Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) in Cooling and Cold-Chain

The GESI integration in cooling and cold-chain sectors course will cover the following key topics:

GESI integration entry points in project/programme and business cycle.

• Importance of GESI integration and entry points for GESI integration across the project/programme and business cycle.
• How to assess entry points depending on where you are in the project/programme or in business cycle.
• Key challenges and opportunities of integrating GESI.

GESI sensitive needs assessment and data collection framework

• Importance of needs assessments in understanding the specific needs of marginalised communities in cold-chain projects, programmes, and businesses
• GESI-sensitive data collection tools to gather disaggregated data that reflects demographic diversity and contextual variables.
• How to develop GESI indicators that reflect the specific needs of different groups; difference in accessibility of cold-chain technology and service (availability, affordability); and difference in participation (decision-making roles, labour participation).
• How are markets/customers identified – are the processes of writing a business plan and making strategies inclusive?
• Quantitative and qualitative data collection methods and how to choose the feasible methods of data collection.
• Ethical considerations as well as GDPR laws to follow while data collection and sharing for analysis.

GESI-sensitive business models and social models in cold-chain

• Importance of inclusive business and social models in the cold-chain sector, addressing development challenges by balancing commercial viability with a focus on social impact and sustainability.
• Different options of business models and social models are available for designing affordable, accessible and inclusive cold-chain services.
• How to choose the right model based on target beneficiaries’ socio-economic and environmental context, market demand, and investment capacity.
• Benefits and challenges of adopting inclusive models in cold-chain systems.
• Building blocks of GESI inclusive cold-chain business or workforce looks like in operations, policies and leadership.
• Opportunity to discuss the real-life case studies on innovative business/social models in cold-chain from around the world to understand how inclusivity can be achieved and build collaborative business plan.

Theory of Change (TOC) and Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL)

• How to use ToC as a planning tool to inform MEL.
• Importance of GESI-sensitive MEL framework throughout the project lifecycle and in business plan.
• How disaggregated data, intersectional analysis, and GESI-specific indicators support MEL?
• Developing a collaborative MEL plan to track progress on GESI outcomes in projects and in businesses
• The role of continuous learning and real-time evidence to adjust strategies and ensure accountability.
• How to use findings from GESI sensitive operational and business performance evaluation to improve the business plan?

GESI-sensitive leadership and management

• Importance of fostering diversity and inclusion in the workplace to make everyone feel respected and valued.
• Organisational policies which can make leadership diverse and reflect trust and facilitate collaboration among the stakeholders
• Practical tools for effectively managing discriminatory practices, sexual harassment, and gender based violence in the workplace so everyone feels safe and supported.

GESI-sensitive communication and stakeholder engagement

• Importance of inclusive GESI-sensitive language, which is free of biases and stereotypes, for both internal and external communication.
• Tools to ensure GESI-sensitive communications.
• Tools for stakeholder analysis to identify and engage key GESI stakeholders in the project/ programme and business activities.
• How to ensure meaningful stakeholder participation in planning, delivery, and monitoring of projects?
• Challenges to engage marginalised groups and potential strategies to improve participation.