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.
EO Blog
A Masterclass on Free, Prior and Informed Consent at the ISEAL Sustainability Standards Conference
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.
Community Engagement and Renewable Energy
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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.
The EO100™ Standard: A Framework for Social Impact Assessments in Mexico
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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.
Rethinking Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC)
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.
EO to Expand Social Impact Assessment Training Program in Mexico
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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.
EO leads Free, Prior and Informed Consent workshop with Indigenous Peoples in the Amazon basin
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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.
Enabling Free, Prior and Informed Consent through Voluntary 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.
EO Explores Innovative Approaches to Environmental and Social Impact Assessments in Mexico
Last year, Equitable Origin (EO) was awarded a grant from the Mitsubishi Corporation Foundation for the Americas (MCFA) for a three-year project to develop and deploy a training curriculum for social and environmental impact assessment based on the EO100™ Standard for Responsible Energy Development in collaboration with academic institutions in Mexico.
A Fast and Fair Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy
This week, the American Renewable Energy Institute (AREI) hosted their 14th annual American Renewable Energy Day summit in Colorado, and EO's CEO, Soledad Mills, spoke on a panel about the challenges and opportunities of developing renewable energy in emerging markets.