Based on IFC’s review of the project, no impacts are expected in relation to the following Performance Standards:

PS 5: Land Acquisition and Involuntary Resettlement: the project is not expected to lead to any expansion of the airport footprint and there is no land acquisition and resettlement required within the airport’s footprint. The sponsor’s commitment in the event of government-led resettlement to enforce any zoning or any other potential expansion associated with or caused by the airport operations, during the life of the concession, is described in the PS1 section below.

PS 6: The project is located in a modified landscape and is not within a Protected Area or an Internationally Recognized Areas for biodiversity. The last expansion dates back to 2013 and, for any future expansion, an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) will be developed to ensure that biodiversity values are addressed, if needed.

PS 7: Indigenous Peoples, there are no indigenous peoples in the project area, as per the definition used by the World Bank Group.

PS 8: Cultural Heritage, there are no cultural heritage objects and sites affected by the project. In case of any future works, the Concessionaire is required to investigate if any cultural heritage objects and sites will be impacted. National legislation prescribes the steps to follow in case of chance finds.

This is a Category B project according to IFC’s Policy on Environmental and Social Sustainability, as the project will have potential limited adverse environmental or social risks and/or impacts. There are no planned expansion of the footprint and no land acquisition impacts due to the project. Risks and impacts associated with airport operations and with any construction activities as per Concession Agreement (CA) can be addressed through the implementation of good international industry practices.

Key E&S issues reviewed at appraisal included health and safety of surrounding communities, including noise impacts from ground and aircraft operations, and airport operation safety; emergency response; life and fire safety at existing and new terminals; risk of legacy contamination with hazardous materials (jet fuel, PCBs, PFAS etc.); and labor and working conditions.

Environmental and Social Management Systems

The CA contains extensive requirements for the implementation of an Environmental and Social Management System - specific plans and guidelines for management actions to be implemented by the SPV, that are consistent with PS1 and are in line with good international industry practice (GIIP). These requirements are described in the following relevant sections of the ESRS. Where necessary, additional measures to be taken by the Concessionaire to comply with IFC’s PSs are summarized in the paragraphs that follow and in the ESAP.

Both Sponsors have E&S policies which are public. Meridiam’s E&S commitments are accessible on the website www.meridiam.com. Strabag, which was the contractor for Sofia airport’s Terminal 2, has an Environmental and Energy Policy which is available on the website: www.strabag.com

Munich Airport, the future third party airport operator, has over 25 years of international management and operational experience. Its E&S vision and commitments are published on their website: www.munich-airport.com.

The Current Operator has established an Integrated Management System (IMS) for quality and environmental management which is certified ISO 9001 and ISO 14001:2004. An Environmental Policy Statement is in place and is available on the website of Sofia Airport: https://www.sofia-airport.bg/sites/default/files/environmental_policy_v3_01032018_en.pdf.

A health and safety management system is also in place. While this system is not certified, it includes several elements which mirror ISO 45001 requirements– a policy, basic occupational health and safety (OHS) responsibilities, assessment of risks, emergency procedures, legal requirements, records evidence, reporting, management review, identification of non-conformities and corrective actions.

The CA requires the Concessionaire to maintain an ISO 14001 accredited environmental management system at the airport, and that written procedures covering all the airport’s environmental aspects are in place and relevant training is provided to airport staff.  In addition to this requirements, as outlined in ESAP item 1, during process of integration, the Concessionaire will review the existing IMS and the OHS management system of the airport and will make upgrades, if and as needed, to align the existing management systems with Sponsors’ corporate policies, IFC’s Performance Standards and the requirements of the Concession Agreement. The Concessionaire will review and update Sofia Airport’s overarching Environmental and Social Policy. The Concessionaire will raise awareness of the updated Environmental, Health, Safety and Social Management System (ESMS) across the airport’s relevant departments and ensure all departments are aware of their roles and responsibilities in meeting the targets and objectives of the ESMS.

