Interlaken Group Retreat Facilitator (Consultant)

Project Description

We are seeking a specialized consultant to lead the delivery of a 2.5-day international meeting of the Interlaken Group the week of September 2, 2024. The purpose of the meeting will be for the Interlaken Group to define a collective agenda and action plan to materially scale implementation of private sector commitments supporting the tenure rights and livelihoods of Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and Afro-descendant Peoples (IP, LC, and ADP). The consultant will design and facilitate this convening, which will reorient the network’s strategy and workplan to scale contributions to 2030 climate, biodiversity, and development targets, and accelerate a “race to the top” to implement rights-based private sector commitments to support community land tenure.

The Interlaken Group

The Interlaken Group - catalyzed by the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) - is a network of leaders from companies, investors, civil society, and rightsholder groups committed to mobilizing private sector support for community land tenure. The network is hosted by RRI, a global coalition of the leading IP, LC, and ADP movements and their allies working across the tropical forested developing world to secure collective tenure rights to rural landscapes.

The Interlaken Group emerged in response to the global “land grab” between 2010 to 2013. At this time, a boom in commodity prices drove a material increase in controversial, corporate-backed land acquisitions in many developing and forested countries in the Global South.  These acquisitions displaced and/or disadvantaged many IPs, LCs, and ADPs, inciting land tenure-based conflicts and violence, and increasing deforestation. The impacts of these land acquisitions on communities informed high-profile advocacy and analysis that raised insecure land tenure as a business risk.

RRI Partners and Collaborators, civil society allies, and leaders from some leading sourcing companies and investors recognized that all stakeholder groups faced the shared challenge of insecure land tenure.  There was, however, no “safe” space to share information, identify opportunities to coordinate, and develop solutions. To this end, a small group of leaders from RRI, IFC, Nestlé, Rabobank, Rio Tinto, Global Witness, Rainforest Foundation Norway, Landesa, Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact, and several others met in early 2014 to elaborate a multi-stakeholder platform to mobilize private sector support for community land rights. The results of these discussions, building on collaboration agreed at a preceding international meeting in Interlaken, Switzerland in September 2013, became the Interlaken Group.

The Interlaken Group has contributed to the achievement – alongside the contributions of many other organizations – of its original mission to promote adoption of standards on community tenure among companies and investors. Participants have collaborated to: develop guidance to help companies and investors integrate international normative standards on land tenure and legacy issues – including the rights of local women – into their operations; instigated collaboration between supply chain and portfolio companies, governments, civil society, and rightsholders in key tropical forested countries like Kenya, Liberia, Indonesia, and Laos; and most recently, developed the first ever resource for companies and investors to integrate community monitoring into human rights and environmental due diligence (HREDD) processes. Community monitoring programs are being implemented and scaled in Liberia, DRC, Indonesia, Colombia, and Ecuador. In parallel, rightsholders have secured rights to some 103 million hectares of land and forest between 2015 and 2020, representing around 18.6 percent of the global land area, with the greatest potential for future recognition in tropical forested, developing countries. The tools, practices, and collaboration catalyzed by the Interlaken Group are informing investment and sourcing practices over millions of hectares of rural landscapes, investment areas, and community territories.

Policies and commitments focused on community tenure are now ubiquitous among progressive companies and investors. The challenge now is to ensure that policies are implemented in practice.

Looking ahead, supporting the realization of community rights to land and forests in terms of improved local livelihoods and rights-based economic development are central to current global responses to the climate and biodiversity crises. For example, the proceeds of the CoP26 donor pledge of $1.7 billion to directly support Indigenous Peoples and local communities to secure their tenure rights and manage forest resources are flowing into important commodity sourcing areas, including those of companies who have made Forest Positive commitments to secure rights, support local livelihoods, and keep forests standing. Frequently, these areas overlap the collective territories of IPs, LCs, and ADPs associated with RRI Partners and Collaborators.

Thus, there are critical opportunities for collective action among new sets of stakeholders to radically scale up private sector support for community tenure, mobilize blended finance for tenure recognition and livelihoods, and demonstrate/expand these solutions to the field. Yet, the Interlaken Group was organized to generate a “race to the top” in terms of adoption of standards, not to respond to field level opportunities to implement commitments and scale solutions. Network participants recognize that scaling the implementation of policies is critical to climate change mitigation and achieving Net Zero targets, and is thus urgent, but requires an “refresh” of the network’s strategy and new tools to catalyze collective action among unconventional allies.

