Plan International

Terms of Reference for Facilitator(s) of Quarterly Learning and Sharing Sessions on Responsible Recruitment

I. Introduction

The Fostering Accountability in Recruitment for Fishery Workers (FAIR Fish) Project is an effort to reduce forced labor and human trafficking in the recruitment of women and men in the seafood processing sectors in Thailand to support the Office of Child Labor, Forced Labor and Human Trafficking (OCFT) at the Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB), Department of Labor (DOL). FAIR Fish will be led by Plan, an international NGO with expertise in addressing forced labor (FL), human trafficking (HT) and child labor (CL), among fishers and seafood processors in Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, and the Philippines.

The project’s theory of change is as follows: Forced labor and human trafficking in the Thai fishing and seafood processing sectors will be reduced when: (1) all  stakeholders understand the nature of forced labor and human trafficking in the recruitment of workers;(2) companies act in good faith to  root out exploitive  practices in their own recruitment processes; (3) recruiters comply with anti-FL/TIP regulations and policies; and, (4) companies, consumers, buyers, government,  workers, CSOs, and the media promote responsible and transparent recruitment policies and practices.

Activities in this project are expected to lead to four outcomes:

1. Improved understanding of the nature of forced labor and human trafficking in the recruitment of workers
2. Improved company-led approaches to address forced labor and human trafficking in the recruitment process
3. Improved compliance with recruitment policies and procedures by third-party recruiters
4. Increased action on promoting responsible recruitment policies and practices among private sector actors.

FAIR Fish is a four-year project, from 2019 to 2022. This project is being implemented in Thailand’s Bangkok and Rayong province and will involve two small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) serving as pilot companies, and approximately 500 individuals working in the private sector in recruitment and as employees of fish processing factories. Final indirect beneficiaries are low-skilled, migrant workers from Cambodia, and Myanmar and their families.

II. Background

The project’s private sector stakeholders have expressed their interest to participate in activities that provide space for learning and experience sharing regarding migrant workers recruitment and employment, particularly among operators of seafood processing SMEs, and relevant recruitment agencies. While major seafood producers and exporters have enough resources to participate in international forums and have their voices heard, seafood processing SMEs do not have enough resources to do so.

In response, the FAIR Fish project decided to make available a learning and sharing space for seafood processing SMEs, and relevant private sector actors. The space will enable seafood processing SMEs to voice their needs and concerns regarding worker recruitment and social compliance requirements from international retailers. At the same time, the project will learn from private sector actors’ testimony about actual business operating conditions experienced by seafood processing SMEs, which will allow the project to ensure its intervention will benefit seafood processing SMEs regarding their recruitment and social compliance processes, and also protect their workers from forced labor and human trafficking.

To create the learning and sharing space, the FAIR Fish project will hold up to 12 sessions of quarterly learning and sharing meetings for seafood processing SMEs and relevant private sector actors from November 2019 to August 2022.

III. Objective of the TOR

The FAIR Fish project is looking for a consultant or a team of consultants well-versed in international responsible recruitment principles and social compliance standards to facilitate up to 12 sessions of half-day quarterly learning and sharing meetings, in which participants from seafood processing SMEs in Thailand, recruitment agencies, migrant worker import associations, seafood-related business associations, international retailers, and other relevant private sectors will participate.  The meeting venues will be in Bangkok and will be selected through Plan International Thailand’s procurement process.

IV. Tasks

Lead and facilitate a series of meetings to be conducted on a quarterly basis from November 2019 to August 2022. The meetings will provide participants with a venue to discuss issues affecting or benefiting seafood processing SMEs regarding international recruitment and social compliance standards, such as standards and guidelines from amfori, Social Accountability International (SAI), and International Labour Organisation (ILO).

This work will also involve the following:

• Identifying discussion topics and developing an agenda and detailed schedule for each meeting;
• Setting measurable objectives for each meeting;
• Identifying and supporting the invitation of guest speakers;
• Maintaining list of tentative participants;
• Participating in a half-day preparation meeting with the FAIR Fish project team;
• Ensuring M&E information and learning are properly collected and documented from each meeting, and
• Reviewing and analyzing meeting minutes submitted by the meeting’s note-taker.

V. Timeline

VI. Deliverables/outputs

The consultant can work remotely with regular consultations with the FAIR Fish project team through Skype or other communication channels for the preparation work, and the consultant will be expected to submit the following deliverables:

VII. Qualifications

Candidates should have:

• Experience in public meetings or conference facilitation in Thai;
• In-depth knowledge about international recruitment and social compliance standards;
• Familiarity with recruitment processes of migrant workers by seafood processing businesses;
• Familiarity with business operating contexts of small and medium-sized seafood processing businesses;
• Familiarity with the government’s policies, laws and regulations related to seafood producers and migrant workers;
• Proficiency in English verbal communication and report writing, and  
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills and the ability to demonstrate respect for people with diverse ethnicities, different socio-economic backgrounds and beliefs. 

VIII. How to apply?

• Submit a proposal with budget, excluding the costs of meeting venue and catering, for 12 learning and sharing sessions to supornchai.nawataweeporn@plan-international.org by 27 October 2019
• The proposal should be submitted together with a cover letter and Curriculum Vitae(s) of the applicant and team members with contact details.
• The selection of the consultants will be done through proposal reviews and candidates interviews.
• Only short-listed candidates will be notified for further recruitment procedures