Result of ServiceThrough the information materials on Plastics and Finance the roles and needs of the finance sector to support the system change required to transition towards a circular plastic economy and prevent and reduce plastic pollution will be better understood and described, and will constructively contribute to the development process of the future plastic instrument, as well as to developing awareness and readiness of the finance sector to take action to tackle the issue of plastic pollution, especially UNEP FI’s membership community. Through the sectoral briefs on circular economy financing MDBs and private financial institutions will be better equipped to identify circular solutions and opportunities across the value chain in certain high impact sectors, and to put in place de-risking mechanisms and solutions via blended finance to increase mobilisation of private capital. Collaboration between MDBs and private financial institutions on circular economy financing will be enhanced. Work LocationWorking Remotely Expected duration6 months Duties and ResponsibilitiesThe United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. The overall objective of the UNEP’s Economy Division is to encourage decision makers in government, local authorities and industry to develop and adopt policies, strategies and practices and technologies that promote sustainable patterns of consumption and production, make efficient use of natural resources, ensure safe management of chemicals and contribute to making trade and environment policies mutually supportive. It promotes the development, use and transfer of policies, technologies, economic instruments, managerial practices and other tools that assist in environmentally sound decision making and the building of corresponding activities. The United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) is the strategic partnership between the United Nations and over 500 banks, insurers and investors. For over 32 years UNEP FI has been shaping and driving the international sustainable finance agenda, setting global standards and growing a global network of leading financial institutions. Through its work-streams and regional activities, peer learning, methodology development, training and research, UNEP FI promotes sustainable finance and helps the financial industry align with and contribute to the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals. Per the IPBES Global Assessment (2019), pollution is one of the major drivers of biodiversity loss, which is an important factor in climate change. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted in December 2022 includes a target to “Reduce pollution risks and the negative impact of pollution from all sources, by 2030, to levels that are not harmful to biodiversity and ecosystem functions and services, considering cumulative effects, including: (…) preventing, reducing, and working towards eliminating plastic pollution”. At UN Environment Assembly (UNEA 5.2) held in March 2022, representatives of 175 nations endorsed a resolution to end plastic pollution. The resolution addresses the full lifecycle of plastic, including its production, design and disposal. The resolution established an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC), which began its work in 2022 with the ambition of agreeing an international legally binding instrument, and which hold five INC meetings and is expected to hold the second segment of the fifth INC meeting (INC 5.2) in 2025. UNEP FI convened a Finance Leadership Group on Plastics, a core group of banks and insurers, with the objective to support the development process of the future plastic instrument and to build readiness in the finance sector to take action on preventing and reducing plastic pollution. In order to inform the finance community on the topic of plastic pollution and support the development process of the future plastic instrument, information materials on Plastics and Finance will be developed, consisting in awareness raising sessions and a plastic action guide for financial institutions. UNEP FI will also work in enhancing collaboration between multilateral development banks (MDBs) and private financial institutions by developing sectoral briefings and workshops in select high impact sectors to identify circular solutions and opportunities across the value chain, and blended de-risking mechanisms and solutions via blended finance to increase mobilisation of private capital. UNEP FI currently does not have the internal capacity to develop this work, hence outside expertise is required. In close collaboration with the Pollution and Circular Economy team, the consultant will contribute to the development of information materials on Plastics and Finance and to other activities of the Finance Leadership Group on Plastics, support the development of sectoral circular economy financing guidelines for MDBs in select high impact sectors, and support other activities of the Pollution and Circular Economy team. The consultant is required to support in developing information materials on Plastics and Finance, including awareness raising sessions or knowledge and exchange sessions, as well as a Plastics Action Guide for financial institutions. The information materials will contain ways for financial institutions to address the issue of plastic pollution, including chemical pollution considerations, gender, decent work and human rights considerations and fostering a just transition. The work of the consultant will include running desktop research and consultations with experts, partners, financial institutions and other relevant stakeholders to inform the development of the information materials, organising and hoding at least one awareness raising or knowledge and exchange session, workshop or webinar on plastic pollution for financial institutions, and supporting in the development and drafting of a Plastics Action Guide for financial institutions. The consultant will support other activities of the Finance Leadership Group on Plastics as needed. The consultant will also support in the development of sectoral circular economy financing guidelines for MDBs in certain high impact sectors and in organising exchange sessions with MDBs and private financial institutions to foster implementation of the sectoral guidelines. The consultant will work in coordination with UNEP FI Pollution and Circular Economy team, other relevant UNEP FI teams and colleagues, UNEP teams, PRI and other partners. The consultant will build on the work of UNEP FI’s Pollution and Circular Economy team, Nature team, Banking team, Insurance team and on other relevant initiatives at UNEP FI related to plastic pollution, chemical pollution, resource efficiency and circular economy, and other related topics. He or she should align his or her work to UNEP’s Medium-Term Strategy priorities and be developed in coordination with UNEP’s colleagues as