2024 Interlaken Group Retreat: Purpose

Interlaken Group participants agreed at their last meeting in New York in September 2023 to hold a 2.5 day retreat in 2024. The purpose of the retreat will be for the Interlaken Group to define a collective agenda and action plan to materially scale implementation of private sector commitments supporting the tenure rights and livelihoods of IPs, LCs, and ADPs. The resulting collective agenda and action plan will contribute to the realization of the 2030 targets enshrined in the Paris Agreement and Global Biodiversity Framework.

Participants in the retreat will: 1) reflect on the past decade of Interlaken Group actions (i.e., successes, challenges, and opportunities) and shifts in the ecosystem for private sector support for community rights; 2) create new network connections and pathways for unconventional partnership; and 3) refresh elements of the network’s strategic plan (e.g., priorities, targets, composition) to best position the network to lead in the next decade of private sector action for community rights and livelihoods.

The proposed retreat and refresh of the Interlaken Group strategy will ensure the network is positioned to catalyze the next generation of rights-based solutions, analysis, partnerships, and financial resources to scale-up private sector support for IP, LC, and ADP land tenure and livelihoods, serving to keep forest standings, reimagine rights-based rural development, and contribute to mitigating the climate and biodiversity crises.

Objectives

1. Develop a concrete action plan to deliver the strategic plan via an actionable collective agenda.
2. Create new network connections and partnership opportunities by providing intentional spaces for networking and relationship building among retreat participants.
3. Refresh and reorient the Interlaken Group’s strategic plan via a participatory approach that instigates/facilitates meaningful, collaborative, and constructive input from retreat participants.
4. Optimize the structure, processes, working arrangements, and target composition of the Interlaken Group to best position the network for continued/elevated private sector impact and leadership, learning from the successes, challenges, trends, and opportunities participants identified over the past decade of action.

Outcomes

1. The Interlaken Group is prepared with the strategy and direction required to catalyze the partnerships, innovations, and collective action required to advance private sector support for IP, LC, and ADP rights and livelihoods and contribute to global 2030 targets.
2. Participants from rightsholder groups, companies, and investors establish new network connections to enhance collaboration and partnerships required to scale-up private sector implementation of commitments on tenure and livelihoods.
3. Participants are prepared with the knowledge and connections needed for landscape-level collaborations between rightsholder organizations, companies, DFIs, the donor community, and government to secure community tenure and eliminate deforestation. For instance, collaboration opportunities leveraging blended finance between philanthropic, corporate, and DFI sources to achieve social and environmental impacts.

Project Scope

To ensure a successful result, the consultant will be responsible for preparing meeting inputs, designing the agenda, facilitating the retreat, and developing the meeting outputs.

The consultant will be responsible for three project phases: 1) preparation of program assessment, 2) retreat design and facilitation, and 3) development of meeting outputs.

1. Preparation of Program Assessment – Consultant will undertake a retrospective program assessment of the Interlaken Group’s activities since 2013. The assessment should be based upon interviews with current and/or past participants in the network and the review of historical meeting outputs, dialogues, and other materials. The assessment should capture, at a minimum, the perspectives of contributing leaders on where the network has or has not been effective, priority areas for future intervention, and recommendations for a revised theory of change.
2. Retreat Design and Facilitation – Consultant will work with the RRI team and Interlaken Group participants to prepare the meeting agenda and facilitate the gathering. The participatory design of the meeting should also yield new network connections between participating leaders from rightsholder groups, companies, and investors. The retreat will have robust participation from rightsholder leaders from across the regions, particularly those directly linked to the geographies, landscapes, and sectors where Forest/Nature Positive policies, direct finance to secure rights, and investments are moving forward.
3. Development of Meeting Outputs – Consultant will prepare key meeting outputs, including a strategic plan and an agenda for action. Building on the program assessment, the strategic plan will outline a revised vision, strategy, and theory of change for the Interlaken Group. It should, based on the discussion and the meeting input (i.e. Deliverable 2), capture the modalities of the evolved operating environment of the Interlaken Group, and propose changes to the network’s priorities, ways of working, composition, and governance to ensure it is positioned for maximum impact and contribution to global 2030 climate and biodiversity targets. The action plan will detail the key strategic analyses, collaboration, pilots, convenings, and other collective actions required to instigate a "race to the top" to implement private sector commitments to support community land tenure and livelihoods. Both documents will be shared with participants in the broader Interlaken Group for review and endorsement after the convening.

