ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN Iran COVID-19 Emergency Response Project Additional Financing ENVIRONMENTAL and SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN (ESCP) August 2021 1|Page ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL COMMITMENT PLAN 1. The Islamic Republic of Iran (hereinafter the Borrower) shall implement the Iran COVID-19 Emergency Response Project: Additional Financing (the Project) through the World Health Organization (WHO) with the involvement of the Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME). The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (hereinafter the Bank) has agreed to provide financing for the Project. 2. The Borrower shall, and shall cause WHO to, carry out the Project in accordance with the Environmental and Social Standards (ESSs). To this end, this Environmental and Social Commitment Plan (ESCP) sets out material measures and actions to be carried out or caused to be carried out by the Borrower, including the timeframes of the actions and measures, institutional, staffing, training, monitoring and reporting arrangements, grievance management and the environmental and social assessments and instruments to be prepared or updated, disclosed, consulted, adopted and implemented under the ESCP and the ESSs, all in a manner acceptable to the Bank. 3. The Borrower is responsible for compliance with all requirements of the ESCP even when implementation of specific measures and actions is conducted by WHO as specified in 1. above. 4. Implementation of the material measures and actions set out in this ESCP shall be monitored and reported to the Bank by the Borrower through WHO as required by the ESCP and the conditions of the Loan Agreement, and the Bank shall monitor and assess progress and completion of the material measures and actions throughout implementation of the Project. 5. As agreed by the Bank and the Borrower, this ESCP may be revised from time to time during Project implementation, to reflect adaptive management of Project changes and unforeseen circumstances or in response to assessment of Project performance conducted under the ESCP itself. In such circumstances, the Borrower shall agree to the changes with the Bank and shall, and shall cause WHO to, update the ESCP to reflect the agreed-upon changes. Agreement on changes to the ESCP shall be documented through the exchange of letters signed between the Bank and the Borrower. The Borrower shall, and shall cause WHO to, promptly disclose the updated ESCP. 6. Where Project changes, unforeseen circumstances, or Project performance result in changes to the risks and impacts during Project implementation, the Borrower shall provide additional funds, if needed, to implement actions and measures to address such risks and impact. 2|Page MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBLE ENTITY/AUTHORITY MONI TORING AND REPORTING A REGULAR REPORTING: Starting from the Effective Date, quarterly WHO Prepare and submit to the Bank regular monitoring reports, including from the reports shall be submitted throughout firm assessing E&S compliance and the TPVA, on the environmental, social, health Project implementation. and safety (ESHS) performance of the Project, including but not limited to, stakeholder engagement activities, grievances log, and incident and accident reports. Contract (i) an independent firm to assess the E&S compliance of selected Starting from the Effective Date, quarterly healthcare facilities until all the health facilities are graded “Green� (i.e., E&S reports shall be submitted throughout compliant and eligible to receive the equipment ) and provide corrective actions Project implementation. for other health facilities that do not meet the required standard and (ii) another TPVA reporting shall start from the third specialized firm as a Third Party Verification Agency (TPVA) to verify compliance quarter of the Project with ESHS measures after installation of equipment and report on confirmed facilities and those with non-conformities that require action plan(s) to improve. B INCIDENTS AND ACCIDENTS: Borrower Promptly notify the Bank of any incident or accident related to the Project which Notify the Bank latest within 48 hours WHO has, or is likely to have, a significant adverse effect on the environment, the after learning of the incident or accident. affected communities, the public or workers including, inter alia, road accidents during transportation of procured equipment, installation of equipment, and A subsequent report shall be provided to sexual exploitation and abuse and sexual harassment (SEA/SH) allegations. the Bank within a timeframe acceptable Provide sufficient detail regarding the incident or accident, indicating immediate to the Bank, as requested. measures taken or that are planned to be taken to address it, and any information provided by any contractor and supervising entity, as appropriate. Subsequently, as per the Bank’s request, prepare a report on the incident or accident and propose any measures to prevent its recurrence. ESS 1: ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL RISKS AND IMPACTS 1.1 ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE: Senior E&S Team Lead, E&S Health Borrower Maintain and strengthen the Project Implementation Unit (PIU), which was Officer, E&S Specialist, and