On 2 June 2026, the 11th Advisory Board Meeting of the GEIPP-II Ukraine project took place in a hybrid format. Participants gathered in person in Kyiv and joined online via Microsoft Teams. The meeting brought together representatives of business and SMEs, academic and research institutions, industrial park management companies, and regional authorities.
What is the Advisory Board and why does it matter
The Advisory Board is a key mechanism for engaging stakeholders in the work of the GEIPP-II Ukraine project. It provides a feedback loop between the project team and a wide range of interested parties, and enables the development of recommendations that directly shape the project’s priorities and the agenda of the Steering Committee. Every voice at the meeting translates into real influence on the development of eco-industrial parks in Ukraine.
Project results and achievements
At the opening of the meeting, the project team presented the latest results and achievements of GEIPP-II Ukraine and reported on which recommendations from previous Advisory Board meetings had already been incorporated into the project’s work.
Facilitated discussion: stakeholder needs and priorities
The centrepiece of the agenda was a facilitated discussion in which participants from three stakeholder groups, namely representatives of regional and district councils, business and SMEs, and academic and research institutions, shared their needs, priorities, and expectations. All inputs were recorded and organised by stakeholder category.
The topics that received the most attention were as follows.
The talent shortage. Business and industrial park representatives highlighted the acute shortage of qualified engineers and environmental specialists with practical experience. Interdisciplinary professionals who combine technical expertise with an understanding of environmental requirements are in particular demand. A separate point was raised about the importance of preparing for the reintegration of veterans through new green education programmes and retraining opportunities.
The gap between regulation and practice. Representatives of operating industrial parks noted that a significant part of environmental legislation cannot in practice be implemented by businesses due to the absence of practical implementation tools. Participants stressed that what is needed is not only new rules, but real mechanisms to put them into effect.
Systematic education and green competencies. The academic community supported the need for systematic training of educators and the introduction of eco-industrial park educational components in universities on a permanent basis, with the possibility of qualification recognition for those teaching these disciplines.
Artificial intelligence and management technologies. Participants discussed the potential of AI tools for automating the management of resource and logistics flows within parks. A proposal was put forward to develop pilot projects involving research institutions at existing industrial parks.
Green product labelling. The discussion touched on the distinction between genuine confirmation of a product’s environmental credentials and greenwashing. Participants were reminded that current Ukrainian legislation already prohibits abstract claims about a product being “green” without independent certification, and that it is important for this requirement to be known and observed by all market participants.
Participants recorded their proposals and recommendations in a feedback form. The inputs collected will be presented at the 13th Steering Committee meeting of the GEIPP-II Ukraine project.
Election of the Advisory Board representative to the Steering Committee
The meeting also included the election of an Advisory Board representative to participate in the 13th Steering Committee meeting. We congratulate the newly elected representative and wish success in carrying out this important responsibility.
If you have any questions or proposals regarding the project’s implementation or the work of the Advisory Board, please share them via our feedback form.
The event is organised under the project “Eco-Industrial Parks Programme II – Ukraine Country-Level Intervention” (GEIPP–II Ukraine), implemented by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in cooperation with the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, with financial support from the Government of Switzerland through the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).