needed. The consultant will closely monitor and incorporate in its work the development of the negotiation process of the future plastic instrument, as well as any document, material, event, webinar and information shared by the INC Secretariat, Member States and other stakeholders. Specific tasks and responsibilities : The consultant shall have the following specific tasks and responsibilities: • Provide support for the organisation of knowledge and exchange sessions to inform and raise awareness in the finance community, especially the UNEP FI membership community, on the topic of plastic pollution and finance, its relevance to the finance sector and progress of the plastic instrument negotiation process. • Support the development of a Plastic Action Guide containing ambition and possible ways for financial institutions to address the issue of plastic pollution, throughout the full plastics life cycle, including through circular economy solutions, including chemical pollution considerations, gender, decent work and human rights considerations and fostering a just transition. This will include support in defining scope, objectives and outline of the paper as well as running desktop research and consultations with experts, partners, financial institutions and other relevant stakeholders to inform the co-development of a paper. The consultant will build on the UNEP spotlight report Turning Off the Tap launched ahead of INC2, on the outcomes of INC meetings, on UNEP FI paper Redirecting Financial Flows to End Plastic Pollution launched ahead of INC3 and on any material or resource developed by the Finance Leadership Group on Plastics. The consultant will work in coordination with the project manager of the Finance Leadership Group on Plastics, UNEP FI Pollution and Circular Economy team, other relevant UNEP FI teams and colleagues, UNEP teams, PRI and other partners. • Provide support to the contribution of the Finance Leadership Group on Plastics to the future plastic instrument negotiation process. The consultant will support as needed the work of the Group to develop input to be provided in the perspective of the second segment of the fifth INC meeting (INC 5.2), side events or multi-stakeholder dialogues / forums. This will include providing support in preparing content and materials, participating to meetings of the Group, support in the development of written submissions, white papers and/or briefing notes, collecting and consolidating inputs from the Group and other stakeholders, support as needed in the organisation of events and sessions with experts and partners, industry, policy makers and other stakeholders, including at regional level. The consultant will work in close collaboration with relevant UNEP and UNEP FI teams as well as with the Group’s sponsor and experts and partners group. • Support the development and launch of sectoral briefs for MDBs to enhance understanding of the value chain and its hotspots in select high impact sectors, identification of circular solutions and opportunities across the value chain and their expected impact on climate, nature and pollution, while ensuring a just transition including gender considerations, guidance on possible indicators, sources of data, templates and tools to support engagement with clients and financial intermediaries. • Provide support to organise workshops or exchange sessions targeting MDBs and private financial institutions with the objective to support the implementation of the sectoral guidelines • The consultant will leverage on the work developed by UNEP FI Pollution and Circular Economy team to support the transition to a circular economy and promote circular solutions to prevent and reduce plastic pollution, by UNEP FI Nature team to support the negotiation process of the Global Biodiversity Framework adopted at COP15 in December 2022, and to support the implementation of the Sustainable Blue Economy Finance Principles. The consultant will work in collaboration with all relevant UNEP FI teams including the Banking team and Insurance team, as well as the Social team, Policy and Regulation team and Climate team, and will work as needed with UNEP FI regional coordinators, especially for possible regional engagement with negotiators and stakeholders. • The consultant will work in collaboration with the Finance Leadership Group on Plastics members, PRI and with various experts and partners, as well as with MDBs. The consultant will seek and take into account input provided by the Finance Leadership Group on Plastics’ members and experts and partners group, and other experts and peer reviewers as well as MDBs engaged as needed. The Consultant shall be under the overall supervision of the Head of UNEP FI and report directly to the Programme Management Officer, working in close coordination with the Pollution and Circular Economy Lead. Qualifications/special skillsEducation: Advanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent experience) in economics, finance, environment, resource management, sustainability, business, strategy, management, or a related field. A first-level university degree in combination with 3 years of work experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced university degree. The consultant should have excellent listening, writing and speaking communications skills. Professional Experience: A minimum of one (1) year of progressively responsible work experience, ideally in the area of finance/sustainable finance. Experience working in/with banks, insurers and/or investment firms is an advantage, as well as experience working in international contexts. Experience working in the area of resource efficiency/circular economy/plastic pollution is a plus. Furthermore, the candidate should have a track record of delivering consistently high-quality outputs on time and on budget. The candidate should have successfully supported complex, ideally multi-stakeholder, research projects or studies. Experience of stakeholder engagement is a plus. LanguagesLanguages: English is the working language of UNEP FI. Knowledge of other United Nations languages is an asset. Additional InformationSkills & Knowledge: The candidate should have excellent proven conceptual, analytical, research, interviewing, writing and editing skills. The consultant should have strong project management, stakeholder engagement and consultation competencies. He or she should have an understanding of financial services (banking, insurance and/or investment) and sustainable consumption and production/resource efficiency in the private sector. The candidate should be able to work independently in an organized and timely manner. Strong technical skills will be an advantage. Knowledge of sustainable finance and/or banking and/or insurance is desirable, as well as knowledge on the issue of plastic pollution and/or the circular economy. No FeeTHE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.