Social WHO already established under the Parent Project, with qualified staff and resources to Engagement Officer were already support management of ESHS risks and impacts of the Project, including handling hired/appointed under the parent of Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM) related issues. The following specialists project, but their contracts need to be shall at least be maintained for this Project: Senior E&S Team Lead in addition to updated. A hotline operator and a 3|Page E&S Health Officer, E&S Specialist, Social Engagement Officer, hotline operator communication specialist shall be and communication specialist. additionally hired or appointed before the carrying out of relevant Project activities within first two months of the project. PIU shall be maintained throughout Project implementation. 1.2 ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIAL ASSESSMENT/MANAGEMENT PLANS AND Borrower INSTRUMENTS/ CONTRACTORS WHO a. Assess the environmental and social risks and impacts of proposed Project a. ESMF shall be prepared, disclosed, activities, in accordance with the Environmental and Social Management consulted, and adopted before Framework (ESMF) to be prepared, disclosed, consulted and adopted for the Project Appraisal and implemented Project, the ESSs, the Environmental, Health and Safety Guidelines (EHSGs), throughout the Project and other relevant Good International Industry Practice (GIIP), including implementation. An E&S assessment relevant WHO guidelines. The Borrower shall also ensure that UN Protocols shall be conducted before the on transporting, storing, utilizing the supplies and safe disposal of the used carrying out of the relevant Project ones are implemented in a manner consistent with the ESSs and in a manner activities. acceptable to the Bank. b. The relevant ESHS measures shall be b. Incorporate the relevant aspects of this ESCP, including, inter alia, the ESMF, incorporated into the procurement any environmental and social management plans or other instruments, ESS2 documents before launching the requirements, and any other required ESHS measures, into the ESHS procurement process for the relevant specifications of the procurement documents and contracts with contractors, Project activities and shall thereafter suppliers delivering equipment and supervising firms. Thereafter ensure that complied with throughout the the contractors and supervising firms comply with the ESHS specifications of carrying out of such activities. their respective contracts. Ministry of Health and Medical Education (MOHME) shall include a requirement for preparing an environmental and c. E&S assessments for each healthcare occupational health and safety plan in the contracts with Contractors and/or facility to be conducted, confirming suppliers performing civil works to build or expand assets needed to qualify E&S eligibility, prior to shipment of healthcare facilities to receive the equipment and/or performing any equipment to the facility. associated activities to the Project. MOHME shall make sure those plans are prepared before commencing such civil works and are effectively implemented while performing the works. c. The WHO shall conduct an E&S assessment of the selected facilities to confirm that adequate occupational health and safety (OHS) and waste management systems are in place in line with WHO standards and GIIP, in a manner consistent with the ESSs and acceptable to the Bank, including the improvement plan to be addressed by the Borrower for the potential gaps. 4|Page Healthcare facilities lacking minimum capacity and those against the use of OHS and healthcare waste disposal guidelines shall be excluded or subject to an action plan to be implemented and followed. 5|Page MATERIAL MEASURES AND ACTIONS TIMEFRAME RESPONSIBLE ENTITY/AUTHORITY 1.3 EXCLUSIONS: Exclude the following types of activities as ineligible for These exclusions shall be applied as part of Borrower financing under the Project: the assessment process conducted under WHO • Activities that may cause long term, permanent and/or action 1.2. irreversible adverse impacts • Activities that have high probability of causing serious adverse effects to human health and/or the environment • Activities that may have significant adverse social impacts and may give rise to significant social conflict • All the other excluded activities set out in the ESMF of the Project ESS 2: LABOR AND WORKING CONDITIONS 2.1 LABOR MANAGEMENT: Throughout Project implementation. Borrower The Project shall be carried out in accordance with the applicable WHO requirements of ESS2 including through, inter alia, implementing LMP (annexed to the ESMF) shall be adequate occupational health and safety measures (including personal prepared, disclosed, consulted, and protective equipment and emergency preparedness and response adopted before Appraisal and implemented measures), setting out grievance mechanisms for Project workers, and throughout Project implementation. incorporating labor requirements into the ESHS specifications of the procurement documents and contracts with contractors and supervising firms. Prepare, disclose, consult, adopt and implement Labor Management Procedures (annexed to the ESMF) in accordance with the requirements of ESS2 and in a manner acceptable to the Bank. 2.2 GRIEVANCE REDRESS MECHANISM (GRM) FOR PROJECT WORKERS GRM shall be established and operational Borrower Establish, maintain, and operate a GRM for the Project workers, as before commencement of Project activities WHO described in the LMP included in ESMF and consistent with ESS2. and engaging Project workers and shall remain operational throughout Project implementation. ESS 3: RESOURCE EFFICIENCY AND POLLUTION PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT Relevant aspects of this standard shall be considered, as needed, under Throughout Project implementation WHO action 1.2 above, including, inter alia, measures to adequately manage MOHME and dispose of health care wastes and other types of hazardous and non- hazardous wastes and to maintain energy efficiency. ESS 4: COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY COMMUNITY HEALTH AND SAFETY: Throughout Project implementation. Borrower 6|Page Relevant aspects of this standard shall be considered, as needed, under WHO action 1.2 above including, inter alia, measures to: minimize the potential for community exposure to communicable diseases; establish and implement appropriate quality management systems to manage the risks and the impacts that services provided and activities carried out under the Project may have on community health and safety; prevent and respond to sexual exploitation and abuse, and sexual harassment. 4.1 ROAD SAFETY: The requirement to be included before Borrower WHO shall include a requirement in the contracts with suppliers contracting contractors/suppliers and the WHO transporting the equipment to designated healthcare facilities for procedures to be prepared before shipment preparing transportation procedures that ensure maintaining vehicles of equipment. safety and providing adequate training and management of drivers in accordance with the requirements of ESS4, national legislation and in a manner acceptable to the Bank. 4.2 COVID-19 Measures: Adopt the measures related to community Borrower Put measures in place to prevent or minimize the spread of the infectious health and safety issues described in ESMF WHO diseases/COVID-19 to the community and among workers by following in accordance with the timeframe as per national and WHO guidelines of social distancing and other measures as Section 1.2 and implement them per ESMF in accordance with the requirements of ESS4 and in a manner throughout Project implementation acceptable to the Bank. ESS 5: LAND ACQUISITION, RESTRICTIONS ON LAND USE AND INVOLUNTARY RESETTLEMENT Not relevant ESS 6: BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF LIVING NATURAL RESOURCES Not relevant ESS 7: INDIGENOUS PEOPLES/SUB-SAHARAN AFRICAN HISTORICALLY UNDERSERVED TRADITIONAL LOCAL COMMUNITIES Not relevant ESS 8: CULTURAL HERITAGE Not relevant ESS 9: FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARIES Not relevant ESS 10: STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT AND INFORMATION DISCLOSURE 7|Page 10.1 STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT PLAN: A SEP shall be prepared, disclosed, Borrower Adopt, implement and update (if needed) the SEP which is cleared and consulted, and adopted before Project WHO disclosed prior to Project Appraisal to ensure a set of stakeholder Appraisal and implemented throughout the engagement actions, including information disclosure and a consultation Project implementation. process in place with selected health facilities and relevant stakeholders throughout the entire Project cycle. This shall include measures to, inter alia, provide stakeholders with timely, relevant, understandable, and accessible information, and consult with them in a culturally appropriate manner, which is free of manipulation, interference, coercion, discrimination, and intimidation, all consistent with ESS10, and in a manner acceptable to the Bank. 10.2 GRIEVANCE MECHANISM (GM): Throughout Project implementation. Borrower A Project GM was already established under the Parent Project. The WHO existing GM shall be maintained and operated as described in the SEP, by which all parties can raise concerns, provide feedback, or make complaints at the health care facilities about the Project, promptly and effectively, in a transparent manner that is culturally appropriate and readily accessible to all Project-affected parties, at no cost and without retribution, including concerns and grievances filed anonymously, in a manner consistent with ESS10. The grievance mechanism shall also receive, register, and address concerns and grievances related to sexual exploitation and abuse, sexual harassment in a safe and confidential manner, including through the referral of survivors to gender-based violence service providers as per applicable national laws and guidelines, consistent with ESS10, and in a manner acceptable to the Bank. CAPACITY SUPPORT (TRAINING) Project Implementation Unit and other relevant implementing support No later than 30 working days of the Borrower staff responsible for the Project to receive training and briefing sessions Effectiveness Date and periodically with the WHO on the Project’s ESHS plans and instruments, fair, equitable and inclusive addition of new Project team members access and allocation of Project benefits and the roles and responsibilities throughout implementation of different key agencies in the ESF implementation 8|Page