Business Engagement Specialist

Result of ServiceThe Consultant will support UNEP’s EcoAdvance project team in mobilizing private sector and other stakeholder participation in the Environmental Alliance of America (AAA), by mobilizing large, medium, and small enterprises across Latin America and the Caribbean—including but not limited to Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Brazil, Paraguay, and Peru—to actively engage in national mirror committees and technical working groups, while also encouraging companies to participate in certification processes to obtain the Environmental Seal of America. Through outreach, tailored communication, and facilitation of collaboration with academia, consumer groups, and quality infrastructure organizations, the Consultant will help establish the Seal as a credible and operational instrument for sustainable trade throughout the region. Work Locationremote Expected duration6 months Duties and ResponsibilitiesAs the UN's leading environmental entity, UNEP, tackles environmental problems at global and regional level. Its mandate is to coordinate the development of environmental political consensus, keeping the global environment under review, and informing governments and the international community of emerging issues for their action. The mid-term strategy (MTS) 2022-2025 highlights unsustainable consumption and production as the main drivers of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution – the three planetary crises. To combat these interconnected issues, advocacy for a holistic approach that promotes a shift towards a resource-efficient and circular economy is needed. This consultancy is part of the project \"Greening supply and demand: Promoting Ecolabels and Sustainable Public Procurement for climate and biodiversity protection (Eco-Advance).\" The project is funded by the Federal Ministry of Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety, and Consumer Protection (BMUV), through the International Climate Initiative. One of the objectives of the project is to assist the regional environmental labeling program called the Environmental Alliance of America (referred to as Alianza Ambiental de América or \"the Alliance\"), a regional initiative of Latin American countries that strives to create a regional ecolabel known as the Environmental label of America. The initiative aims to develop common criteria for products, processes, and services among countries and increase regional recognition and awareness of sustainable products and services. A central challenge lies in the limited engagement of private sector actors—particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)—in the development and implementation of the Environmental Label of America. On the one hand, it is essential that private sector experts actively contribute to national mirror committees and technical working groups, working in collaboration with academia, consumer representatives, and quality infrastructure organizations to shape credible and harmonized sustainability criteria. On the other hand, enterprises themselves must be encouraged to participate in the certification process, demonstrating compliance with the established criteria and thereby obtaining the Seal. This consultancy will therefore play a pivotal role in mobilizing and strengthening private sector and other key stakeholder participation across both dimensions: contributing knowledge and expertise to the design of criteria, and committing to certification as adopters of the label. By fostering meaningful collaboration between businesses, governments, and societal stakeholders, the consultancy will help establish the Environmental Label of America as a credible and operational instrument for sustainable trade. Achieving this will mark a critical milestone within the EcoAdvance project and a major step towards advancing circular and resource-efficient economies in the region. Objectives, output expectations 1. Identification of Private Sector Actors Map and profile enterprises with strong sustainability credentials and recognized market leadership across Latin America and the Caribbean, prioritizing UNEP high-impact sectors where AAA is engaged (plastics, electronics), as well as other sectors with criteria under development (cleaning products, paper, paints, retreaded tires, coffee). The consultant will deliver a country-by-country list of at least 10 potential enterprises per country (Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, Paraguay, Peru, and others in the region), highlighting their sustainability credentials and potential role as champions of the Environmental Seal of America. In addition, the consultant could look at new product categories where businesses would be interested. 2. Private Sector Engagement Strategy Develop and present a regional and national engagement strategies for mobilizing large, medium, and small enterprises towards active participation in the Environmental Seal of America. The strategy will include a clear action plan with activities, and roles to secure business involvement in national mirror committees and AAA technical working groups. At least each mirror committee related to products under sustainability criteria development by AAA should include one extra enterprise, either as a member of the committee or as part of an active technical working group), 3. Outreach and Awareness-Raising Conduct targeted outreach to businesses through the networks of national standardization bodies, chambers of commerce, and business associations, organizing one-to-one meetings with sustainability managers, CEOs, and boards, as well as workshops, dialogues, or roundtables. 4. Facilitation of Private Sector, Academia, and Consumer Representatives Participation in Criteria Development Act as liaison between enterprises and national mirror committees and AAA technical working groups to ensure private sector experts contribute to the development of sustainability criteria, while encouraging collaboration with academia, consumer representatives, and quality infrastructure organizations. 5. Support to Certification Process of Enterprises Encourage and guide enterprises to initiate certification processes to obtain the Environmental Seal of America, providing technical and procedural support during the initial steps. By the end of the consultancy, at least 10 enterprises from the region will have formally engaged in the certification process, demonstrating concrete progress towards Seal adoption. 6. Financial Mechanisms and Sustainability of the AAA Identify and document funding opportunities to support SMEs in obtaining the Environmental Seal of America, and propose options for fundraising to strengthen the long-term sustainability of the AAA, including its work on Environmental Product Declarations and Footprints. The consultant will prepare a fundraising options report with the mechanisms identified, giving special attention to opportunities with development banks and global financial institutions with interest in LAC region. Qualifications/special skillsAdvanced university degree (Master’s degree or equivalent) in business management, sustainable development, environmental or circular economy management, or other related areas. - A minimum of 7 years of work experience on the topic of sustainable development and/or circular economy, - Working experience in consumer information tools, ecolabels or product sustainability information is required. - Experience in organizing and delivering presentations in workshops, events, webinars is required. - Experience working with private sector and civil society entities. - Excellent written and oral communication skills. - Ability to work independently and support a multi-disciplinary team, using independent judgment to plan, prioritize and organize a diverse workload in a fast-paced environment. - At least 3 years of experience working at the international level would be an asset. - Experience working for UNEP, the UN system or an international organization would be an asset. LanguagesFor the post advertised, fluency in oral and written Spanish and English is required. Knowledge of Portuguese would be an asset. Additional InformationNot available. 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.