TERMS OF REFERENCE
Consultancy services for GRAISEA’s CSR promotion in aquaculture value chains
BACKGROUND
Seafood is one of the fifth Vietnam highest export turnover industry with 5 million people engaged including small scale producers, fishers, trading and processing labors of which women represent half of the total working population. However, over the past two decades, the booming growth of the seafood industry has been alarming much challenges and negative impacts to the environmental and social aspects including various gender problems. Women participate in all segments of the seafood industry, including fishing, farming, trading and selling, monitoring and administration, but the recognition is very limited that disadvantage to them and ultimately bar them from participating fully and equitably in the industry. Women are essential contributors to this important food supplying industry and therefore critical agents for change. With an increase of sustainability concern and pressure of the consumers and from seafood importing countries, Vietnam seafood industry has put a lot of efforts to response to the global community requirements on sustainable and responsible production recently. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is one of the emerging required standards by responsible consumers to ensure the integration of social and environmental concerns in companies’ business operation policy, practice and interactions with their stakeholders. CSR is generally understood as being the way through which a company achieves a balance of economic, environmental and social imperatives, while at the same time addressing the expectations of shareholders and stakeholders with key issues: environmental management, eco-efficiency, responsible sourcing, stakeholder engagement, labor standards and working conditions, employee and community relations, social equity, gender balance, human rights, good governance, and anti-corruption measures. Since 2000s, seafood certification schemes have been introduced in Vietnam fisheries (e.g. MSC, Friends of the Sea), in aquaculture (e.g. SA8000, BSCI, COSTCO, SMETA, METRO, WALMART, BAP, ASC etc). However, these CSR standards are still limited known and understood. In addition, having so many different standards is giving a lot of confusion for all stakeholders. It raises the need for the development of one overarching standard.
Under the projects promoting CSR practice in seafood industry in 2015 including GRAISEA (Gender Transformative and Responsible Agribusiness in South East Asia) funded by Sweden government , OXFAM in Vietnam together with partners International Collaborating Centre for Aquaculture and Fisheries Sustainability – ICAFIS and MCD have implemented
Studies: Baseline study for GRAISEA programme, 3 CSR mapping studies on regulatory frameworks and practices in Vietnam seafood supply chain, CSR comparisons and guidelines in seafood industry (wild capture fishery and aquaculture)
activities creating awareness of gender transformative CSR practices (importance, opportunity, challenge), and piloting these with stakeholders involved (smallholders, companies, DARD, NGOs) in smallholder shrimp aquaculture
conduct of national forum on CSR with seafood companies, consultation and dialogues with multi-stakeholders (October 2015).
Based on jointly comprehensive work plan for GRAISEA made by Oxfam and partners for 2016 (YEAR 2 of the project), Oxfam and partners would like to open a call for a consultancy services in further promoting CSR practice of aquaculture processing companies, one of key sector Oxfam has been working on. The consultancy will be divided into two packages of i) developing a Vietnam Sustainability index to assess gender sensitive CSR practices of aquaculture processing companies based on the current CSR standards/guidelines; ii) introducing CSR guidelines, providing training and technical support on practice CSR in aquaculture processing companies and do company performance report and self-assessment. The consultant(s) would be required to indicate clearly which package they are proposing for. The consultant(s) could propose for Package 1 or 2 or both depending on their capacities required by Oxfam.
PACKAGE 1: Development of Sustainability Index for Aquaculture
OBJECTIVES
To develop an assessment framework, in which Vietnamese aquaculture processing companies are compared according to key sustainability indicators and which is feasible on the basis of publicly available data and information provided by the companies.
The assessment framework should include:
most relevant economic, environmental, social and CO2 emissions sustainability criteria compiled from international and local, regional CSR standards in which current Sustainability Reporting of Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and Corporate Sustainability Indicator (CSI) being developed by VCCI are suggested to be used as the basic framework.
other criteria should be included based on Oxfam’s mission and vision such as: due diligence on human rights, smallholder inclusion and fair pricing, gender, fair contract farming, labour conditions including non-discrimination and non-harassment, grievance mechanisms, and company public transparency and accountability.
specific aquaculture standards including zonal or area management criteria
SCOPE OF WORK
The consultants would be expected to carry out the following works:
Review gender-sensitive CSR guidelines for aquaculture companies developed by Oxfam, CSI being developed by VCCI and Sustainability Reporting of GRI.
