Republic of Albania Additional Financing for the User Centred and Inclusive Service Delivery Operation (P177845) ENVIRONMENTAL and SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) Draft for Negotiations November 19, 2024 1|Page ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN Introduction 1. The Republic of Albania will implement the Additional Financing for User Centred and Inclusive Service Delivery Operation (formerly named “Improving Equitable Access to High Standard Public Services through GovTech Operation�) (“the Operation�) (P177845), through the National Agency for Information Society (AKSHI) (Agjencia Kombëtare e Shoqërisë së Informacionit – “AKSHI�). The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (hereinafter the Bank) has agreed to provide additional financing for the Original Operation (Loan Agreement No. 94830). Other contributing implementing agencies on specific Results Areas (RAs) of the Program are: Ministry of Education and Sport (MoES), Ministry of Health and Social Protection (MoHSP), Ministry of Interior (MoI), the Ministry of Finance (“MoF�), Ministry of State for Local Government (“MSLG�), the Agency for Local Self-Government, Public Procurement Agency (“PPA�), Public Procurement Commission (“PPC�) and the Participating Local Governments (collectively called “Implementing Agencies�). This ESCP supersedes the previous versions of the ESCP for the Operation and shall apply to both, original and additional financing of the Operation referred above. 2. The Borrower 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 Agreements. Unless otherwise defined in this ESCP, capitalized terms used in this ESCP have the meanings ascribed to them in the Agreements. 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, their respective timeframes; institutional, staffing, training, monitoring and reporting arrangements; and grievance management. The ESCP also sets out the environmental and social (E&S) documents that shall be prepared or updated, consulted, disclosed and implemented under the Project, consistent with the ESSs, in form and substance acceptable to the Bank. Said E&S documents may be revised from time to time with prior written agreement by the Bank. As provided for under the referred Agreements, the Borrower shall ensure that there are sufficient funds available to cover the costs of implementing the ESCP. 4. As agreed by the Bank and the Borrower, this ESCP will be revised from time to time, if necessary, to reflect adaptive management of Project changes or unforeseen circumstances or in response to Project performance. In such circumstances, the Bank and the Borrower agree to update the ESCP to reflect these changes through an exchange of letters signed between the Bank and the Borrower’s Representative specified in the Agreement[s]. The Borrower shall promptly disclose the updated ESCP. 5. The subsection on “Indicators for Implementation Readiness� below identifies the actions and measures to be monitored to assess Project readiness to begin implementation in accordance with this ESCP. Nevertheless, all actions and measures in this ESCP shall be implemented as set out in the “Timeframe� column below irrespective of whether they are listed in the referred subsection. 2|Page THE WORLD BANK - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS Timeframe Responsible Entity/ Authority IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS AND CAPACITY SUPPORT A ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE a. The CU established and by AKSHI /Implementing Agencies a. The Coordination Unit (CU) established, and composition updated Effective Date of the Original Loan involving in-house staff to support the management of environmental and Agreement and to be maintained social risks of the Program and Project. throughout the implementation of the Operation. The CU’s b. AKSHI has concluded updated and concluded a Memorandum of composition and terms of Understanding (MoU) with participating implementing agencies. reference shall be updated to include additional experts from qualified environmental and social consultants, hired locally based on ToRs satisfactory to the Bank prior to the Effective Date of the Additional Financing Agreement. b. The MoU with MoFE, AKSHI, MoES, MoHSP and MoI concluded prior to Effective date of the Original Loan Agreement and updated to include MSLG, the Agency for Local Self-Government, PPA and PPC prior to Effective Date of the Additional Financing Agreement. 