americas & the caribbean

CARIBBEAN ISLANDS
Disaster Recover Rapid Response Plan for Overseas Territories
UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office through the Conflict, Stability & Security Fund – Project Value: Reflective of severity of situation and response required

Through the Disaster Recovery Rapid Response Plan for Overseas Territories, Alinea provides technical advisors to address the essential needs of Caribbean countries and other British Overseas Territories in the wake of natural disasters. Led by Alinea, a consortium with engineering firms Stantec, ATCO and Quanta provides on-demand expertise to direct the repair and reinstatement of key infrastructure.

After a natural disaster happens, the project mobilizes technical advisors to provide expert technical assistance in the affected location as quickly as safe deployment can occur. Advisors then coordinate with and complement other disaster recovery work underway. Advisors work to specify assessment, repair and reinstatement of key infrastructure requirements by a suitably qualified workforce to restore normal social daily activity as quickly as possible.

Technical areas supported include water system and supply, including sewage; electrical/power; roads and physical infrastructure; airports and ports; fuels; and telecommunications. This project is part of the Rapid Response Programme delivered through the cross-government Conflict, Stability and Security Fund.
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COLOMBIA
Building Extractive Sector Governance in Colombia (Comunica)
Global Affairs Canada – $20.8M CAD

The Building Extractive Sector Governance in Colombia (Comunica)

provided Canadian and international technical assistance to Colombian government agencies responsible for management of the natural resources and extractive sectors. The project team helped strengthen the capacities of government entities to enable the Colombian extractive sector to contribute to more environmentally sustainable and equitable economic growth. Comunica worked directly with more than 4,700 national, regional and local government leaders and officials, community members, business representatives and civil society. Indirectly, the project reached another 7,500 community members through partnerships and capacity development work with local and regional governments, hospitals, schools and training organizations.

Key achievements included:

Construction and deployment of a semi-open data management system for the extractive sector that, by law, replaces the former paper licensing system;
Design of new environmental management and social planning tools in active use by communities, governments and miners;
Piloting new approaches to local economic development including the design/delivery of effective socio-economic development projects funded by royalties from the extractive sector.

Comunica influenced new awareness and understanding by government of the challenges of small-scale mining and need for a proportionate and partnered approach to regulatory enforcement; value of inclusive and equal community engagement to support common goals and solve problems; and importance of transparency and openness in government processes. For communities, the project contributed to enhanced awareness about their responsibilities and capacity to affect change. For the mining sector and small-scale mining, Comunica introduced miners to new, economical approaches for safe and sustainable mining; advocacy and the power of their voice to influence policy; and the importance and benefits of being a good community citizen.

More on Comunica:

Breaking the boom-and-bust cycle in Colombia mining

Six-year project transforms Colombia mining

International Development Week 2021: Climate Action Q&A with Alinea Project Directors

Award-winning e-government mining platform enters first full year of operation in Colombia

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COLOMBIA
Gender Equity/Social Dimensions Component, Colombia Energy, Mining and Environment Project
Global Affairs Canada

Alinea was contracted to provide gender equity and social impact advisory services on this five-year, $11M project aimed at helping Colombia improve the capacity of the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry of Mines and Energy to plan and regulate the hydrocarbon and mining sectors. As gender equity and social impact advisor, Alinea worked to help mainstream gender and social impact into the planning and implementation process, including: developing a gender equality strategy; identifying priority areas of action and providing input into sectoral action plans; developing a project gender equality action plan, including sex-disaggregated data collection and gender-based indicators to measure progress; improving gender sensitivity and gender awareness within the Ministries and increasing capacity of the Ministries in sensitivity, awareness, analysis and planning in both gender equity and social impact.
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HAITI
Technical Support Project in Haiti (PATH)
Global Affairs Canada