Have data collection for indicator development.
Develop Sustainability Index with the integration and/or selection of relevant indicator from all the above reviews with i) a proposal for a scoring procedure on these criteria; ii) a proposal for an initial list of companies to be included in the index; iii) a proposal for a feasible gathering of the relevant data and procedure for checking these with the companies involved; iv) a proposal on how to best have public disclosure of the index and a regular update of the findings
Have and consultation on the potential indicators with GRAISEA regional partners and Oxfam’s international advisors
Organise consultation workshop and dialogue with multi-stakeholders and work with GRAISEA regional partners to integrate and harmonise the Index.
Collaborate with the consultants of Package 2 and Oxfam partners
DELIVERABLES
The following are the expected deliverables:
Draft report on reviewing gender-sensitive CSR guidelines for aquaculture companies developed by Oxfam, CSI being developed by VCCI and Sustainability reporting of GRI in English
Proposal for Sustainability index in both English and Vietnamese
Consultation workshop and dialogue with multi-stakeholders
Consultation with GRAISEA regional partners and international advisors for Index harmonisation.
TIMELINE
The time frame will be expected from May 20 to Jul. 30 2016
Draft report/Index/Templates: by middle of June 2016
Consultation workshop and dialogue: by middle of July
Final report/Index/Templates: by end of July
REQUIREMENT FOR APPLICANTS.
The consultant(s) must have:
Qualifications in one of following majors: social sciences, food industry, fisheries/aquaculture, environment and related with strong background of CSR, sustainability reporting, sustainability development
At least 07 year experience in related field (Index development, CSR, standards)
Skills and experiences in assessment methodology, social impact assessment, familiar with seafood industry in Vietnam;
Presentation, facilitation, documentation skills.
Good communication skill and working with private sector;
Excellent English writing skills.
PACKAGE 2: Capacity Development for aquaculture companies
OBJECTIVES
To provide capacity development for aquaculture processing companies to practice CSR guidelines, CSR performance report, self-assessment using the criteria of the assessment framework of the Sustainability Index including training, technical support and integrating awareness raising on workers’ rights.
SCOPE OF WORK
The consultants would be expected to carry out the following works:
Design training schedule and materials based
Provide training to 30 aquaculture companies in Mekong Delta provinces
Provide technical support on how to practice CSR guidelines, CSR performance self-assessment, sustainability reporting against Sustainability Index
Provide technical support for companies to improve their CSR policies
Design, provide training and technical support for Trade Union of aquaculture companies to integrate awareness raising for employees on workers’ rights.
DELIVERABLES
The following are the expected deliverables:
Training schedule and materials in both English and Vietnamese
Trainings and technical support to 30 companies
30 CSR performance assessment, 3 simple sustainability reporting
Companies’ policies documents improved
Awareness raising activities for employees by Trade Unions of companies
TIMELINE
The time frame will be expected from Jul. 2016 to Mar. 2017. Detail schedule will be designed based on agreement with companies and Oxfam’s partners throughout the year.
REQUIREMENT FOR APPLICANTS.
The consultant(s) must have:
Qualifications in one of following majors: social sciences, food industry, fisheries/aquaculture, environment, or related with strong background of CSR.
At least 07 year experience in related field (capacity building, training)
Skills and experiences in assessment, training methodology, familiar with seafood industry in Vietnam and understanding the local languages;
Presentation, facilitation, documentation skills.
Good communication skill and working with private sector;
Excellent English writing skills.
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION
Proposal should be submitted in English that indicates clearly which packages it applies for by email before 5 PM on May 10 2016 to:
OXFAM in VIETNAM
Contact person: Do Thuy Ha, Private Sector Projects Manager
E-mail: ha.dothuy@oxfamnovib.nl; Phone: 84-903262000
The Proposal should be specified in terms of:
Introduction of the Consultants’ profile and related experience with CVs
Technical methodology to achieve objectives within expected timeframe.
Financial proposal
Note: Only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted
ICAFIS - Corporate social responsibility in fisheries (CSR)
