Qualifications and experience for HCV assessors: Draft Guidance for RSPO

Transcription

1 Qualificatins and experience fr HCV assessrs: Draft Guidance fr RSPO 1. Intrductin Versin /09/2009 RSPO has requested guidance frm the HCV Resurce Netwrk n suitable criteria fr recgnising envirnmental and scial experts invlved in HCV assessments fr RSPO certificatin, including assessment f New Plantings. The present guidance draws n the Gd Practice Guidance fr HCV Assessments 1, and was develped in cnsultatin with the HCV Resurce Netwrk s Technical Panel, and a team f expert independent reviewers selected by RSPO, t address specific issues cncerning RSPO palm il prductin. It is hped that this guidance will in the first instance assist RSPO t identify a reliable pl f HCV assessrs with suitable credentials. In the lnger term it is suggested that RSPO use this guidance t recgnise qualified HCV assessrs thrugh a frmal prcedure, and that a list f RSPO-recgnised HCV assessrs is made publicly available. Fr assessr recgnitin by RSPO, it is strngly recmmended that the verificatin f assessr experience and qualificatins (see Sectin 4) is carried ut by a credible third party (e.g. using a panel f independent reviewers). Evidence f cmpetence submitted t RSPO (including dcumentary evidence r summaries f qualifying expertise) shuld be publicly available (web-based), and the prcess fr recgnitin by RSPO shuld include an pprtunity fr public cmment (e.g. 30 days) n HCV practitiners submissins, s that stakehlders can cmment n the accuracy f claims f cmpetence r experience. It is assumed that HCV assessments are cnducted by an inter-disciplinary team cmprising: Discipline Specialists (with expertise in a specific relevant field) and Team Leader (nrmally a Discipline Specialist in his/her wn right). Requirements fr Team Leaders are mre demanding than fr Discipline Specialists. It is recmmended that the RSPO prcess fr recgnizing any HCV assessr identifies whether they are qualified t be Team Leaders and/r Discipline Specialists, and als recgnises that Discipline Specialists may in time acquire the experience required t becme Team Leaders. Team Leaders and Discipline Specialists invlved in HCV assessments fr RSPO certificatin shuld meet bth the General Requirements set ut belw, and the Additinal Requirements specific t their rle within the team. There may als be varius assistants t ne r mre discipline specialists in the HCV assessment team, but there are n specific requirements fr team assistants. 1 Gd Practice Guidance fr HCV Assessments: A practical guide fr Practitiners and Auditrs (PrFrest 2008)

2 2. General requirements 2.1. Persnal attributes: Mst HCV assessrs will as a cnsequence f their wrk cme int cntact with variety f stakehlders, including e.g. representatives f industry, lcal cmmunities, indigenus peples, gvernment, and ther experts. Their ability t demnstrate sund behaviural practices will be paramunt t the success f the assessment prcess. These practices include behaving ethically, wrking with prfessinal care and diligence, being diplmatic and sensitive t scial and cultural issues, and pen t imprving their interpersnal skills Cmpetence requirements Bth Team Leaders and Discipline Specialists are required t demnstrate the fllwing qualificatins and abilities: Applied cnservatin/scial experience, as demnstrated by: Degree level and/r dcumented prfessinal backgrund in ne f the fields required fr HCV identificatin: bidiversity (e.g. zlgy, btany, eclgy); ecsystem services (e.g. hydrlgy, sil science), r scial sciences (e.g. rural scilgy, scial anthrplgy). Evidence f practical experience and fieldwrk relevant t the assessrs rle in HCV assessment. Examples may include participatin in (and preferably write-up f): Field inventries and surveys f mammals, birds, herpetfauna, plants r ther taxa deemed relevant t HCV; Watershed management, hydrlgy r sil cnservatin prjects; Scial assessment (e.g. participatry rural assessment, sciecnmic r cultural studies, participatry mapping, cnflict reslutin). Demnstrated understanding f the 6 categries f HCVs, hw they relate t each ther, and hw they relate t ther principles in the RSPO standard, as shwn by: Being listed as Participants in the HCV Resurce Netwrk, preferably registered as Practitiners 2. Additinally preferably demnstrating: Attendance, and subsequent dcumented understanding, f a RSPO recgnised / endrsed training curse n HCV and / r bidiversity / scial assessment methdlgy Playing a rle in the develpment f a Natinal Interpretatin f HCVs; 2 Anyne may becme a Participant in the HCV Resurce Netwrk, (either nline r thrugh the HCV Netwrk Secretariat). Registratin is cnditinal n agreeing with the HCV Resurce Netwrk Charter, including its Guiding Principles. N.B. The HCV Resurce Netwrk s Practitiners database is an pen-access netwrking tl, and the HCV Resurce Netwrk des nt verify practitiner credentials, r take any respnsibility fr the cmpetence f practitiners registering their details n the database.

