FROM COMMITMENT TO CONTRACT

Procurement is one of the primary mechanisms through which environmental and social (E&S) commitments are turned into legally enforceable obligations for contractors, consultants, and suppliers. Although the borrower  remains  accountable  to  the  financier  for  meeting  E&S  standards,  most  of  the  activities  that determine a project’s E&S performance are carried out by contractors and their supply chains. In practice,the  quality  of  E&S  outcomes  depends  heavily  on  how  well  safeguards  requirements  are  reflected  in procurement decisions, embedded in contract documents, and enforced during implementation.
Yet in many institutions, safeguards and procurement are handled by separate teams that use different language, follow different timelines, and answer to different accountabilities. This separation is a frequent source of weak implementation. Multilateral development banks (MDBs) have responded by embedding E&S considerations directly into their procurement frameworks. The instruments now exist. The remaining challenge is to apply them consistently and with confidence in the field.
This knowledge sharing webinar brings the two communities together for a focused two-hour exchange on where safeguards and procurement meet, what works, and what still gets lost between policy and practice

The  webinar  creates  space  for  open  dialogue  between  E&S  and  procurement  practitioners.  Together,participants will:

• Explore  the  key  points  where  E&S  requirements  enter  the  procurement  cycle,  from  early  risk identification to contract management
• Share practical experiences of embedding E&S provisions in procurement documents and enforcing them through contracts
• Discuss  the  common  obstacles  to  integration,  including  siloed  teams,  misaligned  timelines,  and administrative burden
• Identify practical solutions and good practices that participants can apply in their own institutions
• This is a peer learning event for practitioners working to bridge the gap between safeguards policy and procurement practice.

• Environmental and social specialists in borrower institutions, implementing agencies, and government ministries
• Procurement specialists and officers who prepare, evaluate, and manage contracts
• Project managers and task team leaders coordinating between safeguards and procurement functions
• Contract managers, engineers, and technical staff who supervise works contracts
• Consultants and advisers supporting procurement documents and E&S instruments
• Staff of development finance institutions involved in appraisal, supervision, or monitoring

The  knowledge  sharing  event  is  a  single  interactive  webinar  of  two  hours,  combining  short expert inputs with field perspectives and open peer exchange. It covers the following themes:
 

• Welcome and framing. Why safeguards and procurement must work together.
• The  safeguards  and  procurement  nexus. How  environmental  and  social  requirements move through the procurement cycle, from risk identification to contract management.
• Field perspectives. Practitioners share their experiences of embedding and enforcing E&S provisions in real contracts.
  Interactive  peer  exchange. Open  discussion  on  obstacles,  good  practices,  and  practical solutions, with questions from participants.
  Key takeaways and closing.

Language: The course will be held in English and French. 

Course Fees: The event is free for participants with hosting cost being fully covered by the ITCILO Development Investment Programme.

Certificate: After successfully participating in all sessions and its activities, participants obtain an official ITCILO Certificate of Participation in Digital Credentials Format.

Contact: For further information, please email esg@itcilo.org