Deadline: 06-Jul-2026
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is seeking a qualified technical partner to support environmental sustainability across humanitarian supply chains. The initiative focuses on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions measurement, Scope 3 emissions reporting, life cycle assessments (LCA), sustainable procurement, environmental evidence generation, and sector-wide harmonization of sustainability practices.
The selected partner will help strengthen sustainability standards, develop practical tools and methodologies, support stakeholder collaboration, and build capacity across humanitarian organizations. The indicative budget for this opportunity is USD 650,000.
What is the Environmental Sustainability in Humanitarian Supply Chains Initiative?
This initiative aims to improve environmental sustainability within humanitarian procurement, logistics, and supply chain operations by promoting consistent, evidence-based approaches across the humanitarian sector.
UNHCR is implementing this opportunity through the Humanitarian Leadership Group on Supply Chain Environmental Sustainability Thematic Working Group, a collaborative platform that brings together humanitarian agencies, donors, suppliers, procurement professionals, logistics experts, and sustainability specialists.
The selected technical partner will provide expertise, tools, and guidance that help humanitarian organizations reduce environmental impacts while improving sustainability decision-making.
Funding Overview
- Organization: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
- Opportunity Type: Expression of Interest (EOI)
- Partnership Type: Technical Partnership
- Indicative Budget: USD 650,000
- Sector: Humanitarian Supply Chains and Environmental Sustainability
- Geographic Scope: Global Humanitarian Operations
- Target Participants: Qualified organizations with relevant technical expertise
Key Focus Areas
The initiative supports activities related to:
- Greenhouse gas emissions measurement
- Scope 3 emissions reporting
- Carbon footprint assessment
- Life cycle assessment (LCA)
- Sustainable procurement
- Environmental impact measurement
- Supply chain sustainability
- Climate action
- Environmental reporting
- Sustainable sourcing
- Evidence-based decision-making
- Knowledge sharing
- Capacity development
- Stakeholder engagement
- Humanitarian logistics sustainability
- Environmental governance
Programme Objectives
The initiative aims to:
- Improve environmental sustainability across humanitarian supply chains
- Harmonize greenhouse gas accounting methodologies
- Strengthen emissions reporting practices
- Increase access to environmental evidence
- Support sustainable procurement decisions
- Improve collaboration across humanitarian actors
- Build sustainability capacity within organizations
- Promote common standards and tools
- Enhance environmental transparency
- Reduce the environmental footprint of humanitarian operations
Why This Initiative Matters
Humanitarian supply chains play a critical role in delivering emergency assistance worldwide. However, procurement, transportation, warehousing, and distribution activities can generate significant environmental impacts.
Many humanitarian organizations currently use different methodologies for measuring emissions and environmental performance, making it difficult to compare results, identify improvement opportunities, and establish sector-wide benchmarks.
This initiative seeks to address these challenges by creating harmonized approaches that improve environmental performance while maintaining effective humanitarian response capabilities.
Understanding Scope 3 Emissions
A major focus of the initiative is improving Scope 3 emissions measurement.
Scope 3 emissions include indirect emissions generated throughout a supply chain, such as:
- Purchased goods and services
- Transportation and distribution
- Supplier activities
- Product manufacturing
- Waste management
- End-of-life product disposal
For humanitarian organizations, Scope 3 emissions often represent the largest share of their environmental footprint.
Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Focus
The initiative supports the development and application of Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs).
Life Cycle Assessment is a methodology used to evaluate environmental impacts throughout the entire lifecycle of a product or service.
This includes:
- Raw material extraction
- Manufacturing
- Transportation
- Use phase
- Disposal or recycling
LCAs help organizations make informed procurement and operational decisions based on environmental evidence.
Who is Eligible?
UNHCR is seeking qualified organizations with demonstrated expertise in:
- Environmental sustainability
- Greenhouse gas accounting
- Carbon footprint analysis
- Life cycle assessment
- Sustainable procurement
- Supply chain sustainability
- Environmental reporting
- Climate impact analysis
- Capacity building
- Technical advisory services
Organizations should have experience working with complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives.
Role of the Technical Partner
The selected organization will provide technical expertise and support across multiple workstreams.
Key responsibilities may include:
- Technical advisory services
- Methodology development
- Tool creation
- Stakeholder engagement
- Capacity development
- Research and analysis
- Knowledge dissemination
- Environmental reporting support
Greenhouse Gas Accounting Support
The partner may assist with:
- Reviewing existing emissions methodologies
- Improving GHG accounting practices
- Developing harmonized reporting approaches
- Establishing measurement frameworks
- Supporting monitoring and verification processes
- Identifying international best practices
The goal is to improve consistency and comparability across organizations.