Deliverables

1. Approach and Workplan: Final document detailing approach and workplan to achieve project objectives and outcomes (i.e., formalizing consultant proposal).
2. Retrospective Program Assessment: A historical assessment of the Interlaken Group initiative since its inception in 2013, capturing where the network has or hasn’t been effective, the perspectives of leaders who have contributed to it, and initial recommendations for the Group’s priorities or theory of change moving forward.
3. Interlaken Group Retreat Agenda: A detailed facilitator agenda and simplified participant agenda outlining each session, including the timing, facilitator, and session objectives, agenda, and outcomes.
4. Meeting Summary: Summary document capturing main points from the meeting.
5. Draft Strategic Plan: A draft strategic plan for the Interlaken Group, including vision, mission, theory of change, goals, objectives, and strategies to execute/implement, as well as propose any improvements to the network’s ways of working, composition, and governance.
6. Draft Action Plan: A draft agenda for action, per agreed strategic direction and program priorities, outlining specific tasks to take forward, such as strategic analyses, collaborations, pilots, convenings, or other collective actions participants contribute and agree upon.

Audience

Around 30 in-person participants, likely including leaders from Nestle, PepsiCo, Olam, IFC, Proparco, Earthworm Foundation, Proforest, Oxfam, as well as leaders from the foremost Indigenous Peoples, local community, and Afro-descendant Peoples movements. A virtual option (via Zoom) will be made available for participants who would like to observe remotely, but the meeting will not support hybrid participation.

• Primary: Leaders from multinational corporations, banking and financial services companies, and development finance institutions operating or investing in commodity sourcing landscapes that intersect with the customary land rights of IPs, LCs, and ADPs.
• Secondary: Leaders from Indigenous, local, and Afro-Descendant organizations and prominent rightsholder networks/movements that represent communities impacted by global commodity supply chains or other private sector investments/operations.
• Tertiary: Leaders from civil society organizations and service provider organizations with expertise and experience in researching, consulting, or implementing private sector commitments and action plans supporting community land rights.

Proposed Retreat Agenda

The retreat, at a minimum, should include the following sessions or themes. Sessions should all be participatory, with participants contributing either individually or in groups to core discussion topics. Brainstorming and feedback sessions/activities in diverse small or large groups are encouraged to promote collaboration in ideating, troubleshooting, and innovating ways of working together and achieving impact moving forward.

• Program Assessment/Review: Session(s) to review and gain input on the pre-meeting internal assessment of the Interlaken Group’s activities since 2013, summarizing where the network has or has not been effective (success and challenges), areas where the network could improve (opportunities), and priority areas to consider for future intervention. The session outcome will be alignment on the gaps and opportunities for the network to consider in subsequent sessions.
• Global Stock-Take / State of Play: Session(s) for participants to bring forward their perspective on the current state of play (e.g., trends, progress, challenges, opportunities) in their industry/sector/community to form a collective and comprehensive understanding of the private sector landscape regarding community rights and livelihoods. For example, this may include identifying and reflecting on the key trends, factors, and stakeholders that will either inhibit or accelerate the implementation of private sector commitments to support community land tenure.
• Strategic Workshops: Sessions, using participatory strategic and/or problem-solving frameworks and approaches (e.g., design thinking), to collectively outline an updated theory of change and agenda for action for the network. The session outcomes will be alignment on the strategic direction and priorities of the Group moving forward, with enough input and detail to synthesize the discussions into draft strategic and action plans.
• Output Review and Endorsement: Review, adjust, and endorse the drafts of the strategic plan and action plan, which will then be formalized and shared with the wider Interlaken Group for feedback and endorsement.
• Conclusion and Next Steps: Key takeaways and follow-up activities are outlined, reviewed, and approved, resulting in actionable next steps with clear roles and responsibilities assigned.