Identification of Risks and Impacts

Although the Concessionaire’s financial plan is still being developed, in the short term the project is not expected to involve any major works at the airport that would be likely to require an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) under Bulgarian legislation. An airport masterplan is still to be developed and will be available only within 1 year of the CCD. As per CA, the Concessionaire is required to conduct a strategy environmental assessment of the masterplan and separate ESIAs for each major development included in the masterplan.  Longer term growth in air traffic and/or passenger movements may require an expansion of the existing facilities which would be subject to an ESIA. An ESIA will also be required for the construction of the new Terminal (and any other future major projects which will be included in the approved masterplan), once those are brought forward during the Concession period. As outlined in ESAP item 3,  the ESIA that will be developed for the new Terminal 3 (and/or any other ESIA required for potential expansion of the airport operations and/or airport footprint under the airport masterplan) will be carried out as per the requirements in IFC PS1.

As for the current operations, the Concessionaire commissioned its E&S Advisor to prepare an environmental audit of the existing airport’s facilities and operations. Risks and impacts identified by the audit are addressed in the company’s Action Plan through mitigations and implementation of GIIP as discussed in the paragraphs that follow.

As discussed above, construction of new terminal is expected to remain within the current footprint. Although potential land acquisition and resettlement related to any airport expansion is currently not envisioned and is considered an unlikely scenario in future , the Concessionaire will develop a Land Acquisition and Resettlement  Policy (LARP) which will outline the requirements for land acquisition and resettlement based on the national legal framework and IFC’s PS 5. As outlined in  ESAP item 2, in case of government-led resettlement, the Concessionaire will work closely with the GoB to ensure that the process is in line with the LARP and, if necessary, prepare a Supplemental Resettlement Plan to achieve outcomes consistent with IFC’s Performance Standard 5 requirements.

To ensure compliance with IFC’s Performance Standard 6, the required E&S assessment studies for potential airport expansions will assess potential impacts on range restricted species, that might occur in the area of influence of the proposed development. The study area will include Protected Areas and other Areas Important for Biodiversity in proximity of the project, e.g. the Dolin Bogrov-Kazichene site (Key Biodiversity Area, Important Bird Area and also Special Protection Area).

Management Programs

The CA states that the Concessionaire must develop, implement and maintain certain Environmental and Social Management Plans (ESMPs) in accordance with the laws and applicable E&S standards, including noise and vibrations; air emissions; stormwater management and wastewater discharges; flood management; greenhouse gas emissions; waste and hazardous waste management; hazardous material management; resources usage in relation to electricity, natural gas, water consumption; and stakeholder engagement. Following review of the existing documentation in place at the airport, it is concluded that most of these plans will need to be developed by the Concessionaire for implementation, though the existing documentation can form a starting point for many.

As part of the ESMS, the Concessionaire is also required to produce an overarching Environmental and Social Monitoring Plan. This plan will include but not limited to monitoring of ambient air quality, noise and vibrations from airport operations and projects, wastewater and stormwater discharges, soil and groundwater as discussed in PS3.

Organizational Capacity & Competency

The Environmental Department of the airport has five full time staff members and is responsible for monitoring of environmental parameters and implementing protective measures. The Head of the Department reports directly to the Executive Director.

The Current Operator has also established an OHS Department which has three employees. All departments have an employee representative responsible for OHS, and managers of each department are responsible for overall OHS performance of each department. The Sponsor’s due diligence identified of the need to improve coordination between the OHS Department and OHS representatives of the departments.

As outlined in ESAP item 1, the Concessionaire will review organisational arrangements to ensure appropriate E&S management at the airport, including a review of adequacy of resources, competence of staff and communication and coordination between departments. Based on the review of organisational arrangements and as part of the updated ESMS, the Concessionaire will present a plan in terms of E&S resources and organization and establish a communication protocol with clearly defined communication and reporting lines among and across departments.

Environmental and social roles and responsibilities of the Environmental and OHS departments and all airport personnel, including staff and contractors, will be clearly defined as part of the ESMS and the relevant ESMPs. The review will include the assessment and the appointment of adequate resources to implement the Stakeholder Engagement Plan, as discussed in the relevant section.

