Re-advertisement: International consultant for Business Impact Analysis on Children, Adolescents and Young People and a Corporate Mapping of the Business Sector in Azerbaijan

Contract

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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, protection

Background:

Businesses interact with and impact the lives of children directly and indirectly, as consumers, family members of employees, young workers, future employees, and business leaders. Children are a part of the communities and environments in which businesses operate. Through their policies, products, services, supply chains, manufacturing methods, marketing methods, distribution practices, environmental impacts and investments in local communities, businesses effect children in ways that are both positive and harmful.

The business sector includes corporations – from micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to large multinationals, as well as governmental and non-governmental organizations working on issues and policies related to business, aggregators such as multi-stakeholder platforms and industry bodies, business leaders as influencers in their own right, and corporate foundations

The Children’s Rights in Impact Assessment, developed through consultations led by UNICEF, Save the Children and the United Nations Global Compact, is a guide for integrating children’s rights into impact assessments and taking action for children and Business Principles. It provides a child rights lens to the global standard on business and human rights established by the Guiding Principles. The Principles call on all businesses to:

1. Meet their responsibility to respect and support children’s rights and commit to supporting the human rights of children.
2. Contribute towards the elimination of child labour, including in all business activities and business relationships.
3. Provide decent work for young workers, parents and caregivers.
4. Ensure the protection of children in all business activities and facilities.
5. Ensure that products and services are safe, and seek to support children’s rights through them.
6. Use marketing and advertising that respect and support children’s rights.
7. Respect and support children’s rights in relation to the environment and to land acquisition and use.
8. Respect and support children’s rights in security arrangements.
9. Help protect children affected by emergencies.
10. Reinforce community and government efforts to protect and fulfil children’s rights.

These Principles form the foundation of actions that businesses can take in terms of their corporate responsibility to respect children’s rights, as well as suggesting actions to support children’s rights in the workplace, marketplace and community. In this way, they aim to help businesses better understand their responsibilities towards children in a variety of contexts, including the employment of young workers, marketing practices, interaction with local communities and operation in emergency situations.

UNICEF Azerbaijan, through our new Country Programme of Cooperation with the Government (2021-2025), will seek opportunities to expand partnership with the business sectors. As the first step, a Business Impact Analysis (BIA) on the realization of children’s rights, and a mapping of the business landscape in Azerbaijan will be conducted.

How can you make a difference?

The main purpose of this assignment is to conduct a Business Impact Analysis (BIA) to assess the impact of the Azerbaijan business sector on children/adolescent/young people’s rights, and a corporate mapping of the business sector consistent with the BIA to assess the potential of working with the business/private sector in the country to improve the situation of children. The analysis should examine firstly the key areas and sectors in the Azerbaijan economy, and the potential and actual impacts that business in Azerbaijan are having on children’s rights, with a particular focus the most vulnerable children.

Scope of Work:

Following the overall conceptual framework of the Business Impact Analysis on the Children’s Rights and Business Principles (CRBPs) issued by UNICEF, Save the Children and UN Global Compact, based on the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and relevant guidance issued by UNICEF since the adoption of the CRBPs, as well as taking into account the Business for Results approach, the selected international consultant will take the overall leadership of the BIA study. He/she will team with a national consultant in the whole process to complete the study.

The key tasks for a BIA may include:

• Conduct a diagnostic of the business sector in Azerbaijan and examine the degree to which the business intersects with children’s rights and is therefore a key stakeholder in addressing child rights deprivations.
• Assess the direct or indirect impact of business operations and practices on children’s well-being and UNICEF’s ability to achieve programmatic goals, and the influence of business or broader industry on determining national development plans or poverty reduction strategies
• Identify and analyse practices and activities of the business sector in Azerbaijan that have a positive impact on the well-being of children, adolescents and young people, and indicate models that would allow the promotion and strengthening of such practices and activities.
• Analyse to what extent there is an enabling environment (i.e. laws, policies and regulations) in Azerbaijan, to engage the business sector in the realization of the rights of all children, adolescents and young people, and analyse if and how child-and youth-friendly business policies are incentivized or embedded in national policies, laws, strategies, plans and budgets.
• Capture new or emerging areas related to business impact on children, adolescents and young people, such as COVID-19 response and recovery implications (unemployment, digitalization, online safety, mental health, etc.), environmental and climate issues, etc.
• Analyze business roles and motivations, their accountability and their capacity to act
• Assess the level of awareness of the business sector with regards to corporate responsibility, as well as the potential of working together with the private sector to improve children's rights in Azerbaijan, particularly in areas of UNICEF's programme priorities.
• Identify pathways to leverage business influence for programme, policy, advocacy and fundraising.