Proposal Guidelines

Available budget for this project is up to US$50 thousand. We request that proposals include pricing and target dates for key milestones. A consultant will be selected in early June with the tentative project start/end dates of June 17 – October 31, 2024. The Interlaken Group Retreat will be September 3-5, 2024 at Pendley Manor in Hertfordshire, UK.

Requirements:

Proposals should be approximately 5 pages (7 pages max) and must include the following elements:

1. Executive Summary: Overview of main points from the proposal, e.g., estimated cost, summary of approach, and key qualifications.
2. Consultant Background: Introduction of consultant/consulting organization and summary of experience in this sector.
3. Elaboration of Qualifications: Detail relevant projects/accomplishments, skills, networks, etc., that specifically contribute to the delivery of this project, including rationale for why these attributes differentiate your business/proposal from others.
4. Proposed Activity Plan: Detail your program assessment and meeting facilitation approach and strategy, proposed activities and timeline, and additional services or deliverables that would contribute to this project. Submission of a draft meeting agenda is also welcomed.
5. Pricing: Provide quote for the total cost associated with achieving the below results; can be based on consultant rates and projected time commitment (noting the number of days).

• Retrospective program assessment
• Interlaken Group retreat agenda
• Interlaken Group retreat facilitation
• Draft strategic plan
• Draft action plan

References: Include name, contact details, and website URLs (if applicable) for three previous clients or colleagues.

Considerations: Please highlight any relevant terms and conditions for working with you.

Submission Deadline: June 14, 2024, 5pm Eastern Time

Selection Criteria

RRI will evaluate proposals based on the following criteria:

• Responsiveness to the requirements outlined in this RFP. (25%)
• Relevant experience, expertise, and performance. (25%)
• Samples of past work and testimonials from past clients (if applicable). (25%)
• Quoted cost of the project (25%).

RRI reserves the right to award the contract to the vendor that represents the best value to the organization and its networks, as determined by RRI.

RFP and Project Timeline

The timeline for the RFP and project is as follows:

• June 7, 2024: Deadline for proposal submission 
• June 14, 2024: Selection of vendor 
• June 17, 2024: Project start date 
• Oct 31, 2024: Project completion 

About the Rights and Resources Initiative

The Rights and Resources Initiative is a global Coalition of 21 Partners and more than 150 rightsholders organizations and their allies dedicated to advancing the forestland and resource rights of Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendant Peoples, local communities, and the women within these communities. Members capitalize on each other’s strengths, expertise, and geographic reach to achieve solutions more effectively and efficiently. RRI leverages the power of its global Coalition to amplify the voices of local peoples and proactively engage governments, multilateral institutions, and private sector actors to adopt institutional and market reforms that support the realization of their rights and self-determined development. By advancing a strategic understanding of the global threats and opportunities resulting from insecure land and resource rights, RRI develops and promotes rights-based approaches to business and development and catalyzes effective solutions to scale rural tenure reform and enhance sustainable resource governance.

RRI is coordinated by the Rights and Resources Group, a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. For more information, please visit www.rightsandresources.org.

About the Interlaken Group

The Interlaken Group is an informal network of leaders from influential companies, investors, development finance institutions, civil society organizations, and rightsholder communities committed to advancing private sector support for community land rights via multi-stakeholder collaboration. At the global level, participants collaborate to explore tenure related challenges, identify actionable solutions, share experience, and demonstrate leadership. To this end, Interlaken Group participants collaborate to develop and update guidance for companies and investors to implement commitments such as the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries, and Forests in the Context of National Food Security (VGGT), among others. At the country level, participants leverage their networks to support dialogues between producer and portfolio companies, local civil society, communities, and developing country governments to jointly identify shared land tenure challenges and collaborate to develop solutions. Interlaken Group initiatives at the global and national levels are unique in that they are multi-stakeholder in nature, jointly developed by and at the direction of civil society and the private sector. For more information, please visit www.interlakengroup.org.

The views presented here are not necessarily shared by the organizations that have generously supported this work and participate in the Interlaken Group network.