Contractor Management

The CA requires that a Contractor/ Subcontractor Environmental and Social Management and Monitoring Plan is put in place. The CA further requires that specific contractor/subcontractor management plans are prepared prior to undertaking works. The plans will comply with the relevant requirements under IFC Performance Standards, as outlined in ESAP item 1.

Emergency Preparedness & Response

Emergency Preparedness and Response Plans (EPRP) are in place in line with EU Regulation number 139/2014. All emergency plans are reviewed and approved by the Current Operator, the Border Police, the Republic of Bulgaria’s military authorities, the Civil Aviation Authority, and other relevant stakeholders. Drills are undertaken in line with an emergency drill program.

One of the key emergency scenarios in the airport is the risk of airside accidents. The Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting role is contracted to the City of Sofia’s Fire Brigade.

As outlined in the CA, the Concessionaire will review and update the EPRP to include all operations and ensure that all credible emergency scenarios are covered, including onsite and offsite emergencies, and be aligned with GIIP as per the WBG General EHS Guidelines, including business continuity, emergency response training, covering all personnel and contractors; and an emergency communication procedure with local authorities and local communities. The Concessionaire will liaise with local emergency service to assess their capacity and resources and to ensure coordination in case of both onsite and offsite emergency. Joint drills will be undertaken on a regular basis. This assessment and the relevant actions by Concessionaire will be developed as part of revised EPRP.

Monitoring & Review

Under ESAP item 1, the Concessionaire will establish procedures and allocate resources, including provisions for internal and external audits, to monitor and measure the effectiveness of the ESMS. The management will receive audit results and there will be a formal process of reviewing, responding and closing the report’s findings through a corrective action system.

There are approximately 2,300 people employed by the Current Operator (40% women), including 216 employees with disabilities. All employees are directly hired by the current operator.

Human Resources Policies and Procedures

Bulgaria ratified the ILO core labor standards and they are incorporated in the national labor laws.  Hereby the core labor standards, as defined in Performance Standard 2 are part of the national requirements which the Airport is required and committed to follow for its employees. The Labor Code of Republic of Bulgaria forbids forced labor. Legally prescribed minimum age for employment contracts is 16, except for positions that involve difficult, dangerous or harmful work, when the minimum age for employment is 18.

The main documents regulating labor-related issues are the Internal Rules and Procedures for Employees, the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), Code of Ethics and individual employment contracts, as discussed below. While the standard employment contract is in place with all airport staff, the CBA covers about 80% of the workforce. The Current Operator does not permit employment contracts with persons under the age of 18.

As per ESAP item 4 the Concessionaire will conduct a review of existing HR procedures and policies and, as required, update these to meet IFC’s PS2 requirements, including respect of employees’ rights to join a lawful organization of their own choosing and commitment to comply with the laws pertaining to freedom of association and collective bargaining, policies to prevent any forms of forced labor, child labor, discrimination, gender based violence (GBV) and sexual harassment. These requirements outlined within the revised HR procedures & policies will be extended to contractors & sub-contractors.

Working Conditions and Terms of Employment

The employee rights and duties (including wages, working hours, overtime arrangements and compensation, benefits etc.) are communicated at employment and documented in individual contractual agreements signed with each employee and which are clearly spelled out in the CBA.

Full-time working hours amount to 40 hours per week. Due to the specific nature of business that requires continuous operation, there is a need to organize work in shifts, including night shifts. Duration of a shift can be up to 12 hours. Employees who work in shifts are entitled to an additional 12 days of paid leave. The Current Operator has a system for checking in and out of work.

Line managers are informing their team members in case of the need for overtime work. Employees have the option to refuse overtime. Overtime work is remunerated, in line with national legislation.

