Result of Service
Through these services, the Senior Advisor should be able to contribute to delivering the following. In summary: • Support developing UNEP FI’s strategy from a risk perspective and informing overall strategy development. • Provide feedback on UNEP FI Risk Centre’s working group work plans and suggestions for adapting them to meet financial institutions’ current needs, include advise on the positioning of risk under the PRB/PSI and overall UNEP FI narrative. • Ensure the risk centre programme contributes to implementing the PRB, PSI, and climate commitments, adjusting working group work plans and materials with suggestions for adapting them and contributing to the risk programme’s planning /scoping activities. • Ensure relevance for the financial sector on upcoming priorities in the field of environmental and social risk and consider how those topics might be integrated into current and future Risk programme sessions or working groups. • Deliver perspectives on the current needs of participating financial institutions concerning environmental and social risks and advancing forward-looking integrated risk management for future resilience. • Suggest potential risk-related partnerships or outputs that might be of benefit to UNEP FI and its members. • Conduct a technical review of materials and outputs produced by the Risk team to ensure high-quality deliverables and a coherent approach to risk-related elements of banks and insurers’ sustainability journeys. • Promote UNEP FI Risk outputs and offerings online and at in-person events. • Provide input into the communications strategy of UNEP FI to better communicate the Risk offerings to financial institutions’ risk teams in the context of PRB, PSI and climate commitments.
Work Location
Working remotely
Expected duration
4 months
Duties and Responsibilities
The 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 30 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. UNEP FI helps align private finance with sustainable development by engaging financial institutions committed to implementing leading industry sustainability frameworks – the Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB), Principles for Sustainable Insurance (PSI), Net-Zero Alliances for banks and asset owners (together with the Principles for Responsible Investment), and a multistakeholder Forum for Insurance Transition to Net Zero (FIT). To meet the growing momentum on environmental risk, UNEP is scaling up programming on climate risks, nature risks, and other emerging sustainability risks such as social and pollution. This work is undertaken under a new Risk Centre to provide UNEP FI members with state-of-the-art knowledge and convening space for peers and leading partner organisations to ensure they can act with the best available, science-based information. To that effect, UNEP FI requires a consultant to provide senior advisory support to UNEP FI’s risk programme. The consultant will bring expertise and perspectives from the finance sector to ensure Risk Centre activities support financial institutions in implementing the Principles for Responsible Banking (PRB), Principles for Sustainable Insurance (PSI) and climate commitments in line with the priorities of UNEP FI members and UNEP. This alignment aims to enhance future activities to meet financial institutions’ sustainability risk management needs more effectively and advance integrated risk management. Specific tasks and responsibilities: 1) Provide feedback on UNEP FI Risk Centre’s working group work plans and suggestions for adapting them to meet financial institutions’ current needs. 2) Provide feedback on ensuring the risk Centre program contributes to implementing the PRB, PSI and climate commitments and adjusting working group work plans and materials with suggestions for adapting them. 3) Participate in PRB capacity-building activities to support signatories build risk capabilities. 4) Provide perspectives from the financial sector on upcoming environmental and social risk priorities and consider how those topics might be integrated into current and future Risk programme sessions or working groups. 5) Deliver perspectives on the current needs of participating financial institutions concerning environmental and social risks and advancing forward-looking integrated risk management for future resilience. 6) Suggest potential risk-related partnerships or outputs that might benefit UNEP FI and its members. 7) Conduct a technical review of materials and outputs produced by the Risk team to ensure high-quality deliverables and a coherent approach to risk-related elements of banks and insurers’ sustainability journeys. 8) Provide advice on how to include risk strategy in overall UNEP FI strategy. 9) Advise on risk positioning under the PRB/PSI and overall UNEP FI narrative. 10) Suggest improvements to facilitate working groups and UNEP FI Risk sessions to engage and inform PRB and PSI signatories. 11) Promote UNEP FI Risk outputs and offerings online and at in-person events. 12) Provide input into the communications strategy of the Risk Centre to better communicate the Risk Centre offerings to financial institutions’ risk teams. Outputs and Deliverables: 1) Delivery of feedback on UNEP FI Risk Centre’s working group workplans. 2) Provide suggestions on how perspectives from the financial sector on upcoming priorities in the environmental field can be integrated into the Risk Centre’s activities. 3) Deliver perspectives on the current needs of participating financial institutions concerning environmental risks. 4) Support delivery to PRB signatories through the capacity building programme to build risk capabilities. 5) Advice on UNEP FI strategy development process. 6) Delivery of suggestions on the facilitation of Risk Centre sessions. 7) Delivery of feedback on Risk Centre materials and output. 8) Attendance of virtual or in-person events to promote UNEP FI Risk programme at request. The consultant shall be under the overall supervision of the Head of UNEP FI, report directly to the Programme Management Officer (Climate Lead), UNEP FI.
Qualifications/special skills
Education: A bachelor’s degree in law, economics, finance, environmental studies, international relations, business administration or related fields. A master’s degree could be taken in lieu of bachelor’s degree provided the selected candidate has 18 years of relevant experience. Work Experience: A minimum of 20 years’ experience in financial services in a risk-related role or commercial consulting. This experience should be relevant for examining environmental risks, environmental policies, and the role of the financial sector in sustainability action.
Languages
Languages: English is the working language of UNEP FI. English is mandatory for this consultancy. Knowledge of other United Nations languages is an asset.
Additional Information
Special skills/knowledge: The consultant(s) should have a proven track record for working in or supporting financial organizations, and with a particular focus on sustainable finance and environmental risks. The consultant should have detailed knowledge of the field as an advisor on Risk Centre reports, presentations, or articles related to topics of sustainability risks.
No Fee
THE 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.