Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Weeks

Session title: Green Procurement: Using innovative approaches to item specifications to reduce emissions and waste creation

25 Apr 23 14:00-15:00 UTC+2 (Salle Geneva)

SessionAbstract

The use of research and lifecycle assessments has provided data to humanitarians on some of the negative impacts of humanitarian action on the environment, in the form of waste creation (such as single use plastics and packaging) as well as carbon emissions. In an effort to reduce these impacts and curb the unintended negative effects of humanitarian response on the communities we aim to serve, the humanitarian community is taking action and innovating items to reduce their carbon footprint and waste. During this session, members from the humanitarian community will come together to discuss some of the recent innovations, with examples, and lessons learned by trying to change item specifications to be more environmentally sustainable but also ridged enough to withstand the harsh environments in which humanitarians frequently operate.

Speakers

Nadia Desai is a South African national who has been with the World Food Programme (WFP) for over 10 years. During her time in the organization, Nadia has served in a variety of roles in Supply Chain and also briefly in the Programme function and has worked in Headquarters and field locations.

She joined UNHRD following the COVID-19 emergency to support the Network in developing and implementing its new strategy for supporting partners in radically changed humanitarian context.