Workers’ Organization

There are two trade unions in operation at the airport: Podkrepa with 741 members, and Confederation of the Independent Trade Unions of Bulgaria with 889 members. The trade unions’ members and the representatives of the Current Operator’s management organize regular meetings on a monthly basis. In addition to this, there’s a worker representation system, every 57 workers are represented by a `proxy` elected for a period of three years.

As indicated above, the Concessionaire has hired an HR Advisor to engage with workers and their representatives. Current CBA will remain in place until end of its term in 2022.

Non-discrimination and Equal Opportunity

The Code of Ethics contains basic ethical and moral norms to be followed by Current Operator employees and it is based on the principles of humanity and respect of human rights.

The Collective Bargaining Agreement prohibits any direct or indirect discrimination based on sex, race, nationality, ethnicity, human genome, citizenship, origin, religion or belief, education, opinion, political affiliation, personal or social status, disability, age, sexual orientation, family situation, property status or any other features established by law or in an international agreement to which the Republic of Bulgaria is a party. 

Retrenchment

The Concessionaire plans to transfer all existing employees automatically to its payroll once it takes over the operations. The terms and conditions of work will remain the same as per the existing contracts and the CBA that is in place until 2022. This has been communicated to all workers by the HR advisor who lead the consultation process for the transition stage.

The CBA contains a section on obligations of the Operator in case of restructuring or retrenchment, including involvement of the trade unions in the process and potential relocation of workers to other job positions. Additionally, it prescribes that persons covered by the CBA cannot be included in collective redundancies without consultations with the trade unions’ management.

The HR policy, that will be developed as per ESAP item 4, will include commitment to prepare and implement a Retrenchment Plan meeting PS2 requirements at least three months prior to any future retrenchment (if any), in consultation with workers and their representatives.

Workers Grievance Mechanism

The Current Operator does not have a specific workers grievance procedure, nor does it have designated grievance officers for resolution. Grievances can be submitted to the registry office, HR department or directly to Executive Director. There are also grievance boxes that allow to submit anonymous complaints. Grievance logs are kept and issues raised are followed-up by relevant departments.

As outlined in ESAP item 5, the Concessionaire will review the current arrangements and will formalize and implement a grievance procedure compliant with IFC PS2 requirements, including relevant procedures and resources to address anonymous complaints, appointment of a grievance officer and grievances related to sexual harassment and GBV and all other forms of harassment in the workplace.

Contractor Management

As indicated above, the CA requires the Concessionaire to develop the ESMPs for construction and operations, which will include a contractors’ management plan for construction and operations & maintenance (O&M) contractors respectively. The contractors’ management plan will outline how the Concessionaire will monitor compliance with national law and relevant labor and working conditions requirements and Concessionaire’s policies by all contractors and their sub-contractors. To manage OHS and labor standards during the construction phase, contractors will be contractually required to develop and implement an E&S and labor management plan and relevant procedures which will comply with the Concessionaire’s policies and IFC Performance Standards and will be subject to audit.  All contractors will develop and implement such plans before mobilization. The plans will be approved, and their implementation monitored by the Concessionaire.  This will be implemented as part of the ESMP as required under ESAP item 1.

Where applicable, the Concessionaire will monitor and ensure that accommodations for construction workers (contractors and sub-contractors) are in line with IFC and EBRD Good Practice Note on Workers’ Accommodation.

Occupational Health and Safety

As noted above, the airport operates a Health & Safety Management System which includes OHS policies, risk assessments, management plans and mechanisms for reporting and managing incidents.

As outlined in the CA, the Concessionaire will develop, implement and maintain a formalized H&S management system for the entire scope the airport’s operation and should consider an accredited system such as ISO 45001. As part of the management system, the Concessionaire will develop the H&S Policy and provide adequate and competent H&S resourcing with a Senior Manager in place to oversee implementation of the H&S across the airport. The Concessionaire is also required to prepare and maintain a risk register to ensure risk assessments have been completed for all activities presenting risks and that risk assessments are reviewed annually or in the event of significant change. As outlined in the ESAP item 6, the Concessionaire will review the OHS indicators and statistics and will ensure collection, analysis and reporting are carried out per GIIP. The Concessionaire will adopt procedures aimed at ensuring incident and near miss reporting by the staff and contracted workers. The Concessionaire will also include the reporting of contractor accidents and accidents involving airport users.

