ZSL invites you to tender for the following request for proposal (RfP). This RfP outlines the responsibilities and deliverables for a consultancy opportunity with ZSL’s Sustainable Business and Finance Programme, to showcase how Forest IQ can be utilised in adopting the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) framework.
Forest IQ, developed in partnership between Global Canopy, the Stockholm Environment Institute and The Zoological Society of London (ZSL), is a new database that will provide financial institutions with market-leading data about corporate performance on deforestation, conversion of natural ecosystems and associated human rights abuses. This will enable financial institutions to identify risks and opportunities to help them to deliver deforestation free portfolios.
Scope of work
The scope of work is detailed below:
This report aims to showcase how Forest IQ can be utilised in adopting the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) framework, following the LEAP process.
The consultant will compile a report summarising the outputs of the project. They will demonstrate and explain how Forest IQ can be used, its alignment or use with regards to the LEAP approach and the TNFD framework, proxies used, and limitations end-users and decision makers should be aware of.
The report should include a series of use cases from Financial Institutions on what they are doing about deforestation, why, and how the tools help them.
The report should also include case studies on the main datasets which feed into Forest IQ, including SPOTT, Trase and Forest 500, highlighting their application for TNFD.
The target audience for this report is the finance sector and soft commodity companies.
Outputs
The Consultant is expected to provide the following deliverables:
- Conduct at least two virtual meetings with ZSL staff – one to understand the motivations for conducting the research and to discuss the overall study approach and another after the draft report is provided to discuss feedback. The consultant should keep ZSL updated on progress throughout the project.
- Conduct interviews with at least three Financial Institutions to understand what they are doing
about deforestation, why, and how the tools help them. Contacts at these companies will be provided. - A draft report in Microsoft Word (20-30 pages, excluding any annexes) which includes the following:
1) Background and context; 2) Aims & objectives; 3) Alignment of Forest IQ with TNFD; 4) Overview of other tools (SPOTT; Forest 500; Trase); 5) Financial Institution case studies; 6) Details of datasets and tools included in the study; 7) limitations; 8) Conclusions & recommendations; and 9) References - A final report incorporating comments from ZSL staff on the draft report. Report design will be arranged separately by ZSL.
- Cleaned data files including any raw data used for data analysis.
Required skills, experience and knowledge
ZSL are inviting proposals from individuals or organizations with the following:
- Excellent understanding of the TNFD Framework
- Demonstrable understanding of the likely problems and limitations of applying the TNFD framework in practice
- Experience conducting corporate impact assessments using similar/ comparable frameworks or standards.
- Ability to design, plan, organise, and implement projects and tasks
- Excellent verbal and written communications skills, in English.
