditional risk management. In today’s world, sustainability is a driver of business development and growth, and a creator of value increasingly geared to contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Sustainability Frameworks helps its public and private sector clients develop strategies to manage their environmental and social risks and opportunities, optimize their sustainability governance systems, and address externalities associated with their operations. We have decades of experience supporting multilateral banks, private sector clients, governments and commercial financial institutions on a broad range of sustainability issues across various industrial, manufacturing and service sectors. We have worked in finance and banking, environmental management, mining, energy, infrastructure, agriculture, high-tech, urban development and manufacturing.
Through our strong network of colleagues around the world, Sustainability Frameworks is able to mobilize additional world class expertise when needed to provide state-of-the art client support. We can tailor our teams to the specific needs of our clients. We work in English, French, Arabic and Spanish and have on-the-ground operational experience on all continents, including in complex settings.
HOW WE WORK
Sustainability Frameworks LLP offers a range of services to support clients wishing to enhance environmental and social performance, manage risk and their operational footprint, and achieve positive development outcomes. Our aim is to add value through innovative solutions and to exceed client expectations. Specific areas of coverage include:
• Strategic advisory services in all aspects of environmental and social performance
• Review/alignment of strategies and operations with the Sustainable Development Goals
• Environmental and social due diligence, gap analysis, project and portfolio reviews
• Health & safety standards and accident Investigation
• Policies, Tools and Guidelines
• Capacity building, training and facilitation
• ESG for Project finance
• Application of new business support tools, such as the Natural Capital Protocol
• Environmental, social and health Impact assessment (ESHIA) review and upgrade
• Support for global environmental fund mobilization (GEF, GCF, MP and others)
• Environmental and social management systems and operational procedures
Strategic advisory services and innovative solutions in all aspects of the broad sustainability agenda including sustainability strategy, environmental, social and health & safety performance, CSR, ESG, risk management, complex and emerging issues. Services range from early white papers to consultation to strategy development.
Development and application of policies, standards and management systems, due diligence, expert reviews, compliance audits, gap analysis, monitoring and evaluation, facilitation and training based on extensive experience with the IFC Performance Standards, World Bank Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) and others.
Content development and delivery of tailored and effective training and capacity building sessions ranging from international standards, management systems and health & safety, to environmental justice, or ESIA. Whether broad, or single sector or country-specific, our experts tailor virtual or in-person programs to the audience and their roles and responsibilities within their organizations.
Some organizations served by our experts, including in their individual capacity: International Finance Corporation, MGM Innova Capital, Norsk Hydro, Deutsche Investitions und Entwicklungsgesellschaft, Asian Development Bank, IDB Invest, Green Climate Fund, International Centre for Hydropower, World Bank, African Development Bank, International Institute for Sustainable Development, Boston University, Gramercy Funds Management, the InterAmerican Development Bank, Reunion Gold, Tetra Tech.
SUSTAINABILITY FRAMEWORKS
LEILA CHENNOUFI
Leila is an expert in sustainability, environment, health & safety, and the application of international standards for project finance, both public and private. She gained 10 years consulting experience with URS corporation (now AECOM) in France and the US, and spent eight years managing the environmental safeguards team for the InterAmerican Development Bank. She now works for a variety of clients including the World Bank, Millenium Challenge Corporation and DEG. Leila has worked in over 40 countries and assessed hundreds of sites and projects across a variety of industrial and infrastructure sectors. She has an MS in Structural Engineering from the Ecole Speciale des Travaux Publics and a PhD in Engineering Geology from the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Mine de Paris. She is an Environmental Management Systems lead auditor with significant experience in ISO 14001, hazardous waste and emergency response, and is SA 8000 qualified. She has also worked extensively in the integration of environmental and social issues management and resettlement. Leila is a native Arabic and French speaker with fluent English and Italian, and strong working Spanish.
BILL RAHILL
Bill is a global leader in sustainability, working at the nexus of business and development. As a Senior Manager then Director with the IFC and the World Bank, Bill has engaged with public and private sector leadership on a range of emerging sustainability issues. At IFC, his team of environmental and social (E&S) development professionals worked in emerging markets, assisting clients to implement best practice solutions in hundreds of investment projects worldwide. He also co-led the review and update of the 2012 IFC Performance Standards, and was integral to the development of the World Bank’s new E&S Framework.Throughout his career, Bill has provided technical advice and support to clients for investment operations in finance, infrastructure, agri-business and manufacturing. He has 30 years technical experience in the application of international standards for project finance, management systems, sustainable finance and natural capital and the various global environmental funds. Bill has a B.Eng. and graduate degrees in business management, finance and public policy. He is a native English and French speaker with conversational Arabic.
CATHERINE STEVENS
Kate is a social and sustainability expert with a reputation for strategy and innovation in social performance across a range of sectors including energy & extractives, urban & infrastructure, high-tech and agri-business. She has over 30 years’ experience working with the public, private and non-profit sectors out of London, Brussels and Washington, DC, including 15 years as a senior partner with ERM, where she led the social practice in the Americas, and for the World Bank, where she helped design the implementation process for the new Environmental and Social Framework. Kate has global experience providing strategy advice firmly grounded in practical experience, and technical support with a strong understanding of development, international standards and the strategic business context. She is also a versatile trainer and facilitator. Educated at Cambridge and Harvard Universities, Kate is a native English speaker with fluent French and German, and strong working Spanish.
SCOTT FULTON
Scott is a leading international expert on environmental governance and rule of law, with four decades of experience working with governments, businesses, and intergovernmental organizations to build systems for environmental protection and sustainability around the world. Most recently, he served as President of the Environmental Law Institute, the world’s premier NGO supporting effective governance and law and policy innovation in the environmental space. Previously, he served as General Counsel of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and in a number of other high-ranking U.S. Government leadership positions, including EPA Deputy Administrator (COO), head of EPA’s Office of International Affairs (EPA’s lead diplomat), Judge on the Environmental Appeals Board, and head of the Agency’s enforcement program. He also served as Assistant Chief of the Environmental Enforcement Section of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) Environment and Natural Resources Division and as a partner at the environmental law firm, Beveridge & Diamond, P.C.
Scott has often published and has taught in his areas of expertise at George Washington University School of Law. He serves on the United Nations Environment Program’s International Advisory Council on Environmental Justice and is a senior advisor to Global Judicial Institute on the Environment.
CHARLES E. DI LEVA
Charles is a leading international authority on environmental and social (E&S) risk management, and the development and application of E&S standards for investment and project finance, with over four decades in leading positions at the World Bank and the public and private sector. He served as the World Bank Chief Officer, Environmental and Social Standards, where he launched the new “E&S Framework”, and as Chief Counsel, Environmental and International Law, where he led a practice group responsible for E&S standards application and compliance; climate change law and finance; and advising on international E&S treaties and instruments. He advised the Bank’s senior management on projects in nearly 100 countries, particularly on complex high-risk projects. With his expertise, Charles advises clients on a range of ESG matters.
Charles also served with the U.S. Department of Justice as Trial Attorney in the Environment and Natural Resources Division; as Senior Council with a predecessor firm of DLA Piper; as Director of the IUCN Environmental Law Program in Bonn; and as Senior Officer with the UNEP Environmental Law Unit in Nairobi. Charles has often published and taught in his areas of expertise including at the American University and George Washington University, and has working knowledge of Spanish and French.