Personal protective equipment and annual medical examinations are provided to personnel, according to their functions, including personnel working in hazardous working conditions and exposed to high noise levels in the workplace. The Concessionaire will ensure that workplace monitoring and occupational disease surveillance are carried out as part of the airport management system. The Concessionaire must also ensure the continuation of the Work Condition Committee as required by local legislation, which has a role in monitoring the status of H&S performance and proposing improvement measures on a quarterly basis.

Health and safety induction training is provided to both airport’s and third parties’ employees working at the airport. Training is provided based on the job roles and written procedures are in place. Going forward, the Concessionaire will review and update the relevant training programs and will ensure site specific and critical role specific training needs are analyzed. The training programs will be reviewed annually.

COVID-19: The Current Operator has developed OHS procedures on how to prevent and respond to COVID-19 risks for its workforce and airport passengers. Measures include regular cleaning and disinfection, PPE requirements, medical support, and compliance with general biosecurity measures.

Resource Efficiency and Greenhouse Gases:

The airport is served by electricity and gas with energy use including cooling and heating, external and internal lighting systems and the operation of luggage conveyance systems. There is no electricity generation on-site. The airport operates two natural gas-powered 2.5 MW boilers for heating and additional smaller diesel boilers.

The airport is currently registered under the Airports Council International (ACI) Carbon Accreditation Scheme as a Level 1 (Mapping) Designated Airport, indicating that they currently map scope 1 (emissions from airport-controlled sources) and scope 2 (emissions from purchased electricity and gas) carbon emissions.  Furthermore, these are externally verified and a publicly available policy for energy reductions is in place.

The CA sets out several requirements in relation to energy efficiency and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions including phasing out all old equipment by 2035 and only procuring or leasing vehicles that can be powered by climate neutrally produced fuels.

Direct ground-based airport GHG emissions are caused by gasoline and diesel fuel for airport vehicles and ground support equipment, and jet fuel for auxiliary power units (APUs). According to Annual Inventory Report on the GHG emissions prepared in accordance with the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) Guidance Document quantifies emissions of GHG due to current operation of the airport at 13,946 tonnes of CO2 eq per year.

Water Consumption:

The airport is connected to the municipal water mains, from which all potable water is obtained.  The site holds five groundwater wells on site under licence for cooling / boiler, vehicle washing and firefighting purposes. Fire water remains untreated while cooling and boiler water is treated. As per ESAP item 7, the Concessionaire will undertake a study to identify potential opportunities to reduce water consumption at the airport and implement water consumption reduction measures.

Pollution Prevention:

Air, Noise & Vibration Emissions

Sofia Airport is located within an Air Quality Management Area which spans the entire city of Sofia. However, it has been reported within the ESDD reports that this designation has no impact on airport operations. It is not expected that air traffic from the airport is a significant contributor to the levels of pollution that have led to this designation.

Monitoring of flue emissions from the airport’s boilers is required to be undertaken every two years and it has been reported that emissions comply with national standards.

Limited air emissions are expected during construction and refurbishment works.  Air emissions will be typical of a construction site (e.g., dust, exhaust gases from vehicles and equipment) and will be managed according to mitigation measures to be defined within the construction ESMP.

Noise levels / emissions are discussed under PS4, Community Health, Safety and Security. 

Waste Management:

Waste streams generated at the airport include hazardous & non-hazardous waste, are temporarily stored in designated storage areas on site, prior to been collected by appropriately licensed external contractors for off-site treatment / disposal.

The CA states that the Concessionaire will develop and implement a waste management procedure outlining the ownership, segregation, treatment, handling, transport and disposal of waste at the airport. This will be implemented as part of the ESMP as required under ESAP item 1. The Concessionaire will set objective & targets in relation to recycling and performance against these will be assessed annually.

