Description
This third working meeting of the Team of Specialists (ToS) on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Traceability of Sustainable Value Chains in the Circular Economy will take place on the 9 May 2023, fully in-person in Geneva. The ToS aims at contributing to better and more informed decisions for sustainable consumption and production, through ESG traceability approaches and systems for the exchange of data and information along global value chain, in priority industries for the circular transition.
At our last meeting in March 2023, ToS collected policies, lessons learned in relation to ESG monitoring and reporting in agri-food, textiles, minerals, and recommendations on supporting mechanisms (traceability, incentives, interoperability, governance framework, certification and labelling) and principles (trust, collaboration, synergies) to access and share reliable ESG data along value chains.
Building upon the outcomes of The Sustainability Pledge project, the objective of the meeting is to deep dive into the foundational elements of an ESG monitoring and reporting protocol, looking at issues from a cross-sectorial and sector-specific perspectives in key value chains for the transition to a circular economy.
The meeting is an opportunity for members of the Team of Specialists to meet in-person, share their views and expertise on the topic and support the ToS objectives during a one-day workshop. The event is organized in conjunction with the 40th UN/CEFACT Forum and is aimed at experts with an interest in ESG traceability.
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Agenda
OPENING AND WELCOME REMARKS (09.30-10.00)
- UNECE, Elisabeth Tuerk, Director, Economic Cooperation and Trade Division, UNECE
- ToS Secretary, Maria Teresa Pisani, Secretary of the Team of Specialists on ESG and Project Lead, The Sustainability Pledge
APPOINTMENT OF THE NEW CHAIR OF THE TEAM OF SPECIALISTS
ITEM 1: WHERE ARE WE NOW ON ESG TRACEABILITY? (10.00-11.00)
Moderator: Vice-Chair of the ToS, Harm Jan van Burg, Senior Policy Advisor on International Standards, OASIS
Presenters:
- GoSource Pty, Steven Capell, Managing Director and UN/CEFACT Project Lead
- UNECE, Maria Teresa Pisani, Secretary of the Team of Specialists on ESG and Project Lead, The Sustainability Pledge
- Triangularity, Virginia Cram-Martos, CEO and UN/CEFACT Project Lead
Panellists:
- British Columbia Ministry of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation, Nancy Norris, Senior Director – ESG & Digital Trust
- Initiative for Compliance and Sustainability, Carole Hommey, General Manager
- International Trade Centre, Grzegorz Tajchman, IT Solutions Manager
- TÜV Rheinland Group, Rakesh Vazirani, Head of Sustainability Services
20 minutes of Q&A
Break from 11.00-11.30
ITEM 2: TEAM OF SPECIALISTS WORKSHOP – PART I (11.30 – 12.30)
Guiding questions - Data for ESG monitoring and reporting protocol:
- What data do we need to collect to ensure effective ESG monitoring and reporting of value chains?
- What types of sustainability and geopolitical risks?
- How do we determine which data points are relevant for each aspect of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) to address these risks?
- How can we ensure the accuracy and reliability of the data we collect?
Lunchbreak (12.30-14.00)
ITEM 3: TEAM OF SPECIALISTS WORKSHOP– PART II (14.00 – 16.00)
Guiding question: What are the cross-sectorial, and the sector-specific challenges, regarding data monitoring and reporting in the following sectors:
Keynote presentation:
- GS1, Francesca Poggiali, Chief Public Policy Officer Europe
- Institute of Quality Certification for the Leather Sector (ICEC), Sabrina Frontini, Director
Sector-focused discussion:
- Critical raw materials value chains
Lead discussant: World Economic Forum, Luciana Gutmann, Project Fellow, Securing Critical Minerals for the Energy Transition - Textile and leather value chains
Lead discussant: Better Cotton, Kendra Pasztor, Senior Manager - Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning - Agri-food value chains
Lead discussant: Charles Arden-Clarke, former Head One Planet Network secretariat at UNEP
Break 16.00-16.30
ITEM 4: TEAM OF SPECIALISTS WORKSHOP – PART III (16.30 – 17.30)
Moderator: Vice Chair of the ToS, Nathalie Bernasconi, Executive Director, IISD Europe; Senior Director, Economic Law & Policy
Guiding questions - Future areas of work and fundraising:
- What are our strategic priorities for this next phase of work?
- What are our overall goals for ESG traceability in value chains, and how can we align our priorities with those goals?
- How can we design our approach to be adaptable to different value chains, industries, and regions?
- How can we secure the necessary resources and ensure they are allocated effectively?
Closing (17:30)
Presentations
Reference documents
- Report on the Blockchain Pilots Project for the Garment and Footwear Sector: Draft Proof-of-Concept Report: Harnessing the potential of blockchain technology for due diligence and sustainability in cotton and leather value chains (ECE/TRADE/C/CEFACT/2022/9)
- Policy paper on Enhancing Traceability of Products along International Value Chains for the Circular Economy and Sustainable Use of Resources (ECE/TRADE/C/CEFACT/2022/8)