Life Cycle Assessment Activities
Potential activities include:
- Conducting product life cycle assessments
- Evaluating environmental impacts of humanitarian products
- Comparing procurement alternatives
- Assessing supply chain sustainability performance
- Developing evidence-based recommendations
Findings should support practical decision-making by humanitarian actors.
Sustainable Procurement Support
The initiative seeks to strengthen sustainability within procurement systems.
Activities may include:
- Developing procurement guidance
- Creating sustainability criteria
- Designing decision-support tools
- Integrating environmental considerations into purchasing decisions
- Supporting responsible sourcing practices
These resources will help procurement teams balance operational requirements with environmental objectives.
Knowledge Sharing and Sector Coordination
A major objective is improving collaboration across the humanitarian sector.
Activities may include:
- Stakeholder consultations
- Technical working groups
- Knowledge-sharing forums
- Workshops and webinars
- Expert discussions
- Best practice dissemination
- Sector coordination activities
The initiative encourages collective learning and harmonized approaches.
Capacity Building and Training
The selected partner may support:
- Training programmes
- Technical workshops
- Practitioner guidance
- Skills development
- Sustainability awareness initiatives
- Capacity-building resources
These activities aim to strengthen environmental expertise within humanitarian organizations.
Expected Outcomes
The initiative seeks to achieve:
- Improved GHG measurement practices
- Greater harmonization of sustainability methodologies
- Enhanced Scope 3 reporting
- Increased use of life cycle assessment evidence
- Better procurement decision-making
- Stronger environmental accountability
- Increased organizational capacity
- Improved collaboration across stakeholders
- Reduced environmental impacts within humanitarian supply chains
How Applications May Be Evaluated
Organizations may be assessed based on:
- Technical expertise
- Experience in environmental sustainability
- Greenhouse gas accounting capabilities
- Life cycle assessment experience
- Sustainable procurement knowledge
- Stakeholder engagement experience
- Capacity-building capabilities
- Project management capacity
- Ability to deliver sector-wide impact
How to Apply
Step 1: Confirm Organizational Eligibility
Ensure your organization possesses expertise in environmental sustainability, supply chain management, and technical advisory services.
Step 2: Review Programme Objectives
Understand the initiative’s goals related to emissions measurement, sustainable procurement, harmonization, and capacity development.
Step 3: Develop a Technical Approach
Prepare a proposal outlining:
- Methodology
- Technical expertise
- Work plan
- Stakeholder engagement strategy
- Expected outcomes
Step 4: Demonstrate Relevant Experience
Highlight experience in:
- Carbon accounting
- Life cycle assessment
- Sustainable procurement
- Humanitarian operations
- Environmental reporting
Step 5: Submit Expression of Interest
Submit all required documentation according to UNHCR guidelines.
Common Application Mistakes to Avoid
- Insufficient experience in sustainability assessment
- Weak stakeholder engagement plans
- Lack of practical implementation strategies
- Limited understanding of humanitarian supply chains
- Failure to demonstrate technical expertise
- Inadequate methodology descriptions
- Weak capacity-building approaches
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is the budget for this opportunity?
The indicative budget is USD 650,000.
Who is the funding organization?
The opportunity is offered by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
What is Scope 3 emissions reporting?
Scope 3 reporting measures indirect emissions generated throughout an organization’s value chain, including procurement, transportation, manufacturing, and waste management activities.
What is a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)?
LCA is a methodology used to evaluate environmental impacts throughout the complete lifecycle of a product or service.
Who can apply?
Qualified organizations with expertise in environmental sustainability, greenhouse gas accounting, life cycle assessment, sustainable procurement, and related technical fields.
What are the main objectives of the partnership?
The partnership seeks to improve sustainability practices, harmonize methodologies, strengthen environmental evidence, and enhance collaboration across humanitarian supply chains.
Why is sustainable procurement important in humanitarian operations?
Sustainable procurement helps organizations reduce environmental impacts while maintaining effective, responsible, and cost-efficient humanitarian assistance delivery.
Conclusion
The UNHCR Technical Partner for Environmental Sustainability in Humanitarian Supply Chains opportunity offers a significant platform for organizations with expertise in environmental sustainability, carbon accounting, life cycle assessment, and sustainable procurement to help shape sector-wide improvements. Through a partnership valued at approximately USD 650,000, the initiative aims to strengthen environmental performance, improve harmonization of methodologies, support evidence-based decision-making, and build a more sustainable and resilient humanitarian supply chain ecosystem worldwide.
For more information, visit UN Partner Portal.