Hazardous Materials

Hazardous materials used at the airport include hydrocarbons, oils, lubricants, metal degreaser and de-icing agents, however fuels represent the main hazardous materials stored and handled. The Current Operator has developed a document listing all hazardous substances that are held at the airport. All substances are listed together with the information on quantities, characteristics, physical form and safety recommendations.

An inventory of electrical equipment with the potential to contain PCBs was compiled in 2006.  Analytical testing indicated that none of the identified equipment contained elevated concentrations of PCBs.  The airport does not utilize ozone depleting substances and has a regulatory requirement to submit an annual report outlining the refrigerants used on site and details of maintenance inspections undertaken.

Recent ESDD audits have indicated the potential presence of asbestos containing material (ACM) in sections of the existing facilities.  An asbestos survey has not been undertaken to verify the presence / absence of ACM. An asbestos register or asbestos management plan is not currently available for the airport.

The CA states that the Concessionaire will identify all asbestos containing materials (ACM) located / used within buildings / facilities / infrastructure of the airport and subsequently prepare and asbestos handling / management procedure / plan as a part of OHS Management System. This will be implemented as part of the ESMP as required under ESAP item 1. 

The cargo terminal contains a designated area for the storage of radioactive substances. The area is directly accessible from the apron and is secured. The facility is to be operated by the Concessionaire, under a permit issued by the Bulgarian Nuclear Regulatory Agency.  The CA states that the Concessionaire will ensure that all applicable radioactive substances are operated under a permit. Monitoring of radioactive substances should be undertaken in line with permit issued by the Bulgarian Nuclear Regulatory Agency and any additional agreements with the National Regulatory Agency. The Concessionaire will develop a Radioactive Substances Management Plan aligned with IFC PS3 and GIIP. This will be implemented as part of the ESMP as required under ESAP item 1.

Liquid Effluent

Domestic wastewater is collected in an underground tank from where it is periodically pumped into trucks and discharged into the municipal sewer. This includes lavatory waste from aircraft, which is tankered from the aircraft to a sewerage shaft (no pre-treatment is required).

Surface water / storm water run-off from the main runway and taxiway flows to French drains which then discharge, untreated, to the Iskar River. Storm water / runoff from aprons in front of Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 discharge directly to the River Iskar (via oil-water separators). Storm water from the car park in front of Terminal 2 discharges to the River Iskar via separators and a balancing pond.  Storm waters from the area in front of the VIP terminal and the fuel farm discharge to the municipal sewage system.

The airport has two designated de-icing platforms which have their own drainage systems. These gather wastewater and de-icing fluid into below ground tanks. The tanks are emptied by tanker by a specialist contractor for off-site treatment and disposal.  The use of urea for de-icing of the runways and taxiways has been discontinued and acetate and formate based de-icing substances are currently used.

Two discharge permits have been issued by the River Basin Directorate. The permit conditions require analytical testing to be completed, albeit infrequently and for a limited number of analytes. It has been reported that all applicable limits are met.

As outlined within ESAP item 8, the Concessionaire will revise the existing wastewater and stormwater management and monitoring program, reviewing the efficiency of the existing collection, treatment and discharge systems, identifying areas of improvement, and increasing the monitoring frequency, testing parameters and sampling locations aligned with IFC PS3 and GIIP as reflected in the WBG General EHS Guidelines and the sector specific EHS Guidelines.  Testing parameters will include potential contaminants related to project activities (de-icing, refueling, effluent management etc.) and sampling will include the discharge characteristics and status of the specific surface water body receiving the discharge.

Soil and Groundwater Contamination:

There is limited analytical data available regarding soil and groundwater conditions at the airport. A ‘Desktop Study & Ground Investigation Design’ was completed in October 2020. As part of the Desktop Study a site walkover survey was conducted which indicated little evidence of contamination at the ground surface. However, the airport was originally developed in 1912 and limited information is available on-site operations, environmental incidents or pollution releases over the last century.

