Environmental and social safeguards are policies that seek to protect people and the environment from risks posed by FAO activities. Safeguards make sure that stakeholders actively participate in projects and programmes and have effective channels to voice their concerns.

FAO’s Framework for Environmental and Social Management (FESM) establishes environmental and social performance requirements for FAO programming. The FESM includes key elements of a human rights-based approach with the goal to ensure that people and the environment are protected from any potential adverse impacts of FAO programmes and projects. It is also intended to ensure that all stakeholders have ample opportunities to actively participate in the activities of programmes and projects, and have access to effective channels to voice their concerns about them.