In September 2015, the UN member states agreed to a set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which represent the global agenda for equitable, socially inclusive, and environmentally sustainable economic development through 2030.
Since their launch, companies across many sectors have been trying to figure out how to align the SDGs with their sustainability programs and in some cases, integrate them into their core strategy and operations.
London, 27 June 2018 – Bettercoal and Equitable Origin have today signed a non-binding Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to forge an active and mutually beneficial relationship between the two organisations to identify and to develop opportunities including but not limited to the harmonization of standards; to share knowledge and expertise on standard-setting and assurance; to collaborate on technology-based platforms for performance measurement and verification; and, to actively support the adoption of both standards and assurance systems in global energy value chains.
Equitable Origin has worked for over a decade to help Indigenous Peoples in the Amazon to protect their lands from destructive development practices. The best chance for exploitation of natural resources to benefit communities and reduce impacts on the environment and biodiversity is when communities have a say in whether and how those resources are developed; a right for Indigenous Peoples that is recognized as Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). We are developing a technology tool to help communities participate in and monitor FPIC processes, which has the potential to safeguard human rights in the face of large-scale development projects.
Equitable Origin researcher Emma Hague and Aurea Nardelli from the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) facilitated a masterclass entitled “FPIC (Free, Prior and Informed Consent) – improving verification on the ground” at the ISEAL Alliance’s 9th Annual Conference, which took place in Sao Paolo, Brazil, from 22nd – 23rd May.
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EO organized a workshop in Muna, in the Yucatán Peninsula of Mexico, to train indigenous representatives on social and environmental impact assessments; Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC); and Human Rights.
The training was conducted in partnership with the Centro Mexicano de Derecho Ambiental (CEMDA), and included the participation of more than 30 indigenous representatives.
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With the objective of sharing international experiences in social impact assessments (SIAs), community consultations and Human Rights protection, EO and ANUIES, the National Association of Universities, initiated a new cycle of trainings geared towards applying the EO100TM Standard as a framework for SIAs in Mexico, with the support of the Mitsubishi Corporation Foundation of the Americas.
In February and March 2018, Equitable Origin (EO), in collaboration with the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) and the Coordinating Organization of Indigenous Peoples of the Amazon Basin (COICA) conducted the second and third workshops in a series of three workshops about Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) as part of a project funded by the ISEAL Alliance Innovation Fund.
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During 2017, EO implemented a series of six trainings on social impact at local Autonomous universities in Mexico in partnership with the National Association of Universities, ANUIES. The trainings included developing a curriculum on social and environmental performance monitoring and management.
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Equitable Origin, in partnership with the Coordinating Organization of Indigenous Peoples of the Amazon Basin (COICA) and the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB), is currently leading an innovative and collective effort to examine the issue of Indigenous Peoples’ right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent, or FPIC, and how it is applied in the context of voluntary sustainability standards.
We are pleased to be the recipient of a grant from the ISEAL Innovation Fund to examine the issue of Indigenous Peoples’ right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent, or FPIC, and how it is applied in the context of voluntary sustainability standards.