The study identified potential sources of contamination at the site, both past and present, the receptors that may be affected by contamination, and the pathways that connect sources and receptors. The source-pathway-receptor risk assessment framework has enabled prioritization of locations of previous and current polluting potential and has been used to inform the design of ground investigation to define baseline conditions.

Locations of high, medium and low potential pollution risk activities have been identified across the site, both in the past (that may have resulted in existing soil and groundwater contamination) and where future releases may occur. The existing fuel farm, rail fuel depot and associated pipeline have been identified by high-risk locations that may have caused historic contamination and may require remediation.

The fire station and fire training areas have also been identified as high-risk locations for historic contamination due to the likely previous use of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) in firefighting foams.

As defined within the CA, the Concessionaire will engage an independent E&S Advisor to conduct a detailed site assessment. The Concessionaire will be responsible for remediating existing contamination established under the aforesaid site assessment, whilst the Grantor (Ministry of Transport, Information Technology and Communications) will be liable for reasonable expenses of any such remedial work carried out by the Concessionaire.

Life and Fire Safety

For this proposed investment, life and fire safety (L&FS) of publicly accessible buildings i.e. existing and future terminal buildings, is a key consideration. The ESDD conducted in 2020 indicates L&FS control measures present within the existing facilities are not fully consistent with GIIP.

As a matter of priority, as per ESAP item 9, the Concessionaire will engage a specialized consultant, acceptable to IFC, to perform a L&FS audit of the existing passenger terminals against Bulgarian regulations, and consistent with GIIP as expressed by the WBG General EHS guidelines, with focus on L&FS systems that are critical from a Life Safety perspective (including fire detection and alarm, accessibility of exits & evacuation signalization; smoke extraction, among others). Based on the audit findings, the Concessionaire, will undertake measures to obtain a fully operational fire detection and alarm system, unblocked means of egress and unlocked exit doors.

As outlined within ESAP item 10, the Concessionaire will design Terminal 3 and any other publicly accessible building in accordance with internationally accepted life and fire safety (L&FS) standard as required by the relevant section of WBG General EHS Guidelines. The design and construction will be certified by an accredited LFS professional.

Construction impacts

Future construction & refurbishment work areas are located within the boundary of the operational airport and, therefore, community health and safety risks and impacts are expected to be typical of large construction sites and their interaction with populated areas. Construction impacts will be managed as per the Contractor Management Plans to be developed in accordance with the CA and will include community health & safety considerations.

Operations Noise:

A complex arrangement of controls is currently in place for managing the impacts of noise on communities in line with the national regulations developed by the national Civil Aviation Authority, which are aligned with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) noise abatement protocol.

Following the Airport's expansion in 2000, a Sanitary Protection Zone (SPZ) was established around the airport. The SPZ is set to restrict any new development in this zone and was defined as the area exposed to noise levels at or above Lden 60 dBA, which is the specific noise standard applicable within the SPZ. A noise mitigation program, primary focused on the provision of noise insulation, was implemented starting from 2004 and completed in 2012 with a total of 260 properties covered by the insulation program. In addition, authorities have introduced a ban on take-off and landing between 11pm and 6am and restrictions on night-time flights over the city. There are no dwellings and residents exposed above the noise limit values in accordance with the legislation in force.

A Strategic Noise Map was developed in 2019 by the current airport operator to meet the new national legislation following its alignment with the EU Noise Directive. The study identified that outside of the SPZ, there are about 100 people exposed to noise levels above national ambient noise standards of 55 dBA for L-day  and 6,300 people (representing 0.53 percent of the population of the Sofia metropolitan area) exposed to levels above 50 dBA for L-evening, while no population was exposed to noise levels above 45 dBA for L-night.

Following the study, a Noise Action Plan was developed by the Current Operator. The Current Operator held a public consultation in September 2020 in relation to the Noise Action Plan. Comments received during the ongoing consultation process will inform the finalization of the Noise Action Plan. Relevant information can be found on the airport’s website (https://www.sofia-airport.bg/en/sofia-airport/company/environment).

