Global Battery Alliance Greenhouse Gas Workstream Consultancy  

Terms of Reference 

 

1.    Introduction 

The Global Battery Alliance (GBA) is built on the vision of a circular, responsible and just battery value chain in 2030.

In 2019, the GBA and World Economic Forum outlined this vision in the published report ‘A Vision for a Sustainable Battery Value Chain in 2030’. The GBA conceptualized the Battery Passport as a framework to increase transparency, trustability and comparability of sustainability performance data, across the battery mineral supply chain.

The GBA’s Battery Passport is a key instrument to implement a global vision of sustainable battery value chains. Its goal is to provide certification of batteries’ sustainability performance, and underlying data, according to reporting rules agreed by stakeholders from industry, academia, non-governmental organizations and government.

The Battery Passport programme includes a Greenhouse Gas (GHG) workstream, which is developing a global framework for carbon emissions calculations in battery mineral supply chains, and accompanying guidance materials, compatible with the EU Batteries Regulation and other key regulatory and voluntary frameworks. Milestones to date in the GHG workstream include:

• 2022: GHG Rulebook 1.0 published
• 2022/23: “Proof of Concept” piloting round of the Battery Passport, including reporting against GHG Rulebook 1.0
• 2023: Launch of public consultation on GHG Rulebook 1.0
• 2023: GHG Rulebook 2.0 published, and translated into Chinese
• 2024: Draft EU Delegated Act published for consultation, incorporating many components of GBA GHG Rulebook
• 2024: 2nd piloting round of the Battery Passport, including reporting against the GHG Rulebook 2.0

The GBA is seeking a consultant to work closely with the Secretariat team, the GBA GHG Working Group, GBA decision-making bodies and other stakeholders, to continue advancing the GHG workstream in preparation for upcoming milestones, including public consultation and further piloting rounds, leading up to the global launch of the GBA Battery Passport certification scheme, which is planned for 2027.

 

2.    Scope of Work 

 

The consultant will be responsible for developing the Greenhouse Gas Workstream to continue to create value for GBA member organisations and support GBA strategic goals. The specific tasks and deliverables include: 

A: Framework development 

• Develop a GHG Rulebook 3.0 based on the current Rulebook 2.0, which:
• Addresses any potential misalignments between Rulebook 2.0 and the EU Batteries Regulation Delegated Act establishing the methodology for the calculation and verification of the carbon footprint of electric vehicle batteries (“the EU Delegated Act”), when published.
• Incorporates ~40 technical and editorial changes received to date on Rulebook 2.0
• Incorporates feedback that the GBA has received from the 2^nd piloting round
• Develop guidance documentation that assists supply chain companies to report against the rules specified in the EU Delegated Act, including by using the tools and methods elaborated in the GBA GHG Rulebook 3.0.
• Develop, socialise and validate a framework of ‘generally acceptable’ interoperability practices between key GHG frameworks, for entities engaged in battery carbon footprint calculation.
• Develop and maintain a mapping of global GHG reporting frameworks that are relevant for carbon footprinting in battery supply chains, and develop explanatory materials on these frameworks’ interrelation with the GBA GHG Rulebook 3.0.
• Support the Head of Programme - Battery Passport to refine the existing GBA draft rules for carbon footprint data aggregation along the supply chain, contained in the document “Guidelines for Track & Trace Service Providers on ESG Data Declaration, Exchange, and Aggregation”.

 

B: Leading the GBA Greenhouse Gas Working Group

The GBA GHG Working Group is a multi-stakeholder discussion forum for GBA member organisations. The Consultant will lead the working group (at a cadence of 1-3 meetings per month, depending on requirements) in order to:

• Continuously maintain stakeholder alignment on the strategic direction and value proposition of the GBA’s Greenhouse Gas workstream
• Aid the conceptualisation of the frameworks specified in Task A.
• Stress-test, validate and build consensus on the content developed by the Consultant under Task A.

 

C: Liaison, monitoring, briefing and advisory tasks

• The GBA regularly liaises with other organisations that are active in the GHG space for batteries and their precursor materials. The Consultant will lead these liaison tasks, monitor global developments in battery carbon footprinting, and provide periodic briefs (verbally and in writing) to the GBA Secretariat and GBA Membership, on developments of note. Potentially, the Consultant may also be asked to advise regulatory bodies or other organisations on the advantages of incorporating elements of the GBA GHG Rulebook into their own GHG frameworks, or prepare feedback to public consultations on behalf of the GBA, which will be validated by the GHG Working Group.

 

D: Public consultation 

• The GBA intends to conduct a round of public consultation on several of its key Battery Passport frameworks in 2025, including the GHG Rulebook 3.0 (when drafted). Public consultation is provisionally scheduled for September and October. The Consultant will prepare materials for the public consultation process for GHG Rulebook 3.0, and work (with support from the GHG Working Group as described in Task B) to incorporate received feedback from the consultation, into the Rulebook.

 

E: Piloting support 

• The GBA intends to conduct a third round of piloting of the Battery Passport. Provisionally, preparation for the piloting is scheduled for the 4^th quarter of 2025, and the conduct of the piloting exercise is scheduled for the 1^st and 2^nd quarters of 2026. The Consultant will prepare materials and liaise with participant organisations (which are currently TBD) in order to prepare for the piloting of the GHG Rulebook 3.0 and any accompanying tools and guidance developed under Task A.

 

3.    Duration 

This consultancy is expected to run throughout the 2025 calendar year, with the possibility of extension into 2026 and beyond. Level of effort is benchmarked at 2 days per week, variable depending on workload and by mutual agreement between the Consultant and the GBA.

 

4.    Skills and experience 

The consultant should possess the following attributes: 

• Deep expertise in Product Carbon Footprint and Life-Cycle Assessment methodologies and frameworks, including in particular those most relevant to batteries and battery mineral supply chains.
• Demonstrated track record of working in a multi-stakeholder environment to develop frameworks related to GHG measurement and reduction. Proven ability to incorporate multiple and diverse stakeholder perspectives, and propose solutions and approaches to framework development that achieve broad stakeholder buy-in.
• Thorough understanding of the political and regulatory landscape for GHG emissions measurement and reduction including, but not limited to, the GHG provisions of the EU Batteries Regulation and draft Delegated Act.
•  Ability to work independently and remotely without close supervision, while keeping the client point of contact well informed and being responsive to client guidance and direction.
• Strong project management and organisational abilities.
• Excellent written and spoken English.

 

5.    Reporting and coordination 

The consultant will report to the Head of Programme – Battery Passport. Regular check-ins will be scheduled to discuss progress, challenges, and next steps, to review deliverables agreed with the Consultant, and to coordinate on the strategic direction of the project. 

 

6.    Payment terms 

The payment terms will be agreed upon at the outset of the contract. Compensation will be based on an agreed daily rate. Release of payment will be contingent on satisfactory completion of agreed tasks, and the submission of invoices detailing time spent.

 

7.    Application process 

Interested consultants should submit a proposal including: 

• A covering letter that evidences the applicant’s required skills and experience, as described in Section 4 (no more than one page of A4). 
• An outline work plan (no more than one page of A4). 

• Curriculum Vitae. 

• Expected daily rate. 

 

8.    Deadline for applications 

 
Applications must be submitted by email to secretariat@globalbattery.org by February 28th latest. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.  

 

 

9.    Reference works

 

1. GBA GHG Rulebook 2.0
2. Guidelines for Track & Trace Service Providers on ESG Data Declaration, Exchange, and Aggregation
3. A Vision for a Sustainable Battery Value Chain in 2030