Other
Apart from the various water projects that the Ecological Management Foundation is involved in, it is also working on other projects in various working areas, these are:
1. Microfinance:
2. Hands on Microkrediet:
December 1st 2006 the launching has taken place of HandsOn Microkrediet Nederland and HandsOn Microkrediet Amsterdam, an initiative by Ecological Management Foundation and Carnac.
In 1999 EMF initiated and coordinated an internal workshop at Rabobank on the future role of microcredit/microfinance in poverty eradication: "Helping the Poor to Help Themselves"'. Ever since, EMF has closely followed developments in this field and is looking for niches to promote this concept, for instance through real life documentaries on the state of the art.
3. Documentaries:
EMF 's involvement in documentaries started with the iniative in 1999 to develop a 6 parts international documentary on the water problems and solutions: "Water, The Drop Of Life". The first comprehensive showing of this project occurred at the start of the World Water Forum and ministerial conference in the Hague in 2000. In the meantime this documentary has been aired in 60 countries, including, through Public Broadcasting Systems (PBS) in the United States.
Since then EMF has continued to explore and initiate documentaries in the field of water, poverty and mictrofinance, in cooperation with professional filmmakers.
A 4 part TV documentary series 'Het Blauwe Goud' (The Blue Gold), on problems and solutions on freshwater shortages in the developing world will be broadcasted on Dutch TV by NCRV. The initiative for this documentary was taken by EMF, including selecting the projects and an extensive interview with the Prince Willem Alexander.
4. ARC:
EMF and ARC have been working on various projects. Currently EMF together with partners ARC (Alliance of religions and conservation) and IRC (International Water and Sanitation Centre) are working on a workshop on faith schools, water, sanitation and hygiene that will be held from 5-7 July 2009.
The purpose behind the workshop, which is taking place at Sarum College in Salisbury, is to create a guidebook based on ‘Faith in water: Ideas, Inspirations and Stories’.
Participants have been asked to prepare a written paper in advance of the workshop outlining what water means within the context of their respective faith traditions and religious schools.
What is needed from the paper
No more than 2000 words long, the paper should reflect on the symbolism and significance of the practical relationship between faith and water. We want a sense of the rich mythology and stories about water that underpin your faith tradition. Please highlight texts from your own holy books which can help us to appreciate the faith’s insights into our relationship with water. In keeping with the title of this programme “Faith in Water: ideas, inspiration and stories” the emphasis is on stories which engage and inspire.
All papers submitted will form the initial sections of a proposed guide-book “Faith in water – A guide to ideas, inspiration, stories and action” which will also be a practical outcome from the two day event capturing the ideas, conversations and inspiration. The deadline for submission is the end of April 2009.
EMF regrets this event is not open to the public, but is intended for invited participants only.
5. Sustainable Management:
At the start of EMF in the early 90's, two ways to alert the business world on their involvement with sustainable development were chosen:
1. Environmental Performance Indicators (EPI)
EMF started a programme on introducing EPI in the Dutch industry in 1993 in cooperation with Environmental Management Consultants Group of Coopers & Lybrand, based on the Global Environmental Management Initiative (GEMI) in Washington in 1992.
EMF and Coopers & Lybrand published three articles on the subject in 1994.
The present status of what developed from this programme and Subsequent Initiatives outside EMF can be traced at:
www.globalreporting.org
www.epifinance.com
www.defra.gov.uk/environment/consult/envrp/general/pdf/05.pdf
www.xlp.com/article.asp?pass_article=904
www.vnci.nl/
2. Environmental Performance for Banks
Based on various publications by NatWest in the late eighties and EMF's visits to NatWest, EMF approached the major banks in the Netherlands to draw their attention to the need of introducing environmental performance in their credit rating systems and in the environmental management within the banks on their own performance.
EMF's chairman published an extensive article on the subject in the Dutch Magazine, “Bankers'and Traders'Association”, December issue 1991.
Subsequently a blueprint on how to add environmental issues in credit rating systems was worked out at ING Bank in cooperation with EMF, Coopers & Lybrand Financial Services and TNO.
Although at that time this was very new, at present all major banks have implemented environmental procedures on which extensive coverage can be found on their annual reports.