Consultancy (Home-based): Supporting investor engagement and collective action on children’s rights, Division of Private Fundraising and Partnerships (PFP)
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Job no: 544404
Contract type: Consultancy
Level: Consultancy
Location: Switzerland
Categories: Private Fundraising and Partnerships
UNICEF works in some of the world’s toughest places, to reach the world’s most disadvantaged children. To save their lives. To defend their rights. To help them fulfill their potential.
Across 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, every day, to build a better world for everyone.
And we never give up.
For every child, hope
The Children’s Rights and Business (CRB) Unit within the Private Fundraising and Partnerships (PFP) Division is responsible to develop guidance for companies, governments, and civil society to address business impacts on children’s rights. Traditionally, UNICEF’s engagement with the private sector focused mainly on mobilising funds and other resources towards implementation of (often philanthropic) programmes for children. Today, UNICEF recognises that such interactions only touch the surface of the potential business has to contribute to UNICEF’s mission and the global agenda for children. UNICEF now works with all stakeholders – companies, government and civil society – to create an enabling environment where business can respect and support children’s rights.
In 2021, UNICEF launched the Tool for Investors on integrating Children’s Rights into ESG assessments, building on previously issued guidance for investors. The tool sets out a framework for assessing how well companies identify and manage impacts on children as part of their approaches to human rights due diligence and corporate responsibility. In development of the tool, lack of company disclosure on children’s rights emerged as a major challenge for investors seeking to undertake assessments of investee company child rights due diligence. Building on this finding, UNICEF is now seeking to inspire collective action by investors to improve the state of child rights disclosure, including directly towards companies as well as through mainstreaming children’s rights in disclosure and reporting frameworks.
CONTEXT
Investors can have major influence on its investees in terms of responsible business practices, and social issues and human rights are clearly emerging as issues of concern for many investors. However, children’s rights risks, beyond child labour, aren’t systematically featured in this process. Children tend to be indirectly affected by company policies, either through their parents’ working conditions, through products consumed by them or through impacts on communities affecting them. Efforts of business aimed at improving social responsibility thus tend to partially leave children out, resulting in less effective risk mitigation and social impact on children.
UNICEF and partners have developed a number of tools and guidance products for businesses to help them understand and take action on their impact on children, looking at impact through the workplace, marketplace and community, as well as specific industries and business models. These outline the basis of what constitutes child rights due diligence for a business – how to assess impact, formulating policies, implementation measures, disclosure and remediation.
How can you make a difference?
UNICEF is seeking an expert consultant to support UNICEF’s work towards implementation by investors of the “Tool for Investors on integrating Children’s Rights into ESG assessments” and collective action by investors on children’s rights.
The consultancy is structured around 4 deliverables, to be completed by 15 December 2021.
MAIN TASKS & DELIVERABLES
Under the guidance of the supervisor of this contract, the consultant will be responsible for delivering two pieces of written guidance for investors, and to support the development of collective investor action initiatives (development of concept notes, coordinating outreach etc.) and outreach to investors on integrating children’s rights into investment decision making.
The contract will be structured around 4 deliverables (timelines to be agreed with successful candidate upon start of contract):
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(30% of total fee) Development of guidance document for investors on shareholder engagement on Children’s Rights: This guidance document aims to complement existing UNICEF guidance for investors by outlining key engagement topics for children’s rights and highlight existing good practice in this space.
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(30% of total fee) Development of investor expectations template on children’s rights: This guidance document aims to build on and complement existing UNICEF guidance for investors, particularly “Tool for Investors on Integrating Children’s Rights into ESG assessments” by outlining a set of expectations of children’s rights policies and performance that investors can adopt into their own expectations documents, or use as the basis for a standalone expectations document on children’s rights.
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(20% of total fee) Support collective action initiatives by investors on children’s rights: Support the engagement with investors, asset managers and others towards initiating collective action by investors to improve disclosure on children’s rights by companies. This will include:
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Development of necessary background materials and concept notes
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Support management of key platform engagements
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Support outreach and engagement with investors
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Other tasks identified by the supervisor
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(20% of total fee) Support outreach to investors and asset managers on integrating children’s rights into investment decision making and ESG analysis: UNICEF is seeking to engage a group of investors to support the implementation of relevant tools and guidance in investment decision making processes and capture learnings as well as promising practices with a view to building the knowledge base on children’s rights in investor decision making.
ESTIMATED DURATION OF THE CONTRACT AND PROPOSAL
Estimated 2 months to finalize the deliverables. All deliverables have to be finalized by 15 December 2021. The consultant will be paid against deliverables.
REPORTING TO
Corporate Alliances Manager, the Children’s Rights and Business (CRB) Unit
WORKPLACE
Consultant is expected to work remotely and is not expected to travel.
To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…
Education: A master’s degree in sustainable business, human rights, or related field is required. Alternatively, a first level university degree in a relevant field combined with additional years of professional experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.
Experience: At least 5 years of work experience with responsible investment practices and ESG. Specific experience of working with investor relations, ESG assessments, or the development of tools and guidance for business on social impact will be considered a strong advantage.
Language: Fluency in English is required. Applicants must have a proven record of excellent writing and analytical skills in English.
For every Child, you demonstrate…
UNICEF’s values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA) and core competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.
To view our competency framework, please visit here.
Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.
Remarks: Please indicate your availability and total fee (in US$) to undertake the 4 deliverables in the cover letter. Applications submitted without a total fee for all deliverables will not be considered. Also, please mention the earliest date you can start. Kindly note all deliverables need to be complete by 15 December 2021.
Individuals engaged under a consultancy or individual contract will not be considered “staff members” under the Staff Regulations and Rules of the United Nations and UNICEF’s policies and procedures, and will not be entitled to benefits provided therein (such as leave entitlements and medical insurance coverage). Their conditions of service will be governed by their contract and the General Conditions of Contracts for the Services of Consultants and Individual Contractors. Consultants and individual contractors are responsible for determining their tax liabilities and for the payment of any taxes and/or duties, in accordance with local or other applicable laws.
UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages all candidates, irrespective of gender, nationality, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of the organization.
UNICEF has a zero-tolerance policy on conduct that is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the United Nations and UNICEF, including sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment, abuse of authority and discrimination. UNICEF also adheres to strict child safeguarding principles. All selected candidates will be expected to adhere to these standards and principles and will therefore undergo rigorous reference and background checks. Background checks will include the verification of academic credential(s) and employment history. Selected candidates may be required to provide additional information to conduct a background check.
Advertised: W. Europe Daylight Time
Deadline: W. Europe Daylight Time
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