• Country: India
• Organization: UNIDO
• Deadline: 2023-11-14
• No of Vacancies: N/A

Title:  Expert on elimination of hazardous chemicals in apparel and fashion supply chains

​Requisition ID: 3103
Grade: SB5 – Local Professional (Mid-Level & Senior)
Country: India
Duty Station: IND – Other cities
Category: National Consultant
Type of Job Posting: Internal/External
Employment Type: Non-staff WAE
Contract Duration: 105 working days over a period
Application deadline: 14-Nov-2023, 11:59 PM (CEST)  

Vacancy Announcement
TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT OF PROJECT PERSONNEL
Only nationals or permanent residents of the country of the duty station are considered eligible.
Female candidates are encouraged to apply.
ORGANIZATIONAL CONTEXT

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is the specialized agency of the United Nations that promotes industrial development for poverty reduction, inclusive globalization and environmental sustainability. The mission of UNIDO, as described in the Lima Declaration adopted at the fifteenth session of the UNIDO General Conference in 2013 as well as the Abu Dhabi Declaration adopted at the eighteenth session of UNIDO General Conference in 2019, is to promote and accelerate inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID) in Member States. The relevance of ISID as an integrated approach to all three pillars of sustainable development is recognized by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which will frame United Nations and country efforts towards sustainable development. UNIDO’s mandate is fully recognized in SDG-9, which calls to “Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation”. The relevance of ISID, however, applies in greater or lesser extent to all SDGs. Accordingly, the Organization’s programmatic focus is structured in four strategic priorities: Creating shared prosperity; Advancing economic competitiveness; Safeguarding the environment; and Strengthening knowledge and institutions.

Each of these programmatic fields of activity contains a number of individual programmes, which are implemented in a holistic manner to achieve effective outcomes and impacts through UNIDO’s four enabling functions: (i) technical cooperation; (ii) analytical and research functions and policy advisory services; (iii) normative functions and standards and quality-related activities; and (iv) convening and partnerships for knowledge transfer, networking and industrial cooperation. Such core functions are carried out in Departments/Offices in its Headquarters, Regional Offices and Hubs and Country Offices.

The Directorate of Technical Cooperation and Sustainable Industrial Development (TCS), headed by a Managing Director, oversees the Organization’s development of capacities for industrial development as well as industrial policy advice, statistics and research activities and the Organization’s normative contribution to Member States and global development community in achieving the SDGs. The Directorate also ensures the application of strategies and interventions for sustainable industrial development related to Environment, Energy, SMEs, Competitiveness and Job creation, as well as Digitalization and Artificial Intelligence. Through coordination in-house and with Member States and industry stakeholders, it ensures that the services provided in these areas contribute toward effective and appropriate technical, business and policy solutions and are focused on results and on realizing any potential for scaling up and positioning UNIDO as a leading platform for industrial development in developing countries and global fora.

The Division of Circular Economy and Environmental Protection (TCS/CEP) contributes to greener and more circular industries and products by minimizing both resource use along value chains and the emission of pollutants to the environment. The Division promotes just transitions to circular economies, reduced release of pollutants into the environment and other green industrial and economic approaches to help Member States to grow economically while simultaneously addressing the three planetary crises of climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. It does so by supporting resource efficiency increases in the manufacturing and use of products along value chains and during the life cycle of the product; by reducing or eliminating the emission of non-fuel-related greenhouse gas emissions; and by assisting in achieving the objectives of and compliance with multilateral environmental agreements. In doing so, its activities further improve competitiveness, as well as the development of and access to markets, particularly for SMEs. This contributes to climate-neutral, resilient, pollution-free industrial development, supporting co-existence that is in harmony with nature.

The Division acts as the focal point in UNIDO for various multilateral environmental agreements and multilateral co-operation in the field of the environment, including the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer; the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants; the Minamata Convention on Mercury, and emerging international, legally binding instruments such as the instrument to End Plastic Pollution; the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM), and other partnerships such as the Green Growth Knowledge Platform (GGKP), the Partnership for Action for Green Economy (PAGE), the Green Industry Platform (GIP) and other relevant international initiatives and conventions. The Division coordinates its advisory and service delivery with the services offered by other technical departments, and other relevant organizational entities of UNIDO.

Responsible Materials and Chemicals Management Unit

This position is located under the Responsible Materials and Chemicals Management Unit (TCS/CEP/RMC) which is responsible for supporting Member States to implement the chemicals and wastes obligations and requirements under the Basel, Minamata, Rotterdam, and Stockholm Conventions and other emerging relevant agreements, in particular where it relates to larger and formalized industries and sectors, and to leverage its experience to address industrial pollution mitigation in general as well as other emerging compliance mechanisms. With novel approaches to materials and chemicals management and to innovation, with training and education, and with implementing circular economy approaches in particular related to the extension of product life by maintenance, the Unit further leverages its experience to facilitate responsible materials sourcing and to support smaller enterprises and entrepreneurs in greening their businesses

PROJECT CONTEXT

India is the second-largest global producer of textiles and garments and fifth-largest exporter of textiles and supplier to national and international markets for fashion and technical textiles (including performance clothing). Indian textile and apparel industry contributes 2% to GDP and 12% to export earnings ([1]) and directly employs around 45 million workers (of which 60-70% women) and indirectly a further 60 million, making it second largest employment and livelihood sector after agriculture.

