international practice. OPIC is committed to supporting low or no-carbon economic
development and to making sure that negative impacts are avoided, reduced, restored, or
otherwise mitigated.

Environmental and financial stability are inherently linked. OPIC seeks to promote sustainable
investment that contributes to long term business success, economic and social development, a
healthy environment, and stable societies. By partnering with the private sector and other
governmental agencies, OPIC mobilizes investments to support urgent priorities such as clean
energy, food security, clean water and to combat poverty, help foster energy independence,
promote development around the world and advance American foreign policy. Sustainable
investment means supporting the broad economic aspirations of developing markets without
compromising future generations. Investing in projects that contribute to the health of the planet
and its people is an OPIC goal.


Overseas Private Investment Corporation 2015
Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan

June 30, 2015

Agency point of contact:
Lena Paulsen

Chief Sustainability Officer
E-mail: lena.paulsen@opic.gov
Telephone: 202-336-8565


POLICY MENT

As the U.S. Government’s development finance institution, OPIC mobilizes private capital to
help solve critical development challenges and in doing so, advances U.S. foreign policy. OPIC
seeks to promote sustainable investment that contributes to long term business success, economic
and social development, a healthy environment and stable societies. Investing in projects that
help the health of the planet and its people is OPIC’s end goal. Sustainable investment means
supporting broad economic aspirations of developing markets without compromising future
generations.

OPIC achieves its mission by providing investors with financing, guarantees, political risk
insurance, and support for private equity investment funds. OPIC’s history of successfully
engaging the U.S. private sector in overseas investment has positively influenced the
environmental impacts of its projects, by encouraging U.S. companies to incorporate
internationally-recognized environmental sustainability measures into those projects.

OPIC is committed to working to achieve the goals of Executive Order 13693. OPIC’s work is
increasingly focused on bringing clean and sustainable energy to the developing world. OPIC
prioritizes projects that advance a sustainable, low-carbon economy and supports projects which
will reduce carbon emissions, improve access to electricity for remote populations and support
economic growth. Since making the renewable resources sector one of OPIC’s top priorities, our
renewable commitments have grown dramatically.

OPIC supports projects and policies that help emerging and developing countries meet their
energy needs in an environmentally responsible manner. By partnering with the private sector to
support renewable energy, clean technology and energy efficiency projects, OPIC promotes
sustainable economic growth through investments that seek to have a social and/or
environmental return. OPIC tailors its investment tools to the needs of the individual projects
and offers products that incentivize greater environmental and social outcomes. Some products
enhance the environmental dimension of sustainability while other OPIC products are targeted to
the social dimension of sustainability,

OPIC’s due diligence process integrates environmental and social considerations alongside
financial, commercial, regulatory and reputational risks. Transparency and accountability are
key parts of OPIC’s philosophy of sustainable investment. Through its appraisal and monitoring
process, OPIC ensures that projects it supports are environmentally and socially sustainable,
respect the rights of workers and communities, and are designed and operated in compliance
with applicable regulatory requirements and good international practice. OPIC is committed to
supporting low or no-carbon economic development and to making sure that negative impacts
are avoided, reduced, restored, or otherwise mitigated.

a Sail ns
Chief Sustainability Officer


The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) was established as an agency of the U.S.
government in 1971 and is the U.S. Government’s development finance institution. OPIC is
committed to working with the Administration and the global community to achieve the goals of
Executive Order 13693. OPIC mobilizes foreign capital to help solve critical world challenges
and in doing so, advances U.S. foreign policy. Because OPIC works with the U.S. private sector,
it helps U.S. businesses gain footholds in emerging markets, catalyzing revenues, jobs and
growth opportunities both at home and abroad. OPIC fosters economic development in
emerging and developing countries, complements the private sector in managing risks associated
with foreign direct investment, and supports U.S. foreign policy. OPIC’s history of successfully
engaging the U.S. private sector in overseas investment has positively influenced the
environmental impacts of its projects, by encouraging U.S. companies to incorporate
internationally-recognized environmental sustainability measures into those projects.

OPIC recognizes the importance of this initiative and continues to explore ways to reduce its
own greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and in fulfilling its mission, expand support for projects in
the renewable energy sector. In 2014, OPIC committed $1.22 billion to renewable energy
projects. We are also currently working to support more than a dozen projects throughout Africa
that will generate power from renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, geothermal and
biogas. The Power Africa initiative will help African countries develop more of their extensive
energy resources while also building out power generation and transmission infrastructure.

OPIC is focused on supporting projects that deliver real and measurable benefits in their host
countries and puts a premium on projects that support the planet and its people. In developing
countries around the world, OPIC projects are improving lives and supporting economic growth.
Last year OPIC committed to projects that are projected to generate more than 1,028 MW of
clean energy and avoid emissions equivalent to more than 1.9 million tons of CO2.

OPIC has prioritized supporting projects and policies that help emerging and developing
countries meet their energy needs in an environmentally responsible manner. OPIC extends its
impact by working closely with other U.S. government agencies and supporting multiple
initiatives, These include the U.S. Water Partnership, U.S.-Africa Clean Energy Finance
Initiative, Feed the Future, U.S.-Asia Pacific Comprehensive Energy Partnership, Partnership for
Growth, the National Export Initiative, and the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee. By
partnering with the private sector to support renewable energy, clean technology and energy
efficiency projects, OPIC promotes sustainable economic growth through investments that seek
to have a social and/or environmental return.

Through its appraisal and monitoring process, OPIC ensures that all projects that it supports are
environmentally and socially sustainable, respect the rights of workers and communities, and are
designed and operated in compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and good