The objective of this project was to increase the technical and strategic capacity of government institutions in order to facilitate the implementation of Haiti’s National Strategy for Growth and Poverty Reduction in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake in 2010. The project strengthened the capacity of the Haitian government by embedding experts in different institutions and organizations on an on-demand basis to provide technical assistance, coaching and mentoring. PATH worked with seven ministries, providing them with access to technical experts providing coaching/mentoring, capacity building, research and analysis, strategic and operation support in public sector reform, as well as training for executives and senior public servants in implementing public sector reform strategies; and tools, written and electronic materials and work methods that modernize public sector management. Alinea mobilized more than 100 technical advisors to support Haitian government, enabling the strategic planning units of several ministries to resume their activities after the earthquake. Ministries included: Ministry of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development; Ministry of Public Health and Population; Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs; Ministry of National Education and Professional Training; Ministry of Women’s Conditions and Rights; and the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

Direct institutional support provided by PATH enabled the Government to assess its national poverty reduction strategy and to monitor its progress. It also enabled the Ministry of Planning to better coordinate the planning exercises of sectoral ministries to harmonize aid.
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HONDURAS
Strengthening Education Management at the District Level in Honduras (FORTA)
Global Affairs Canada

FORTA built the education management and pedagogical leadership skills of the Ministry of Education’s district (DMu) and department (DDE) education offices. FORTA strengthened the knowledge, skills and attitudes of male and female education leaders to deliver professional education services and provided direction for school directors, teachers, students and local community stakeholders to optimize the learning outcomes of students. FORTA offered technical assistance, training and coaching through developing local professional learning communities, inter/intra departmental peer learning opportunities, action research and through increasing the mobility and technology required to improve the quality, relevancy and efficiency of basic education in Honduras. FORTA was active in seven DDEs and worked directly with local management and technical personnel in 126 DMus as well as the Ministry’s Department of Human Resources to institutionalize and potentially nationalize FORTA training processes in pedagogical leadership, education management, community participation, and education governance that is transparent and informed by gender equality and green practices. FORTA indirectly strengthened the quality of education delivered to approximately 970,000 students and provided improved education and pedagogical support to approximately 41,000 teachers. www.proyectoforta.org
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HONDURAS
Monitoring of the Guayape Valley Agricultural Development Project, Phase II
Global Affairs Canada

Alinea monitored the Guayape Agricultural Development Project, a complex, 5-year, C$12M initiative, aimed at improving the sustainable long-term productivity of up to 5000 small farms in the Guayape Valley, reduce deforestation, and protect biodiversity. The project’s team monitored, assessed and reviewed the installation of numerous small and medium sized irrigation systems in the Guayape Valley; the provision of training and support in the use of agro-forestry techniques to diversify and intensify the production of fruits and coffee; the development of capacity strengthening activities for organizations and individuals involved in water resource management in the Guayape Valley; the provision of training to local partners in water resource management; and the provision of assistance to producers in gaining legal title to their land, thus enabling improved access to credit, identification of markets for local products to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the project results and contributing to the lasting growth of local economies.

As an independent monitor, Alinea was responsible for assessing overall project progress towards results, identifying implementation problems promptly, and recommending effective solutions to Global Affairs Canada.
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NICARAGUA
Monitoring and Evaluation of the PIMCHAS Integrated Management of Watersheds Project
Global Affairs Canada

Alinea conducted periodic monitoring and a mid-term evaluation of a project run in consortia by CARE Canada, Tecsult and the University of British Columbia, who were working with municipal governments to develop community capacity to protect and restore environmentally sensitive areas. The project supported management of natural resources in a sustainable manner that created economic dividends for residents. Alinea’s consultant established a participatory monitoring process, and advised CARE on strategies, approaches and project focus.
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PERU
Strengthening of Regional Governments for Social and Economic Development in Northern Peru (ProGobernabilidad/SRGSED)
Global Affairs Canada

ProGobernabilidad was a governance project focused on reducing economic inequality and supporting sustainable economic growth through strengthening the capacities of four regional governments in Northern Peru. Project staff worked with the regional governments to improve the quality and accessibility of public services by building their capacity in planning, public administration, information management and e-government, leading to more inclusive delivery, increased transparency and effectiveness, and improved quality and accessibility of public services at the regional level. The project supported an e-gov initiative to provide timely and free medical advice for rural pregnant women and new mothers through SMS texting to share information about the risks, complications, care and monitoring of pregnancy. Other successful initiatives included sponsoring hackathons and using open data to create local, community-based solutions to enhance access to information and improve government services, and updating regional government websites with user-friendly innovations and education materials.
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PERU
Improving Basic Education in Peru (PROMEB)
Global Affairs Canada