As per the CA and under ESAP12, the Concessionaire will update the Noise Action Plan in compliance with the EU/ICAO Balanced Approach  and will implement the required noise protection measures for residents within 60 dBA contour to maintain current compliance with the legislation in force and implement measures to further reduce aircraft noise and minimize impacts on broader population of Sofia.

The Concessionaire shall continue to undertake public consultations in relation to the development of Noise Action Plan. The Concessionaire is also required to establish a Noise Management Group, which, as per CA, will include the Concessionaire’s management, key airlines operators, experts from the Air Navigation Services Provider, and community groups. The CA requires that the Noise Management Group attend periodic meetings to discuss noise monitoring results, complaints and commitments agreed within the Noise Action Plan.

Public Safety

The airport is in compliance with international aviation safety requirements imposed by the ICAO.

To further minimize risks of aeronautical operations on local communities, beyond the airport’s boundaries, the Concessionaire has agreed (ESAP item 12) to conduct risk modelling study and collaborate  with the authorities on establishment of Public Safety Zones (PSZ), which are designated areas of land at the end of airport runways within which development may be restricted in order to control the number of people on the ground at risk of injury or death in the event of an aircraft accident on take-off or landing. The implementation of the PSZ will not impose restrictions to existing properties or activities which may be identified as being located in a risk zone. New developments which may increase the number of people living in PSZ will not be allowed within the PSZ.

Security Personnel

About 700 security guards are engaged at Sofia Airport, working in different shifts. The security guards are unarmed. All security personnel are direct employees of the Current Operator. The Code of Ethics, described in the PS2 section above, also applies to the security personnel. The Current Operator reported that there were no security accidents or any allegations of abusive acts of security personnel. As outlined in the CA, the Concessionaire will conduct a security risk assessment and based on the outcome will develop and implement a Security Management Plan.  As part of the plan, the Concessionaire will train the security staff, including in relation to use of force in line with the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights. This is consistent with IFC’s PS4 requirements.

Bird Strikes and Wildlife Management 

Under ESAP item 13, the Concessionaire will conduct a review of management and monitoring measures relevant to bird and other wildlife deterring and suppression, vegetation management, and pesticides / herbicides use. Based on the outcomes, the Concessionaire will define and implement any measures required to align the airport’s bird strike and wildlife management with GIIP, including relevant guidelines by ICAO and International Bird Strike Committee (Recommended Practices).

The Current Operator has a Public Relations (PR) Department. The department mainly focuses on communications, outreach and corporate social responsibility activities. Community / external grievances, including anonymous complaints, can be submitted through various channels including a 24/7 hotline, information desks, Sofia Airport website, via email (comments@sofia-airport.bg), and by mail. Grievances are addressed in line with the Internal Rules for Processing Citizens’ Grievances, Comments and Questions, which need alignment with PS1 with respect to recording, acknowledgement and monitoring of grievances from affected communities.

The CA requires the Concessionaire to undertake annual sustainability reports in line with GRI standards. A draft Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) was developed by the Concessionaire’s E&S Advisor. As per ESAP item 14, The Concessionaire will finalize and implement the Stakeholder Engagement Plan to meet PS1 requirements, including (i) mapping of stakeholders based on risks and potential impacts from the activities of the airport, (ii) outcomes of past stakeholder engagement activities, (iii) ongoing reporting to affected communities, (iv) monitoring, with participation of affected community stakeholders, and (v) a formal grievance mechanism for affected communities. The SEP will be periodically reviewed and updated. The Concessionaire will appoint a full time Community Liaison Officer to implement SEP and will disclose information about the main environmental and social impacts of the project.

Local Access of Project Documentation:

Contact Person: Guyve SARDARI (Board Member – SOF Connect AD)

Company Name: SOF Connect AD

Address: Infinity Tower, 14th floor, 69 Bulgaria Blvd, 1404 Sofia, Bulgaria

Email: g.sardari@meridiam.com

Phone: +33 1 53 34 96 96