Scott Wilson Nepal provides Social and Environmental Safeguards Assessment and Due Diligence expertise to ensure that infrastructure development projects are implemented responsibly, equitably, and sustainably. SWN’s approach focuses on minimizing or avoiding adverse impacts on people, culture, and the environment, in line with both national and international environmental and social standards and guidelines.
SWN has assessed over 1,000 community infrastructure projects for compliance with engineering, social, environmental, cultural, and health and safety standards for UNDP, FCDO, USAID, UNWFP, MCC, and WWF Nepal. These infrastructures include micro hydropower, prefabricated structures for public buildings, drinking water supplies, irrigation hydro-met stations, river training works, solar water pumping, water source conservation (such as catchment ponds and water source protection), conservation farming sites, contour trenching sites, water holes, and plantation activities.
Since 2016, the SWN team has served as Environmental and Social Specialists for DT-Global/AECOM, providing on-the-ground support for environmental and social due diligence and stakeholder engagement in the implementation of the 400 kV transmission line projects under the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Nepal Compact Program.
SWN offers comprehensive support throughout the project cycle, including:
- Development of safeguards guidelines for community infrastructure projects.
- Systematic identification and assessment of environmental and social risks using standardized templates
- Risk categorization (low, moderate, substantial, high) in line with safeguard policies, and proposing appropriate mitigation measures.
- Assessment of risks and impacts relating to infrastructure proximity to social and environmental as well as potential issues of cultural heritage sites, and occupational health hazards.
- Preparation of site-specific Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs), including mitigation and monitoring strategies aligned with national regulations.
- Review and synthesis of existing studies and legislation, including environmental, social, and resource management frameworks.
- Gap analysis comparing existing legal/policy frameworks with project safeguard requirements.
