Environmental and Social Performance Standard 2 (ESPS 2): Labor and Working Conditions

Our people are committed and passionate about improving lives in Latin America and the Caribbean, and they get to do what they love in a diverse, collaborative and stimulating work environment. At the IDB, we’re committed to improving lives. Since 1959, we’ve been a leading source of long-term financing for economic, social, and institutional development in Latin America and the Caribbean. We do more than lending though. We partner with our 48-member countries to provide Latin America and the Caribbean with cutting-edge research about relevant development issues, policy advice to inform their decisions, and technical assistance to improve on the planning and execution of projects. For this, we need people who not only have the right skills but also are passionate about improving lives.

Learning objectives / Outcomes

Having undertaken this course, participants will now be able to:

1. Identify the Environmental and Social Performance Standard 2 (ESPS 2) on Labor and Working Conditions, as well as its specific contents and principles
2. Identify the circumstances in which labor risks may arise and the basic aspects of labor management procedures
3. Differentiate potential risks and alerts regarding labor rights in IDB projects and operational contexts
4. Analyze how the IDB can support the borrower to take key steps to address labor risks

Learning experience and activities

Self-paced course that includes:

• Two modules with infographics outlining the main requirements of ESPS 2
• One multiple-choice, assessment test for those two modules
• One final module that combines information on labor issues at the workplace, alerts, and mitigation measures, and assessment questions

Content

This course has three modules that cover the following topics:

1. Labor issues in development projects
2. Key requirements and methods outlined in Environmental and Social Performance Standard (ESPS) 2
3. Circumstances where labor risks are likely to arise
4. Indicators to measure successful management of labor risk
5. IDB’s expectations for borrowers on labor issues under ESPS 2
6. ESPS 2’s main content, principles, and differences from previous policies
7. Basics of labor management procedures
8. Risks to labor rights during the execution and operation of IDB projects
9. Sources of information on labor risks and impacts
10. Potential alerts to employment issues
11. Workplace risks and potential mitigation measures 

Assessment 

This credential is awarded after:

• Reading the course content
• Watching videos and listening to podcasts

• Taking three learning assessment tests with:

  • 80% correct answers (one quiz for each course module)
  • Three attempts to take each test, and guiding feedback after each attempt. The highest score is kept.

  • Module evaluation following this structure:

    • Module 1 Exercises (10%)
    • Module 2 Exercises (30%)
    • Module 3 Exercises (60%)

Estimated learning effort

Completing this course takes approximately 3.5 hours.

Badge type

Completion badge

*This credential is equivalent to the previous version.