3|Page THE WORLD BANK - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS Timeframe Responsible Entity/ Authority B CAPACITY BUILDING PLAN/MEASURES Throughout project AKSHI implementation Prepare and implement the following capacity building measures The training shall focus on Project workers, contractors, community organizations and government agent officials involved in the Project. The training plan shall include the following: • ESF • SEP and GM • Performance of the Project (and incidence and accident reporting) • SEA/SH Risk Prevention and Management • COVID-19 Prevention • LMP and Labor GM Codes of Conduct for the contractors’ workers including ESHS, OHS, SEA/SH, SEP, and GM. MONITORING AND REPORTING MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS 4|Page THE WORLD BANK - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS Timeframe Responsible Entity/ Authority C REGULAR REPORTING Every six months during the AKSHI/Implementing Agencies Prepare and submit to the Bank regular monitoring reports on the environmental, Project’s implementation in social, health and safety (ESHS) performance of the Project, including but not conjunction with the Project’s limited to: progress reports, or more • the implementation of the ESCP, status of preparation and frequently depending on the implementation of E&S documents required under the ESCP (Stakeholder Progress review findings Engagement and Labor Management Plans) and Project activities; • Summary of stakeholder engagement activities carried out as per the Stakeholder Engagement Plan • Complaints submitted to the grievance mechanism(s), the grievance log, and progress made in resolving them. • Number and status of resolution of incidents and accidents reported under action E below 5|Page THE WORLD BANK - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS Timeframe Responsible Entity/ Authority D INCIDENTS AND ACCIDENTS NOTIFICATION: Notify the Bank no later than 48 AKSHI/Implementing Agencies Notify the Bank of any incident or accident relating to the project which has, or is hours after learning of the likely to have, a significant adverse effect on the environment, the affected incident or accident. Provide communities, the public or workers, including those resulting in death or available details upon request. significant injury to workers or the public; acts of violence, discrimination or protest; unforeseen impacts to cultural heritage or biodiversity resources; Provide review report and pollution of the environment; dam failure; forced or child labor; displacement Corrective Action Plan to the Bank without due process (forced eviction); allegations of sexual exploitation or abuse no later than 10 days following the (SEA), or sexual harassment (SH); or disease outbreaks. Provide available details of submission of the initial notice, the incident or accident to the Bank upon request. unless a different timeframe is agreed to in writing by the Bank. Arrange for an appropriate review of the incident or accident to establish its immediate, underlying and root causes. Prepare, agree with the Bank, and implement a Corrective Action Plan that sets out the measures and actions to be taken to address the incident or accident and prevent its recurrence. ESS 1: ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL RISKS AND IMPACTS 1.1 LMP and SEP are updated, AKSHI Prepare and implement the following Instruments for the IPF component under adopted and disclosed prior to AF World Bank Environmental and Social Framework (ESF) appraisal and implemented Labor Management Procedure (LMP); throughout Project Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) implementation 6|Page THE WORLD BANK - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS Timeframe Responsible Entity/ Authority 1.2 TECHNICAL ASSISSTANCE Throughout Project AKSHI/Implementing Agencies Prepare TORs for the studies, plans, and strategies, in a manner that ensures that Implementation. relevant environmental and social issues are considered in conducting the studies and are consistent with the ESF. The environmental and social specialist shall assist AKSHI to make sure that TORs for studies, plans, and strategies include relevant E&S requirements and ESF considerations and shall be included in their studies. ESS 2: LABOR AND WORKING CONDITIONS This ESS is applicable to activities financed under the IPF 2.1 LABOR MANAGEMENT PROCEDURES AKSHI/Implementing Agencies Develop maintain and implement, throughout Project implementation, labor LMP to be applied throughout management procedures consistent with national legislation and ESS2, and Project implementation. ensure they are available to Project workers 1 and all sub-contractors engaged. The Labor management procedures (LMP) shall address all issues identified in ESS2, including the applicable requirements regarding non-discrimination and equal opportunity. 1 The term “project worker� refers to: (a) people employed or engaged directly by the Borrower (including the project proponent and the project implementing agencies) to work specifically in relation to the project (direct workers); people employed or engaged through third parties to perform work related to core functions of the project, regardless of location (contracted workers); (c) people employed or engaged by the Borrower’s primary suppliers (primary su pply workers); and (d) people employed or engaged in providing community labor (community workers). ESS2 applies to project workers including fulltime, part-time, temporary, seasonal and migrant workers. 