Textiles and apparel is a focal sector for growth and diversification in the Government’s Made in India mission ([2]). The Government works towards consolidated approach for greening of apparel fashion value chains. Ministry of Textiles (MoT) established its sustainability unit supporting, primarily, awareness and understanding of sustainability, supported by action calls of the Union Minister for Textiles to the industry to propose its sustainability roadmap. In 2021, government launched the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme that provides financial incentives for increased production and diversification in manmade fibers and technical textiles for application in apparel and other fashion and other applications ([3]). In March 2023, the Government announced support to create brownfield Mega Integrated Textile Region Apparel (PM MITRA) Parks in seven states, with specific incentives to enhance competitiveness, innovation, synergies and environmental performance and thereby expand and diversify garment production from ‘fibre-to-fashion’ ([4]). Industrial effluents from textile and garment sector are targeted by different government initiatives, including the National Clean Ganga Mission and adoption of zero liquid discharge as cross-sectoral industrial pollution control objective.

Exporters and manufacturers are increasingly engaging with diverse voluntary sustainability standards that are contributing to minimization of use and elimination of hazardous chemicals in fashion. These include for example: (1) Zero Discharge of Hazardous Chemicals (ZDHC) (direct participation of six textile houses and eleven textile chemical companies) ([5]) and (2) Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) (which has introduced bio-pesticides and increased earnings in three cotton growing districts) ([6]). This child project chiefly focuses on elimination of the use of hazardous chemicals in the industrial part of the apparel fashion supply chain, in order to complement and build upon, rather than duplicate, the diversity of initiatives already underway on sustainable and/or organic cotton cultivation (e.g. BCI, GiZ and others).

The vast majority of textile and garment fashion industry units have not yet taken consolidated actions to phase out of hazardous chemicals and transition to sustainable circular fashion free of hazardous chemicals – a situation this child project will address through strengthened policy and implementation partnerships, technical assistance and the mobilization of market forces and financing.

The overall aim of the project is to achieve system transformations in the fashion and construction supply chains by addressing transformation levers (financial, policy and governance, innovation and learning, and multi-stakeholder dialogues) at each supply chain stage.

1. Provide a brief description of the geographical target(s), including details of systemic challenges, and the specific environmental threats and associated drivers that must be addressed;
2. Describe the existing or planned baseline investments, including current institutional framework and processes for stakeholder engagement and gender integration;
3. Describe how the integrated approach proposed for the child project responds to and reflects the Program’s Theory of Change, and as such is an appropriate and suitable option for tackling the systemic challenges, and to achieve the desired transformation with multiple global environmental benefits;
4. Describe the project’s incremental reasoning for GEF financing under the program, including the results framework and components.

The project seeks to achieve its objective by pursuing the following outputs:

1. Policy works for improved coordination of hazardous chemicals management and apparel innovation and investment
2. Implementation of and investments in regenerative, sustainable chemicals fashion by textile and fashion houses
3. Implementation of and investments in sustainable chemicals and cleaner production solutions in key textile, garment and chemical auxiliary clusters
4. Industry partnership and exchange on regenerative, sustainable and low chemical fashion

FUNCTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Under the direct supervision and guidance of the project manager based in UNIDO headquarters and the personnel in the UNIDO Field Office and in close collaboration with industry/sector experts, the consultant will carry out the following tasks:

MAIN DUTIES

Scope and work plan of the assignment

Liaise with consultants/resource person and relevant ministries:

The consultant/expert will do the liaising with agencies for the preparation of preliminary baseline data to feed into the CEO endorsement documents, coordinating with the Ministry of Textile and other relevant stakeholders to contribute preparation of the CEO document.

Gathering and analysis of baseline data and ongoing/planned initiatives and preparation of relevant technical baseline situation

Consultant/Expert will guide the technical agencies on Circular textiles development and waste minimization towards capturing the baseline specific information on types, and quantity of chemical, composition, process specific data, water use and discharge, energy consumption, waste generation and emissions that it deems fit for the purpose of filling the gap as identified.

Gap Assessment

Consultant /Expert would study the concept note, the GEF documentation and other technical documents (including sector analysis, baseline, stakeholder, technical interventions, etc.) and identify the gaps in terms of the requirement of the GEF CEO template and provide recommendations on additional work required for undertaking gap analysis.

Stakeholder mapping

Consultant/ National Expert will assist in populating the relevant data/information required to strengthen relevant sections of the CEO endorsement, documentation requirement etc. in consultation with the hired agency. He/She will also undertake the mapping of stakeholders and potential partners pertinent to the specified area of works, new technology trends automation, innovation etc. that have potential to impact the textile supply chain in terms of chemical use in their processes at Indian textile industries. He/She will establish linkages with relevant institutions like NITRA, ATIRA etc.

