Services
At Baies, our core mission is managing the social and environmental impacts of investment projects. Baies provides consulting services in three fields: investment projects in diversified sectors; climate action in public programmes; and development projects with a substantial environmental dimension.
Taking action
Strategic social and environmental impact management for investment projects.
Anticipating
The social dimension of both climate change and the ecological transition.
Evaluating
Projects with a substantial environmental dimension.
Taking action
for investment projects
Taking a sustainable approach to projects and investments entails anticipating potential risks, acting to minimise any impact on affected groups, and fully mitigating unavoidable impacts. To achieve these goals, Baies draws upon best practice in social impact management. This encourages the dissemination of such practices across a country or region.
At country level
We plan and carry out overall assessments of environmental and social management frameworks. We advise financial institutions on strategic risk management and stakeholder engagement.
At project level
We undertake social assessments at the project design stage. We provide methodological guidance, both remotely and in the course of on-site missions.
Recent projects
China (2023). Client: the World Bank
Enhancing Social Sustainability and Inclusion Considerations in China’s Infrastructure Investment Guidelines. Benchmarking of relevant international experience in ESG and sustainable infrastructure, for the National Reform and Development Commission (NDRC) and the CIECC consulting group. Consultant for the World Bank.
Pakistan (2022-). Client: DFS GmbH and WWF
Billion tree afforestation support project, funded by KfW. We are designing an environmental and social management framework for the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province Forestry, Environmental and Wildlife Department.
China (2022-). Client: DFS GmbH
We are providing expertise in environmental and social management to the KfW-funded “Ecological Comprehensive Management in Baishui County, Shaanxi Province” forestry project.
Indonesia (2021). Client: the World Bank, with the Ministry of National Development Planning
We coordinated the Country Safeguards Framework Assessment, including a legal and institutional analysis that took into account the omnibus Job Creation Law. Priority actions to enhance capacities for environmental and social management in investment projects were identified through stakeholder consultation.
East Asia and the Pacific (2021). Client: the World Bank
How do development projects enhance benefits for indigenous peoples and ethnic minorities in East Asia and the Pacific, while preventing impacts and risks on their communities? This stocktaking analysis provided 21 country profiles, summarizing existing knowledge and identifying good practice for World Bank teams.
China (2020). Client: the World Bank
China’s land administration law was revised in 2019. How does this law influence the management of social risks and impacts in investment projects in China? We carried out a strategic social impact assessment for a World Bank report.
Vietnam (2019). Client: the World Bank
Can stakeholders in Vietnam best manage the environmental and social impacts of urban development and road projects ? This mission led to the collaborative production of an action plan, together with national and local actors, based on a detailed assessment of the resources at their disposal. With Ciera Group (Canada).
Vietnam (2018-2019). Client: the World Bank
Which aspects of social and environmental management should be enhanced in investment projects in vietnam? This mission consisted in comparing the national institutional and legal framework with the World Bank’s recently introduced Environmental and Social Framework. It resulted in a series of strategic recommendations passed on to World Bank teams working in Vietnam. With DDA Consulting (UK).
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Anticipating
the social dimension of climate action
Taking into account the social dimension of climate action is critical. In practice, this means anticipating the risks and impacts entailed by public decision-making. Local communities and vulnerable groups must be fully taken into consideration, and effective citizen participation must be ensured. Baies offers services that facilitate actively pursuing these objectives.
Strategic environmental and social assessments
Our strategic environmental assessments encompass social risks and impacts.
We provide methodological support for consultation processes involving local communities and other relevant stakeholders.
Capitalising on experience
We synthesize lessons learnt, to ensure that knowledge is passed on, and to promote its wider dissemination.
We produce practical guides tailored to the needs of private operators and other professionals active in the intervention field.
Recent projects
Laos, for the World Bank and the Lao PDR Poverty Reduction Fund (2022-23)
Community Livelihood Enhancement and Resilience Project (CLEAR). Community-led development in upland villages in the North and South. Counterpart: Lao PDR Poverty Reduction Fund. Rural development advisor for the project appraisal document and implementation manual.
Burkina Faso (2021).Client: UNIDO.
We carried out the mid-term review of PlanetGOLD Burkina Faso Project (contribution towards the elimination of mercury and improvement of the gold supply chain in the artisanal and small-scale gold mining sector), funded by GEF.
Romania (2021). Client : Romania Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development
Which economic, environmental and social functions do family farms in Romania fulfil, and how should Romania’s National Strategic Plan for the Common Agrictural Policy take these into accoount? We coordinated a World Bank study, with the participation of the Institute of Agricultural Economics and four Universities.
Vietnam (2020). Client : World Bank
The Trung Son hydropower project was designed to follow best international practice in the management of social and environmental impacts. A knowledge sharing exercise was undertaken at project end (Word Bank publication).
France (2019). Client: WWF France
This project involved the production of methodological guides for a renewable and sustainable energy campaign by WWF France. Developed in collaboration with the consulting firms Cesame environnement and Tercia consultants, these guides explain the overall approach to renewable energy advocated by WWF France, and the organization’s guidelines for onshore wind power operators. The guidelines promote wind farming that is in tune with local communities and their own projects.
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Evaluating
projects with environmental implications
Projects with a substantial environmental dimension warrant a future-oriented mode of evaluation as well as concrete actions. Baies provides decision-makers and financial institutions with an independent perspective based on solid evidence. Baies actively listens to stakeholders; affords clients an overview of relevant environmental, social, and governance issues; takes into account changing contexts and uses plain language to effectively convey evaluation results.
Project performance evaluations
Projects are evaluated on-site, in the course of one-person missions or as a team. We then produce high-quality evaluation reports.
Methodological assistance for evaluation teams
National consultants in charge of project evaluation are advised either remotely or via on-site exchanges.
Recent projects
Congo, for IFAD Independent Office of Evaluation (2023)
Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture Project. Project Completion Report Validation. .
Papua New Guinea, for IFAD Independent Office of Evaluation (2023)
Productive Partnerships in Agriculture Project : smallholder coffee and cocoa production. Project Completion Report Validation.
Philippines, for IFAD Independent Office of Evaluation (2023)
FishCORAL project: coastal resource management and artisan fishermen’s livelihood improvement. Project completion report verification.
China (2022). Client: IFAD Independent Office of Evaluation
Country Strategy and Program Evaluation. Evaluation team member, focusing on targeting, inclusive value chains and gender.
China (2019-2020). Client: World Food Program
We took part in the evaluation of WFP’s first Country Strategic Plan in China, together with SDF Global and the KonTerra Group. We reviewed public partnerships, private partnerships and South-South technical cooperation on food security and nutrition.
Gabon and Burkina Faso (2019-2020). Client: UNIDO
Under the Minamata Convention, the Governments of Gabon and Burkina Faso have finalized, with support from UNIDO, their National Action Plan for Artisanal and Small-scale Gold Mining. An individual mission in each of these countries took stock of these projects, and assembled lessons learnt for upcoming UNIDO interventions in the region.
Learn more about Gabon’s mission Learn more about Burkina Faso’s mission
China (2019). Client: IFAD
The International Fund for Agricultural Development finances development projects in the disadvantaged rural areas of China. The aim of this mission was to assess the performance of the Hunan Agricultural and Rural Infrastructure Improvement Project. This evaluation will further help organise future IFAD interventions in China.
Vietnam (2018). Client: IFAD
In Vietnam, the International Fund for Agricultural Development has backed a Pro-Poor Partnerships for Agroforestry Development project. We took part in the project’s performance evaluation.
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