7|Page THE WORLD BANK - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS Timeframe Responsible Entity/ Authority 2.2 OHS MEASURES Contractual obligation. AKSHI/Implementing Agencies Develop and implement occupational health and safety measures (OHS), including Maintained throughout Project emergency preparedness and response measures, Project workers training to implementation. heighten awareness of possible risks (PPE, first aid, firefighting equipment, etc.), OHS measures should be finalized injuries and to mitigate impacts on local communities. before commencement of IPF activities at any of the sites. LMP to be applied throughout Project implementation. 2.3 GRIEVANCE MECHANISM FOR PROJECT WORKERS Mechanism is operational and shall AKSHI/Implementing Agencies A grievance mechanism is established for any Project-related labor and be maintained to operate employment matters, easily accessible and promptly disclosed to Project workers, throughout the Project in line with ESS2 and labor laws in Albania. implementation and information about it is disseminated to employees. For specific contracts, the mechanism shall be available throughout the duration of the contract. The GM will be updated to deal with SEA and SH complaints. ESS 3: RESOURCE EFFICIENCY AND POLLUTION PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT [the relevance of ESS3 is established during the ESA process. ESS3 may require the adoption of specific measures to cover energy, water and raw materials use, management of air pollution, hazardous and nonhazardous wastes, chemicals and hazardous materials and pesticides. Depending on the project, these measures may be set out in an E&S document (e.g. ESMP) already mentioned in the section under ESS1 above or as a stand-alone document or a separate action. Indicate whether ESS3-related measures are covered under an existing document or as stand-alone actions. See examples below]. 8|Page THE WORLD BANK - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS Timeframe Responsible Entity/ Authority Comply with all applicable laws, regulations, decisions and standards Throughout project AKSHI/Implementing Agencies related to the provision of energy-efficient equipment, handling and the implementation reduction of e-waste. Requirements to be included in all ToRs, technical specifications, and/or project bidding documents ICT equipment must comply with green procurement criteria, according to dealing with purchase of IT/ICT the Public Procurement Authority (PPA) Guidelines for Green Public equipment, green procurement Procurement and/or other ICT infrastructure engineering design ESS 10: STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND INFORMATION DISCLOSURE 10.1 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN By the conclusion of the AF Project AKSHI/Implementing Agencies Update and implement a Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) for the appraisal Project, consistent with ESS10, which shall include measures to, inter Throughout Project Implementation. 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. The SEP may be amended and updated (and redisclosed) as needed during Project implementation 9|Page THE WORLD BANK - ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) 10.2 PROJECT GRIEVANCE MECHANISM: Shall be maintained throughout Project AKSHI/Implementing Agencies A grievance mechanism is established for the parent Project. The AF will implementation. Maintenance of grievance use the same GM as for the parent Project. database. Report the summary of The SEP includes a commitment to communicate to stakeholders through grievances annually. the grievance mechanism to ensure that affected stakeholders are aware of its existence and familiar with the process for submitting grievances to The GM will deal with SEA and SH such grievance mechanism. complains as well. 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. 10.3 SEP REPORTING Semi-annually AKSHI/Implementing Agencies Include results of the stakeholder engagement process in project monitoring reports as indicated in the SEP MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBLE ENTITY INDICATORS FOR IMPLEMENTATION READINESS [This subsection lists the ESCP actions (by their numbering in the first column of the ESCP) that are identified as relevant to monitor project readiness from an E&S standpoint. These may include actions related to: i) establishment of E&S risk management units in the Project Implementation Entities, ii) recruitment and training of E&S staff within Project Implementation Entities, iii) Memorandums of Understanding or other written agreements/arrangements between Project Implementation Entities and other concerned agencies to ensure proper coordination of E&S risk management activities; iv) E&S effectiveness or disbursement conditions, if deemed warranted, v) ES assessments and plans to be prepared by the Borrower at the onset of implementation; vi) other project-specific requirements related to E&S readiness for implementation]. The following actions are indicators for implementation readiness: Confirming of in-house staff to support the management of environmental and social risks of the Program and Project 10 | P a g e