ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP)-Innovative social protection system for inclusion of vulnerable people project National Agency for Social Protection Innovative Social Protection System for Inclusion of Vulnerable People (“INSON”) Project (P504420) for negotiations ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) March 25, 2024 1|Page ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP)-Innovative social protection system for inclusion of vulnerable people project ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN 1. The Government of Uzbekistan (the Borrower) is implementing the Innovative Social Protection System for Inclusion of Vulnerable People Project (“INSON” project) (P504420), with the involvement of the National Agency for Social Protection (NASP). The International Development Association (hereinafter the Bank) has agreed to provide financing for the Project. 2. The Recipient shall ensure that the Project is carried out in accordance with the Environmental and Social Standards (ESSs) and this Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP), in a manner acceptable to the Bank. The ESCP is a part of the Grant Agreement and the Project Agreement. Unless otherwise defined in this ESCP, capitalized terms used in this ESCP have the meanings ascribed to them in the referred agreement(s). 3. Without limitation to the foregoing, this ESCP sets out material measures and actions that the Recipient shall carry out or cause to be carried out, including, as applicable, the timeframes of the actions and measures, institutional, staffing, training, monitoring, and reporting arrangements, and grievance management. The ESCP also sets out the environmental and social (E&S) instruments that shall be adopted and implemented under the Project, all of which shall be subject to prior consultation and disclosure, consistent with the ESS, and in form and substance, and in a manner acceptable to the Bank. Once adopted, said E&S instruments may be revised from time to time with prior written agreement by the Bank. 4. As agreed by the Bank and the Borrower, this ESCP will be revised from time to time if necessary, during Project implementation, to reflect adaptive management of Project changes and unforeseen circumstances or in response to the Project performance. In such circumstances, the Borrower through the National Agency for Social Protection and the Bank agrees to update the ESCP to reflect these changes through an exchange of letters signed between the Bank and the National Agency for Social Protection. The Parties shall promptly disclose the updated ESCP. 2|Page ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP)-Innovative social protection system for inclusion of vulnerable people project MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBLE ENTITY MONITORING AND REPORTING A REGULAR REPORTING Starting from the Effective Date, semi- NASP annual and annual reports shall be Prepare and submit to the Bank regular monitoring reports on the environmental, social, submitted throughout the project health, and safety (ESHS) performance of the Project, including but not limited to the implementation. Submit each report to implementation of the ESCP, status of the grievance mechanism(s) in accordance with the Bank no later than 15 days after the the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) as relevant. end of each reporting period. B INCIDENTS AND ACCIDENTS Notify the Bank no later than 48 hours NASP after learning of the incident or Promptly notify the Bank of any incident or accident related to the Project that has, or is accident and no later than 24 hours likely to have, a significant adverse effect on the environment, the affected after learning of severe incidents or communities, the public, or workers, including, inter alia, cases of sexual exploitation accidents such as fatalities, SEA/SH and abuse (SEA), sexual harassment (SH), and accidents that result in death, serious or allegations, etc. multiple injuries, damage to the property of an individual or community, discrimination (e.g. discrimination against women, youth, persons with disabilities, and minority Provide subsequent reports to the Bank groups), exclusion of vulnerable or disadvantaged individuals or groups, marginalization within a maximum of 5 working days and working conditions, child labor, forced labor. Provide sufficient detail regarding the after learning of the incident or scope, severity, and possible causes of the incident or accident, indicating immediate accident. measures taken or that are planned to be taken to address it, and any information provided by any contractor and/or supervising firm, as appropriate. Subsequently, at the Bank’s request, prepare a report on the incident or accident and propose any measures to address it and prevent its recurrence. C CONTRACTORS’ MONTHLY REPORTS Submit the semiannual and annual NASP reports to the NASP/Bank upon request Require contractors and supervising firms to provide monitoring reports on ESHS as annexes to the reports to be performance in accordance with the metrics specified in the respective bidding submitted under action A above. documents