For analyzing the corporate mapping:

• Identify the relative importance of industry sectors in the economy of the country.
• Identify and list -for all the key sectors- those companies (both local and international) operating in the country that together represent 80% of the activity of their respective industry sector.
• Provide the data points for each company. Relevant data points are included in the appendix table.

Major steps are as follows:

Inception phase:

• Initial desk review to assess availability of data/ information
• Development of a final conceptual framework for the BIA and specific tools for data collection.
• A brief overview of potential industries and companies to be included in the corporate mapping.
• Presentation of the conceptual framework and the tools to UNICEF to facilitate an in-depth common understanding of the framework
• Presentation of an inception report, including finalized conceptual framework and methodology.

Data collection and analysis:

• Data collection, online interviews and in-depth desk-review of existing evidence regarding the role of the business sector in children’s wellbeing, and the meaningful participation of children and adolescents should be collected and analyzed.
• A series of interviews with leading companies and business associations with the support of the national consultant.
• Analysis of relevant national context on political, economic, social, technological and environmental through desk review on strategies and planning documents, policies and budgets.

• Secondary analysis of available data/information.

  Reporting:

• Development of draft reports - comprehensive Business Impact Analysis and the corporate mapping

• Development of final, comprehensive report for internal use, not more than 30 pages excepting annexes.

• Development of a user, and business-friendly, summary document for advocacy purpose.

  Annex.docx

Work Assignment Overview

Tasks/Milestone:

Deliverables/Outputs:

Timeline:

Inception phase – Developing methodologies, tools and workplan with timeframe

BIA Inception report, with an analytical framework and outline of the BIA report, including a brief overview of potential industries and companies to be include in the corporate mapping

5 working days

Data collection and analysis, with the support of the national consultant

Draft BIA Report and a PowerPoint Presentation

10 working days

Draft the BIA Report

8 working days

Finalization of the BIA Report with corporate mapping

Fina BIA Report (not more than 30 pages excluding Annexes) including an Executive Summary/Policy Paper (two pages). Final presentation and all datasets as Annexes

2 working days

Supervisor of the assignment is UNICEF Social Policy Specialist.

To qualify as an advocate for every child you will have…

• Advanced degree in social sciences, economy, business Administration or related fields relevant for the assignment;
• Recognized researcher with proven experience in business and policy analysis, corporate responsibility, corporate governance or business and human rights issues;
• Strong analytical skills – references to previous work or institutions;
• Good knowledge of private sector analysis, statistics, corporate responsibility and responsible business conduct, human rights, the development agenda, gender and equity issues;
• Good understanding of the business environment in Azerbaijan and/or in the region is an asset;
• Previous experience with UNICEF is an advantage;
• At least 3 years of relevant experience in development of analytical reports and policy documents related to business analysis, corporate social responsibility, etc;
• Proven experience in quantitative and qualitative data analysis, policy (and finance) analysis and report preparation;
• Experience in facilitating consultations with business and government representatives and other stakeholders;
• Fluency in English. Knowledge in Russian, Turkish and/or Azerbaijani is an asset;
• Excellent writing and presentation skills.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

UNICEF's values of Care, Respect, Integrity, Trust, and Accountability (CRITA)

To view our competency framework, please visit here.

Click here to learn more about UNICEF’s values and competencies.

Applicants are required to provide:

• A short cover letter, highlighting relevant experience with similar type of assignments (max 300 words).
• CV of the individual applicants
• A technical proposal with tentative workplan and timeframe
• Financial proposal
• Samples or links to related work previously conducted by the consultant

The shortlisted applicants will be contacted by UNICEF with a technical discussion and interview.

Note: All consultants & individual contractors regardless of contract duration must complete the applicable mandatory online courses prior to signature of contract. The link to these courses will be provided during the selection process for the successful candidates.

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.

Remarks:

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted and advance to the next stage of the selection process.

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.