Working in rural areas of Northern Peru, PROMEB developed local capacity to support the decentralization of education and increased access, quality and efficiency of early childhood education at the local level. PROMEB staff worked with regional and district leaders to implement national policies in education management, pedagogical coaching, resource management and monitoring and evaluation, and provided technical assistance to align regional and district education plans with national policies. PROMEB had three interrelated components: promoting community engagement in education; providing technical assistance to educators and government employees in education management and pedagogical coaching; and building education governance through awareness of the national legislative framework and normative policies. The project developed and implemented a gender sensitive literacy model based on community participation and the capacity building of teachers, principals and education authorities at the municipal and regional levels to improve learning outcomes. As a result of PROMEB’s success in improving learning outcomes in the project districts, ten of the project schools received the UNESCO Award of Excellence for rural education.
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PERU
Improving the Quality of Granulated Panela and its Efficient Marketing
Conference Board of Canada

Through the Canada-Americas Trade-Related Technical Assistance program (CATRTA), Alinea implemented this project to improve revenues for small-scale panela producers in the Northern Peru region of Piura. Panela is unrefined whole cane sugar containing most of the nutritional components (vitamins and minerals) normally removed from refined white sugar. Increased revenues for panela were achieved by working with farmers on selecting better varieties of cane, as well as introducing improved cultivation and processing techniques. The project also enhanced product marketing by providing support for producer groups including reinforcing “organic” and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) certifications. In order to establish a reliable market for panela in Canada with Canadian retail partner La Siembra, Alinea carried out a financial analysis to assess the competitiveness of Peruvian panela on the Canadian market. The analysis established benchmark prices for a range of inputs, allowing producers to ensure competitive pricing of their product.
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AMERICAS & CARIBBEAN
ARPEL Environmental Project, Phase II
Global Affairs Canada

Alinea provided gender equity advisory services to the Environmental Services Association of Alberta, the Canadian Executing Agency for the ARPEL project, which strengthened the efficiency and capacity of companies in the Latin American petroleum sector to develop and implement environmental protection technologies.
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REGIONAL CARIBBEAN
Technical Assistance to the OECS Secretariat
Organization of Eastern Caribbean States

Alinea was contracted to build the capacity of the OECS Secretariat in performance measurement and reporting, and to prepare standardized documents to facilitate this approach. Alinea developed a set of reporting templates based upon the M&E system and assisted with the preparation of Annual Work Plans, Annual and Quarterly Reports, and the Performance Measurement Frameworks and other performance management tools at the Unit, Divisional and Organizational levels. Training was provided to senior OECS staff in the assessment, preparation and use of these templates for data collection and reporting and additional technical assistance was provided to strengthen the technical team of the Functional Cooperation and Program Management Unit of OECS.
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VENEZUELA
Valuation of an Integrated Cattle Operation in Venezuela
Global Affairs Canada

Alinea conducted an independent review of an integrated cattle operation in Venezuela. The review involved extensive literature and documentation reviews as well as peripheral research and first hand observations and experience regarding the various external factors affecting the value of the cattle operation’s assets. As part of this work, Alinea produced an expert report that contained a forecast of the cash flows generated by the various components of the cattle operation, provided an estimate of the fair market value of the cattle inventory, assessed the value of the intellectual property associated with the genetics laboratory, and provided an assessment of the fair market value of the land assets held by the client.
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alinea’s whistleblower policy

1.1 Purpose

The following Whistleblower Policy has been established to provide guidance to Alinea International employees and sub-contractors on how to deal with known or suspected improper conduct within the organization. The objectives of this Policy are to:

Create awareness of the Policy and available whistleblower protections
Act as a reference guide to potential whistleblowers wishing to make a disclosure
Define the structure of the whistleblower system, including reporting and investigation procedures, whistleblower protections, and confidentiality, among others
Improve the communication and transparency in the processes associated with whistleblowing and assure protection against derogatory consequences, namely reprisals and detrimental action
Complement the current communication channels between employees, sub-contractors and immediate managers, and hierarchical channels flowing to the President and Senior Management team
Provide guidance to all parties involved in either whistleblowing or whistleblower protection.