and contracts and submit such reports to the Bank. ESS 1: ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL RISKS AND IMPACTS preparation and implementation of Environmental and social (E&S) instruments required under the ESCP, Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), Labor Management Procedures (LMP) and stakeholder engagement activities, and functioning 3|Page ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP)-Innovative social protection system for inclusion of vulnerable people project MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBLE ENTITY 1.1 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE A PIT with terms of reference NASP acceptable to the World Bank will be A Project Implementation Team (PIT) will be established in NASP under the direct hired within 1 month after the project's supervision of the Project Director. The PIT will be responsible for performing key effectiveness. management functions for the project, including coordination, fiduciary, monitoring and evaluation (M&E), social and environmental standards, management, and reporting After this, it is supported throughout functions. Given the strong technical leadership during the project preparation process the project implementation. from the NASP management as well as technical staff, selected NASP staff will be appointed to perform specific project-related tasks as part of the PIT through a NASP internal order. The PIT will also include consultants hired under the project to carry out the coordination, fiduciary, environmental, social, and M&E reporting functions. PIT members to be hired under the project include a project coordinator, a procurement specialist, an FM specialist, a health and safety specialist, a social specialist, a research analyst to support monitoring functions of the research institute, and a rehabilitation expert to strengthen NASP capacity in this area. The technical leads of the components will be designated NASP staff. In addition, technical specialists will be recruited to work under relevant NASP departments to support the project implementation. 1.2 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL INSTRUMENTS NASP Prepare the ESMF no later than 8 April Prepare and implement an Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) 2024, and thereafter implement the including a Pest Management Plan (PMP) for the project, consistent with relevant ESSs. ESMF throughout Project implementation. 1.3 MANAGEMENT OF CONTRACTORS NASP Incorporate the relevant aspects of the ESCP, including, inter alia, the relevant E&S instruments, the Labor Management Procedures, and the code of conduct, into the ESHS specifications of the procurement documents and contracts with contractors and Throughout Project implementation. supervising firms. Thereafter ensure that the contractors and supervising firms comply and cause subcontractors to comply with the ESHS specifications of their respective contracts. 1.4 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE NASP The terms of reference for studies, capacity building and any other technical assistance Throughout Project implementation. provided under the Project are carried out in accordance with terms of reference acceptable to the World Bank that are consistent with the ESSs. Thereafter ensure that the outputs of such activities comply with the terms of reference. 4|Page ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP)-Innovative social protection system for inclusion of vulnerable people project MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBLE ENTITY ESS 2: LABOR AND WORKING CONDITIONS 2.1 LABOR MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES NASP Same timeframe as p. 1.2 Prepare and implement the Labor Management Procedures (LMP) for the Project as a part of the ESMF, including, inter alia, provisions on working conditions, management of workers relationships, occupational health, and safety (including personal protective equipment, emergency preparedness, and response), code of conduct (including relating to SEA and SH), forced labor, child labor, grievance arrangements for Project workers, and applicable requirements for PIU. 2.2 GRIEVANCE MECHANISM FOR PROJECT WORKERS Establish a grievance mechanism prior NASP/PIT to engaging Project workers, and Establish and operate a grievance mechanism for Project workers, as described in the thereafter maintain and operate it LMP and consistent with ESS2, and maintained and operated for the Project, in a manner throughout the Project implementation acceptable to the Bank. period. ESS 3: RESOURCE EFFICIENCY AND POLLUTION PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT 3.1 WASTE MANAGEMENT PLAN NASP/PIT Same timeframe as for p. 1.2 Prepare and implement a Waste Management Plan (WMP) as a part of the ESMF acceptable to the Bank, including, inter alia, provisions on the proper dismantling, storage, handling, and final disposal of waste in accordance with internationally accepted practice and monitoring of the types/quantities of electrical and electronic equipment disposed of and documentation of proper management (e.g. recycling, refurbishment, disposal, export). 3.2 RESOURCE EFFICIENCY AND POLLUTION PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT NASP/PIT Same timeframe as for p. 1.2 Incorporate resource efficiency and pollution prevention and management measures in the ESMF to be prepared under action 3.1 above. ESS 4: COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY 4.1 COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY Same timeframe as for p. 1.2 NASP/PIT 5|Page ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP)-Innovative social protection system for inclusion of vulnerable people project MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBLE ENTITY Assess and manage specific risks and impacts to the community arising from Project activities including, inter alia communicable diseases (e.g. coronavirus, influenza,), accidents and other emergencies (e.g., fire response or natural disaster), abuse by project workers, risk of Labor influx and include mitigation measures in the ESMF. 4.2 SEA AND SH RISKS Same timeframe as for p. 1.2 NASP Adopt and implement measures to assess and manage GBV/SEA/SH risks in line with the Community Health and Safety Management Measures included in the ESMF. ESS 5: LAND ACQUISITION, RESTRICTIONS ON LAND USE AND INVOLUNTARY RESETTLEMENT 5. RESETTLEMENT POLICY FRAMEWORK N/A N/A ESS5 is not applicable as the project activities will not require land and result in any access restrictions. No physical investments are envisaged under the project. ESS 6: BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF LIVING NATURAL RESOURCES 6. BIODIVERSITY RISKS AND IMPACTS N/A N/A ESS6 is currently not relevant given the project does not involve any activities that would potentially affect biodiversity or habitats, either positively or negatively, directly or indirectly, or depend on biodiversity to achieve the project objectives. ESS 7: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES/SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED TRADITIONAL LOCAL COMMUNITIES 7. INDIGENOUS PEOPLES PLANNING FRAMEWORK N/A N/A ESS7 is not relevant as there are no IP/SSAHUTLCs in Uzbekistan as per the standard definition of ESS7. ESS 8: CULTURAL HERITAGE 8. CULTURAL HERITAGE RISKS AND IMPACTS N/A N/A ESS8 is not applicable since the project does not finance any physical investments that may affect cultural heritage, both tangible and intangible. Similarly, the project will not finance feasibility and design studies with downstream impacts on cultural heritage. 6|Page ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP)-Innovative social protection system for inclusion of vulnerable people project MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBLE ENTITY ESS 9: FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES 9. ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (ESMS) N/A N/A ESS9 is not applicable since the project does not finance and/or involve financial intermediation activities. ESS 10: STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND INFORMATION DISCLOSURE 10.1 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN PREPARATION AND IMPLEMENTATION Adopt and disclose the SEP before NASP appraisal, and thereafter implement Adopt and implement a Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) for the Project, consistent throughout Project implementation. with ESS10, which shall include measures to, inter alia, provide stakeholders with timely, relevant, understandable, and accessible information, and consult with them in a culturally appropriate manner, which is free of manipulation, interference, coercion, discrimination, and intimidation. 10.2 PROJECT GRIEVANCE MECHANISM Establish the GM prior to the NASP commencement of project activities In accordance with the SEP, establish, publicize, maintain, and operate an accessible and thereafter maintain and operate grievance mechanism, to receive and facilitate the resolution of concerns and grievances the mechanism throughout Project in relation to the Project, promptly and effectively, in a transparent manner that is implementation. culturally appropriate and readily accessible to all Project-affected parties, at no cost and without retribution, including concerns and grievances filed anonymously, in a manner consistent with ESS 10. The grievance mechanism shall be equipped to receive, register, and facilitate the resolution of SEA/SH complaints, including through the referral of survivors to relevant gender-based violence service providers, all in a safe, confidential, and survivor-centered manner. CAPACITY SUPPORT Training topics for personnel involved in Project implementation shall among others Throughout Project implementation. NASP/Bank include: • ESS training for all the staff of PIU • Labor Management Procedures • Electronic Waste Management Check-list • Conduction of Stakeholder Workshops 7|Page ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP)-Innovative social protection system for inclusion of vulnerable people project MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBLE ENTITY • Reporting and Documentation • Handling workers’ and beneficiaries’ Grievances • Special thematic training in GBV/SEA/SH, Code of Conduct 8|Page