Wood for Work (WfW) - 2023
Description of Project:
The WoodforWork (WfW) project aims to generate reliable information on the employment situation along the forest-related value chain in various economies of the world.
The primary study aspects include, inter alia, informal employment, gender, decent work, and impacts of institutional, legal or economic conditions’ changes on forest-related employment.
The objective of this ToR is to determine the criteria to carry on the survey, that will allow us to evaluate the current employment situation in value-chains of wood chip, pellet and wood-based panels production. As well as analyzing the impact of a possible scenario n which the production of wood chips (fuel) and pellets is converted to wood panels and fiberboard, thus increasing the quality of the product, and generating better quality of employment.
The interviewer must assure you that all provided information during the interview will be kept strictly confidential and anonymous. Data will be used solely for scientific and project purpose. Individual responses or information potentially traceable to your organization will not be distributed for any purpose.
A very profitable business in the forest and wood sector in Viet Nam is the production of wood chips and pellets. Despite the rapid profitability generated by this type of product, it does not produce high value-added products and does not stimulate the generation of employment. This is related to extensive production systems, that do not require high value-added products and does not stimulate the generation of employment. This is related to extensive production systems, that do not require high work input.
The case scenario will try to answer the question what if the production of wood chips and pellets is replaced by higher value-added products such as wood-based panels or fiberboard. Promoting and enhancing value added products, we expect to improve the sector's income, and to generate an impact in the trade balance (less roundwood and wood-based panels imports, and less wood chips and pellets exports). Having impacts on employment quantity and quality (i.e., higher levels of qualification in job profiles).
To carry out the case, a questionnaire was developed with two sections, production and employment. In which we will try to capture the current situation of the sector and analyze what would happen in the event of a possible change in the current conditions.
Description of actual services provided by your staff within the assignment:
The selected consultant shall:
▪ Regarding the questionnaire and the database:
1) Random select companies: certified (FSC) 15 companies (5 wood chips, 5 wood pellets, 5 wood panels) – non-certified 15 companies (5 wood chips, 5 wood pellets, 5 wood panels) throughout Viet Nam. All large and medium companies Vietnamese scale. Provide a written detail on how the random selection and location process has been made.
2) UNIQUE and Thünen Institute will provide the questionnaire and the data entry template in excel. Mekong Economics will have to translate the questionnaire into Vietnamese, and they should provide the enumerators the same version.
3) Participate in the training day for the questionnaire and data entry held by
UNIQUE and Thünen Institute.
4) Mekong will conduct a pre-test of 3 companies, proving feedback in both written and meeting format in English to UNIQUE and Thünen Institute, to adjust the final version of the questionnaire. It could be that some questions will be revised and changed, thus there will be need of support and translation into Vietnamese/English.
5) Mekong will carry out 30 surveys according to the selection done in point 1.
6) Upload the information from the questionnaire to the provided data entry template in English.
7) Send the physical copy of all surveys to UNIQUE’s offices in Viet Nam, after data uploading; plus send a scan version after the survey is done.
8) Final meeting to discuss how was the overall interviews and final feedback.
▪ Regarding the overall timeline:
9) Mekong will submit a work plan before starting the company’s selection.
10) Mekong will start the assignment after the 1st March.
11) Mekong will finalize all the assignments (until point 8) until 31 May 2023.
▪ Regarding general aspects:
12) At all times maintain the anonymity and confidentiality of the information, meaning do not share the questionnaire or the results and the identity of the respondents.
13) All the communications and results will be provided in English language.