its financing activities, DEG applies the IFC Performance Standards, including the relevant "Environment, Health and Safety" guidelines as well as the ILO standards. The Performance Standards, developed by the International Financing Corporation (IFC), are the most widely used assessment standards in international development financing. To ensure individuals, groups, communities or any other parties who believe to be adversely affected by a project financed or planned by DEG the right to be heard and the right to complain, DEG developed an Independent Complaint Mechanism (ICM) including an Independent Expert Panel. The Panel decides whether the complaint is admissible, responds to the complaint and is responsible for taking further possible steps. Contribution to the SDGs Being part of the German development cooperation, DEG promotes and contributes to the 2030 Agenda including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the UN. Among these goals is the reduction of poverty by promoting job creation and income generation in less developed and rural regions. Moreover, DEG's customers employed more than 1.5 million people, produced green energy for around 26 million people and generated local income of EUR 67 million. In 2017, 72% of the companies supported by DEG contributed to the alleviation of poverty (SDG No. 1) as well as 88% of them fostered decent work and economic groth (SDG No. 8). Cooperation DEG closely coordinates its promotional activities with other European Development Finance Institutions, many of which have joined in the association of the European Development Finance Institutions (EDFI). Further cooperation partners of DEG are the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), as well as numerous local and regional development companies. The pooling of financing capacities and in-house knowledge leads to broader developmental efficacy and greater sustainability. KfW Group KfW is the parent company of DEG. The subsidiaries of KfW include: KfW IPEX-Bank GmbH – Provides project and corporate finance and offers trade and export finance in Germany and abroad. DEG – Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH – Promotes private sector initiatives in developing and emerging countries. FuB – Finanzierungs- und Beratungsgesellschaft mbH (FuB) – handling of special tasks associated with the German reunification. dena – The Deutsche Energie-Agentur GmbH (dena), a 26% subsidiary of KfW Bankengruppe, promotes the rational and environmentally friendly production and use of energy including renewable energies. See also Federal Republic of Germany Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO),