Argentine Republic Ministry of Social Development Strengthening Food Programs for Vulnerable Populations P180092 Negotiated Version ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) July 14th, 2023 1|Page ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN 1. The Argentine Republic (the Borrower) shall implement the Strengthening Food Programs for Vulnerable Populations Project (the Project) through the Ministry of Social Development (MDS), as set out in the Loan Agreement. The Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the Bank), has agreed to provide financing for the Project, as set out in the referred agreement. 2. The Borrower, through the MDS, 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 Loan Agreement. Unless otherwise defined in this ESCP, capitalized terms used in this ESCP have the meanings ascribed to them in the referred agreement. 3. Without limitation to the foregoing, this ESCP sets out material measures and actions that the Borrower 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, through the MDS, this ESCP shall 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 Project performance. In such circumstances, the Borrower, through the MDS, and the Bank agree to update the ESCP to reflect these changes through an exchange of letters signed between the Bank and the Borrower’s General Director of Special Projects and International Cooperation of the MDS. The Borrower, through the MDS, shall promptly disclose the updated ESCP. 2|Page ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) – Strengthening Food Programs for Vulnerable Populations Project MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBLE ENTITY MONITORING AND REPORTING A REGULAR REPORTING Submit reports to the Bank no later than 45 Ministry of Social Prepare and submit to the Bank regular monitoring reports on the environmental, social, days after the end of Development (MDS), health and safety (ESHS) performance of the Project, including but not limited to the each calendar semester, as part of the General Directorate implementation of the ESCP, the status of preparation and implementation of E&S Project Reports required by the Loan of Special Projects instruments required under the ESCP, stakeholder engagement activities, and functioning Agreement. and International of the grievance mechanisms. Cooperation Throughout the Project implementation. (DGPEyCI) B INCIDENTS AND ACCIDENTS Notify the Bank no later than 48 hours after MDS / DGPEyCI Promptly notify the Bank of any incident or accident related to the Project which has, or is learning of the incident or accident. likely to have, a significant adverse effect on the environment, the affected communities, the public, or workers, including, inter alia, cases of sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA), Provide subsequent report within a sexual harassment (SH), and accidents that result in death, serious or multiple injury. timeframe acceptable to the Bank. Provide sufficient detail regarding the scope, severity, and possible causes of the incident or accident, indicating immediate 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. ESS 1: ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL RISKS AND IMPACTS 1.1 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE The team, including the E&S qualified staff, is MDS Operate and maintain an organizational structure within DGPEyCI with qualified staff and already established. This team shall remain resources to support the management of ESHS risks and impacts of the Project. The team operational and shall be maintained with shall be comprised, at least, of a social specialist and an environmental specialist (who shall their corresponding roles throughout Project also cover aspects of health and safety), with the support of a stakeholder engagement implementation. specialist. The established team shall coordinate its functions with the substantive areas of the MDS and with the different entities involved in Project activities. 1.2 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL INSTRUMENTS MDS / DGPEyCI 1. Conduct a broad stakeholder consultation process on the draft version of the 1. The consultation of the draft version of the Environmental and Social Assessment (ESA) prepared for the Project that is consistent with ESA shall be completed within 75 days of the the relevant ESSs and the Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP). Loan Agreement’s Effective Date. 3|Page ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) – Strengthening Food Programs for Vulnerable Populations Project MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBLE ENTITY 2. Update the ESA with the results of the public consultation process and send it to the 2. The updated ESA shall be submitted for the Bank for its approval (No Objection). Bank's No Objection within 90 days after the Loan Agreement’s Effective Date. 3. Adopt, publish, and implement the ESA prepared for the Project, consistent with the 3. Once the No Objection is obtained, the relevant ESSs. updated version of the ESA shall be published immediately and implemented in accordance with its terms, and as required, throughout the execution of the Project. 1.3 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Throughout Project implementation. MDS / DGPEyCI Ensure that the consultancies, studies, capacity building, training, and any other technical assistance activities under the Project are carried out in accordance with terms of reference acceptable to the Bank, that are consistent with the ESSs. Thereafter ensure that the outputs of such activities comply with the terms of reference. 1.4 ACTIVITIES SUBJECT TO RETROACTIVE FINANCING Prior to any payment requests that may be MDS / DGPEyCI The implementation of activities related to the Feed the Community Program may be subject to retroactive financing in the form of subject to retroactive financing in the form of disbursements under Component 3 of the disbursements under Component 3 of the Project. The MDS shall submit evidence that such activities were carried out in compliance Project, the MDS shall secure the Bank's No with the requirements of the ESSs, as set forth in the ESA of the Project - Annex II - Objection to the ESHS arrangements "Environmental and Social Management Checklist for Soup Kitchens Participating in the associated with such payments. Feed the Community Program", including adequacy plans, where applicable, and any other relevant requirements included in this ESCP. Based on the evidence presented by the MDS, the Bank may request a corrective action plan. ESS 2: LABOR AND WORKING CONDITIONS 2.1 LABOR MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES LMP shall be submitted to the Bank’s No MDS / DGPEyCI Prepare, adopt, and implement the Labor Management Procedures (LMP) for the Project, Objection, adopted, and published including, inter alia, provisions on working conditions, management of workers’ immediately within 60 days after the Loan relationships, occupational health and safety (including personal protective equipment, Agreement’s Effective Date, or prior to hiring and emergency preparedness and response), code of conduct (including relating to SEA any workers for the Project, whichever occurs and SH), forced labor, child labor, grievance arrangements for Project workers, and first. applicable requirements for contractors, subcontractors, and supervising firms. Once approved, the LMP shall be applied throughout Project’s implementation. 4|Page ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) – Strengthening Food Programs for Vulnerable Populations Project MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBLE ENTITY 2.2 GRIEVANCE MECHANISM FOR PROJECT WORKERS Establish, maintain, and adopt the grievance MDS / DGPEyCI Establish, maintain, and operate a grievance mechanism for Project workers, as described mechanism within the same timeframe as the in the LMP and consistent with ESS2. LMP (action 2.1) and then maintain and operate it throughout Project implementation. ESS 3: RESOURCE EFFICIENCY AND POLLUTION PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT 3.1 ELECTRO/ELECTRONIC-WASTE MANAGEMENT PROCEDURE (E-WASTE) Same timeframe as the adoption and MDS / DGPEyCI Adopt and implement the e-waste management procedure as part of the ESA. implementation of the ESA, according to action 1.2. ESS 4: COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY 4.1 COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY Same timeframe as for the adoption and MDS / DGPEyCI Ensure that specific risks and impacts to the community arising from Project activities implementation of the ESA, according to related to the Feed the Community Program, including, but not limited to, the Project action 1.2 workers’ behavior, the spread of disease, and the response to emergency situations, are assessed in a timely manner and mitigation measures are incorporated into the ESA. ESS 5: LAND ACQUISITION, RESTRICTIONS ON LAND USE AND INVOLUNTARY RESETTLEMENT – Currently not relevant ESS 6: BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF LIVING NATURAL RESOURCES – Currently not relevant ESS 7: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES/SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED TRADITIONAL LOCAL COMMUNITIES 7.1 INDIGENOUS PEOPLES (IPs) ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY MDS / DGPEyCI 1. Assess, as part of the ESA, the conditions for IPs’ access to the Food Benefit Program, 1. Same timeframe as for the adoption and including identification of possible barriers to its benefits, and propose mitigation implementation of the ESA, according to measures that shall inform Project design. action 1.2. 2. Include a specific strategy for dissemination and consultation of IP representatives 2. Same timeframe as for the adoption and within the SEP, especially for the Food Benefit Program, based on which monitoring and implementation of the SEP, according to evaluation indicators regarding IPs’ access to its benefits shall be identified. action 10.1. ESS 8: CULTURAL HERITAGE – Currently not relevant ESS 9: FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES – Currently not relevant ESS 10: STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND INFORMATION DISCLOSURE 10.1 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN (SEP) PREPARATION AND IMPLEMENTATION MDS / DGPEyCI 1. Conduct meaningful stakeholder consultations on the draft version of the SEP for the 1. The draft SEP shall be consulted no later Project, consistent with ESS10. than 75 days after the Loan Agreement’s Effective Date. 5|Page ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) – Strengthening Food Programs for Vulnerable Populations Project MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBLE ENTITY 2. Update the SEP with the results of the public consultation and submit it for the Bank’s 2. The updated SEP shall be submitted for the No Objection. Bank’s No Objection no later than 90 days after the Loan Agreement’s Effective Date. 3. Adopt, publish, and implement the SEP for the Project, consistent with ESS10. The SEP 3. Once the No Objection is obtained, the shall include measures to, inter alia, provide stakeholders with timely, relevant, updated version of the SEP shall be published understandable, and accessible information, and consult with them in a culturally immediately and adopted and implemented appropriate manner, which is free of manipulation, interference, coercion, discrimination, in accordance with its terms throughout and intimidation. Project implementation. 10.2 PROJECT GRIEVANCE MECHANISM Same timeframe as for the adoption and MDS / DGPEyCI Update, disseminate, maintain, and operate the MDS Grievance Mechanism (Sistema implementation of the SEP, according to Integrado de Comunicación Institucional (SICOI)) to receive and facilitate the resolution of action 10.1. concerns, complaints, and grievances regarding the Project promptly and effectively, in a transparent and accessible manner that is 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 ESS10. 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 CS1 Training may be required for MDS staff, as appropriate, on: A Capacity Building Plan shall be developed MDS / DGPEyCI • Stakeholder mapping and engagement as part of the ESA and, therefore, within the • Specific aspects of environmental and social assessment and monitoring same timeframe for adoption and • Health and safety implementation established for action 1.2. • Emergency preparedness and response • Community health and safety • Complaints and Grievance Mechanisms • Gender and intercultural perspective • Prevention of SEA/SH risks. • Other environmental and social issues defined in the Environmental and Social Instruments 6|Page