Facilitation in stakeholder consultations

Consultant/ Expert would guide the technical agencies (engaged by UNIDO) in conducting the stakeholder consultation meetings in a manner so that necessary information as per the GEF guidelines are captured.

Project implementation/execution modalities

Consultant/expert will contribute on the formulating implementing modalities and project management structure in consultation with the consulting firm keeping in view of the project deliverables in an effective and efficient manner.

Presentation of Policy imperative

Consultant/ National Expert will contribute on the present policy imperative of the project framework in the national context and will explain, how the project can attempt policy win for a long-term and sustainable change in the energy conservation in the textile domain with specific reference to the MSME clusters.

Environmental and Social Risks:

Consultant/Expert will facilitate UNIDO engaged agency in capturing and present baseline information related to environmental and social aspects carried as per GEF guidelines and will including potential elements for Environmental and Social Management Plans or the equivalent with the proposed project or program; and measures thereof.

Response to UNIDO and GEF council members comments:

Consultant/Expert will prepare suitable response in consultation with the UNIDO engaged external agency to the clarifications/comments made by the UNIDO project manager, UNIDO GEF coordination units during internal review process and the GEF council members during CEO endorsement.

Framing Theory of change and Logical framework

Consultant/ National Expert will provide critical inputs on the theory of change, logical framework, incremental cost, sustainability, risks, mitigation and potential for scale-up.

Facilitation in organizing the co-financing commitment letters

Consultant/ National Expert will also assist the UNIDO/technical agencies in managing the co-financing letters form the proposed agencies so that CEO endorsement document can include these at appropriate space.

Gender aspects

Consultant/expert will facilitate in conducting the Gender study by the external agency in terms of Identifying gender experts or women’s groups, civil society, and indigenous people’s involvements in the project design, Needs, access to, and control over resources by women and men alike (e.g., power, time, financial resources) analyzed, Key gender issues and/or barriers identified that could impact the project’s ability to achieve its results or prevent women and men from benefiting equally.

Any other activities

Any other information as required in line with the CEO Endorsement document and as per needs of the GEF Secretariat and UNIDO.

UNIDO will share the concept note along with sample CEO endorsement documents and relevant GEF guidelines of project development with the consultant. On the technical inputs concerning the textile baseline mapping, technical interventions and feasibility inputs help may also be provided by additional agencies in acquiring the field level data and consultation meeting at the clusters.

Workplan :

The following activities need to be considered when designing the PPG work plan:

• A rough draft of CEO endorsement is required in early January
• Stakeholder engagement activities during PPG (consultations, workshops, steering committee)
• Disclosure of relevant studies and information to stakeholders
• Analysis of baseline and ongoing/planned initiatives
• Collection of baseline data on relevant sectors/technologies
• Preparation of relevant technical feasibility studies
• Data for preparation of environment and social impact assessments (ESIAs) and environmental and social management plan (ESMP) (for Category A projects)
• Data for preparation of environmental and social management plan (ESMP) (for Category B projects)
• Baseline data for gender assessments and to inform gender mainstreaming plan
• Description of the project implementation/execution modalities and agencies (incl. draft TOR for contractual arrangements, assessments of proposed executing agency capacity)
• Obtaining of co-financing letters from donors, NGOs, Agencies and government
• Finalization of project documents and responses to comments from GEF project reviewers

MINIMUM ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Education: Advanced university degree in engineering, science, business administration, economics, other relevant discipline with a specialization in project management, SME development, chemical management.

Technical and Functional Experience:

• A minimum of 7 years of relevant working experience preferably at bilateral and multilateral agencies. Prior experience with UN agency will be preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years of working experience in the field of sustainable development in the chemical utilizing sectors. In terms of functional expertise, proficiency in industrial baseline data collection, compilation, and analysis as well project management knowledge is essential.
• Previous exposure of dealing with MSME clusters, experience of working in GEF proposal preparations would be necessary. With regard to technical expertise, possessing a good understanding of chemical management in textile industries and relevant stakeholders central to chemical management in textile is desirable.

Languages: Fluency in written and spoken English and Hindi is required. Fluency and/or working knowledge of another official UN language is an asset.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

Core Values

WE LIVE AND ACT WITH INTEGRITY: work honestly, openly and impartially.

WE SHOW PROFESSIONALISM: work hard and competently in a committed and responsible manner.

WE RESPECT DIVERSITY: work together effectively, respectfully and inclusively, regardless of our differences in culture and perspective.

Core Competencies

WE FOCUS ON PEOPLE: cooperate to fully reach our potential –and this is true for our colleagues as well as our clients. Emotional intelligence and receptiveness are vital parts of our UNIDO identity.

WE FOCUS ON RESULTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES: focus on planning, organizing and managing our work effectively and efficiently. We are responsible and accountable for achieving our results and meeting our performance standards. This accountability does not end with our colleagues and supervisors, but we also owe it to those we serve and who have trusted us to contribute to a better, safer and healthier world.

WE COMMUNICATE AND EARN TRUST: communicate effectively with one another and build an environment of trust where we can all excel in our work.

WE THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND INNOVATE: To stay relevant, we continuously improve, support innovation, share our knowledge and skills, and learn from one another.

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