3 Participatin as a team member n at least ne HCV assessment in the regin; Ability t develp apprpriate management/mnitring decisins, t maintain r enhance the HCVs present, shwn thrugh: Evidence f practical experience with implementing bidiversity management, ecsystem service management, r scial develpment prjects Sme experience within the cuntry f assessment, r at least within the regin. 3. Rle-specific Requirements 3.1. Team Leader: The Team Leader is required t demnstrate the fllwing qualificatins and abilities, in additin t the requirements relevant t his/her discipline specialism: Demnstrated understanding f the HCVs and experience as a team member in at least three HCV assessments Apprpriate backgrund in applied cnservatin (envirnmental r scial disciplines), shwn by: Relevant academic qualificatin: Master s-level degree r higher in an apprpriate subject and at least 3 years prfessinal experience including field and prject wrk, At least 6 years prfessinal experience in a technical capacity invlving applied research and fieldwrk in a relevant discipline (e.g. bidiversity assessment, applied cnservatin, ecsystem service management, r scial develpment prjects). Experience f relevant prject wrk within the palm il sectr (preferably) r within plantatin agriculture r frestry. Demnstrated ability t synthesise a variety f data frm desk research and field assessments Dcumented leading rle (e.g. first authrship) in bidiversity assessment, sci-ecnmic reprting, r similar relevant prject wrk. Ability t reach wrkable cnsensus n management decisins (in the case f HCV verificatin assessments, ability t understand the impact f management decisins n HCVs and fr varius stakehlders). Evidence f practical experience in land use management decisins invlving scial, envirnmental and ecnmic stakehlders Lcal experience within the cuntry f the assessment is strngly desired, but nt an abslute requirement Discipline Specialists: Discipline Specialists (accrding t their rle) are required t demnstrate the fllwing experience and abilities: Scial Expert: Knwledge and practical field experience within the lcal cntext

4 Experience f relevant prject wrk within the palm il sectr (preferably) r within plantatin agriculture r frestry. Fluency (spken and written) in the natinal language f the cuntry f assessment; preferably will als speak ne r mre relevant lcal languages r dialects. Ability t cnduct field assessment independently f the HCV assessment team. Knwledge f and practical experience in the use and applicatin f participatry methds r Participatry Rural Assessment techniques Bidiversity/eclgy Expert: Practical experience in applied cnservatin bilgy, in the lcal cntext f the regin/ cuntry where the assessment is carried ut Understanding f landscape cnservatin apprach, in the lcal cntext f the regin/ cuntry where the assessment is carried ut Specialisatin in trpical eclgy in the lcal cntext f the regin/cuntry where the assessment is carried ut An understanding f GIS techniques and interpretatin f remtely sensed data is recmmended. GIS Expert: Practical experience in the use f GIS and remte sensing techniques fr cnservatin bilgy and cmmunity land use issues. Qualificatins r relevant experience in landscape eclgy are recmmended. Ability t incrprate results in real time and t advise team in the field n GIS methdlgy, especially spatial aspects f HCV assessment in the field, is especially recmmended. Experience in envirnmental services in natinal and lcal regulatins. It is highly recmmended that all Discipline Specialists have sme lcal experience within the cuntry f assessment. 4. Verificatin The evaluatin f assessr and team leader cmpetence is necessary t prvide sme degree f assurance t the credibility f the assessment utcme. Evaluatin may be undertaken in ne r mre f the fllwing ways, and shuld be carried ut by a credible third party (e.g. using a panel f independent reviewers). Evidence f cmpetence submitted t RSPO (including dcumentary evidence r summaries f qualifying expertise) shuld be publicly available (web-based), and the prcess fr recgnitin by RSPO shuld include an pprtunity fr public cmment (e.g. 30 days) n HCV practitiners submissins, s that stakehlders can cmment n the accuracy f claims f cmpetence r experience. Such evidence may include: Dcumentary review - analysis f recrds f the assessr s educatin, training, emplyment and experience, e.g. educatinal r prfessinal certificates, credible prfessinal references, peer reviewed publicatins, first-authred sci-ecnmic r envirnmental assessment reprts, etc. Feedback n the assessrs perfrmance, gained thrugh:

5 questinnaires, persnal references, testimnials, cmplaints, perfrmance evaluatin, peer review interviews in rder t evaluate persnal behaviurs and cmmunicatin skills, t verify infrmatin and test knwledge and t acquire additinal infrmatin bservatin t evaluate persnal behaviur and the ability t apply knwledge and skills Oral r written tests f knwledge and skills