1.2 Scope

Alinea requires all employees and sub-contractors to observe high standards of business and personal ethics in the conduct of their duties and responsibilities. All employees and sub-contractors of Alinea are required to comply with applicable laws and regulations of Canada and the countries where we operate. Any allegations of known or suspected improper conduct or mismanagement of organizational resources will be dealt with in accordance with this Policy, and reasonable steps will be taken to protect those who come forward with allegations. Alinea’s Whistleblower Policy covers both internal and external whistleblowing, and establishes the controls and procedures for dealing with allegations of malpractice, fraud and violations of our code of ethics and/or laws or regulations that govern our operations. This Policy is intended to encourage employees and sub-contractors to report known or suspected improper conduct or mismanagement of organizational resources and to enable Alinea’s Senior Management team to address and correct inappropriate action. It is the responsibility of all Board of Directors’ members, the Senior Management team, employees and sub-contractors to report concerns about known or suspected malpractice, fraud and violations of our code of ethics and/or laws or regulations that govern our operations. This Policy is applicable to all employees and sub-contractors of Alinea International.

1.3 Reporting Procedures

Alinea recognizes the value of transparency and accountability in its administrative and management practices and supports the making of disclosures that reveal improper conduct or mismanagement of organizational resources. Our internal controls and operating procedures are intended to detect and prevent malpractice, fraud and violations of our code of ethics and/or laws or regulations that govern our operations. As detailed in Alinea’s Employee Policy and Onboarding manuals, employees and sub-contractors are encouraged to share complaints and/or concerns regarding ethical or legal violations with their immediate managers. If the employee or sub-contractor is not comfortable speaking with their immediate manager or is not satisfied with the response, they are encouraged to speak with the Gatineau or Calgary Office Managers, the Vice Presidents or, as required, the Chief Financial Officer. All members of the Senior Management team are required to report complaints and/or concerns about suspected ethical or legal violations in writing to Alinea’s Ethics Committee who has the responsibility to investigate all reported complaints and/or concerns. In the event that the complaint and/or concern is about the President, it should be raised by the employee or sub-contractor to their immediate manager or the Ethics Committee who will determine how the investigation will proceed. All reports will be promptly investigated and appropriate corrective measures will be taken if warranted by the investigation. Alinea’s Ethics Committee is responsible for acknowledging receipt of the suspected violation and notifying the whistleblower of the outcome of the investigation. Anyone filing a written complaint concerning suspected improper conduct or mismanagement of organizational resources must be acting in good faith and have reasonable grounds for believing the information disclosed indicates a violation. Personal grievances or complaints related to employment are not covered under Alinea’s Whistleblowing Policy. For cases such as this, employees and sub-contractors are advised to first refer to Alineas Employee Policy and Onboarding manuals when considering a disclosure under the Whistleblowing Policy. Any allegations that prove not to be substantiated and which prove to have been made maliciously or knowingly to be false will be viewed as a serious disciplinary offense.

1.4 Confidentiality

Maintaining confidentiality is crucial to ensure reprisals are not made against the whistleblower. Alinea is committed to safeguarding the identity of the whistleblower and to protecting the whistleblower against detrimental action taken in reprisal for allegations of suspected improper conduct or mismanagement of organizational resources. The Ethics Committee is responsible for ensuring whistleblowers are protected from direct and indirect detrimental action, and that the culture of the workplace is supportive of suspected allegations being made. Any employee who retaliates against someone who has reported a violation in good faith is subject to discipline up to and including termination of employment.

1.5 Review

Alinea is committed to implementing ‘best practice’ policies and procedures for dealing with allegations of suspected improper conduct or mismanagement of organizational resources (as defined by this Policy) and the management and protection of whistleblowers making allegation(s). This Policy will be reviewed periodically to ensure it meets the objectives of relevant legislation and remains effective for Alinea, and may be changed at the discretion of the Board of Directors at any time. For allegations of fraud, securities law, or human rights concerns, or when you are not satisfied or uncomfortable with following the Company’s open door policy, individuals should contact the Company’s Ethics Committee directly.

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