WEC and Ecolab with Washington Post LIVE Discuss Water’s Role in Sustainable Development
In a segment presented by Ecolab, Calvin Emanuel, vice president and general manager of Sustainable Growth Solutions at Ecolab, and Glenn Prickett, president and CEO at World Environment Center, discussed how industry can be a positive force in supporting a water-secure future while driving business outcomes. The conversation covered the central tenets of corporate sustainability programs that conserve water, foster business resilience, and create positive impacts in support of communities around the world. Check out the interview here: The Washington Post LIVE – This is Climate: Water.
World Environment Center to recognize Jacobs as the 2023 WEC Gold Medal Awardee for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development
The World Environment Center is pleased to announce that its 39th Gold Medal for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development will be awarded to Jacobs. The Gold Medal Award will be presented to Jacobs at an in-person ceremony at Washington, DC’s Planet Word on Wednesday, May 17, 2023.
The Gold Medal Award is presented annually to a global company that has integrated sustainability into its business practices, created ground-breaking solutions to critical environmental and social challenges, and demonstrated global leadership to accelerate progress toward a sustainable future. An independent Gold Medal Jury comprised of recognized sustainability experts selects the Gold Medalist through a global competition among nominated companies invited to apply for the Award.
The Gold Medal Jury selected Jacobs this year in recognition of Jacobs’ initiatives that integrate sustainability across their organization and client solutions. The Jury recognized Jacobs for its sustainable business strategy PlanBeyond 2.0 which integrates the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals across the entire organization that has led to the creation of corporate strategies, programs, and partnerships that deliver positive impact globally.
Gold Medal Jury Chair Linda Fisher, former Vice President & Chief Sustainability Officer of Dupont, said “on behalf of the Jury, I extend my sincere congratulations to Jacobs for its thoughtful approach to sustainability. Their commitments coupled with a global initiatives & partnerships have a far-reaching and positive sustainability impact around the world.”
In acknowledging receipt of the prestigious global sustainability award, Jacobs Office of Global Climate Response and ESG Senior Vice President Jan Walstrom said, “over the last several years Jacobs has been on a purposeful journey to integrate sustainable principles into the solutions we develop and deliver to respond to our clients’ greatest challenges, including those directly focused on addressing climate challenge. We know we have a pivotal role to play in addressing the climate emergency and channeling our technology-enabled expertise and capabilities toward benefiting people and the planet. We’re honored that our efforts have been recognized by the World Environment Center and are delighted to receive this prestigious Gold Medal Award.”
“We congratulate Jacobs and salute the company’s commitment to sustainable development,” said WEC President & CEO Glenn Prickett. “In these challenging times, we hope that recognizing Jacobs’s leadership with the Gold Medal Award will inspire other companies to aim higher in their commitments to sustainability.”
About the Gold Medal
The World Environment Center’s Gold Medal for International Corporate Achievement in Sustainable Development was established in 1985 to recognize significant industry initiatives in global environmental excellence and sustainable development. Recent recipients of the WEC Gold Medal Award are AB InBev (2022), Microsoft (2021), the Ford Motor Company (2020), Trane Technologies (formerly Ingersoll Rand; 2019), Ecolab, (2018), HP Inc. (2017), Jacobs – formerly CH2M (2016), SC Johnson (2015), Unilever (2013), IBM (2012), Nestlé (2011), and Wal-Mart Stores (2010).
The Gold Medal Jury is independent of WEC and its programs, and is composed of international leaders from academia, government, non-governmental organizations, and retired industry professionals.
About the World Environment Center
The World Environment Center advances sustainable development through corporate business practices. Headquartered in Washington, D.C. with offices in Europe and Latin America, WEC creates business solutions through executive roundtables on key sustainability challenges, builds capacity of small enterprises in emerging markets, and honors industry excellence through its annual Gold Medal Award. WEC is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization. For more information, please visit www.wec.org.
WEC Launches Year In Review – A Look Back At Our Programs in 2022
We are thrilled to share our our Year In Review for 2022 gathering highlights from key programs and events that we hosted throughout the year.
We’re proud to have held multiple Thought Leadership events, both in-person and virtually, which brought together business leaders to address shared sustainability priorities. We also awarded our 38th Gold Medal to AB InBev and our Capacity Building programs supported small businesses in Africa, Latin America, and the Middle East to build sustainable value chains. Learn more and checkout our full report below!
Departamento de Estado de los Estados Unidos lanza serie de concursos:“Empower Innovation Challenge” (EIC) – Inspira y diseña el futuro
Más de un millón de dólares serán destinados en pequeñas subvenciones para 24 ganadores que gestionen proyectos a beneficio de micro, pequeñas y medianas empresas lideradas por mujeres en Latinoamérica. El período de aplicación inicia el 1 de marzo de 2023.
Feb 27 2023. El Centro Mundial del Medio Ambiente (WEC) y sus socios: el Núcleo de Biotecnología de Curauma (NBC) y Baastel, desarrollarán la serie de competencias denominada “Empower Innovation Challenge” (EIC) en diferentes países de América Latina y el Caribe con el fin de apoyar la expansión del modelo de desarrollo “La RED de Innovación e Impacto (La RED).
La invitación a participar en el primer concurso EIC estará abierta del 1 al 20 de marzo de 2023 a través del link https://www.EICLaRed.org/ para todas aquellas organizaciones que desarrollen actividades encaminadas a empoderar a las micro, pequeñas y medianas empresas lideradas por mujeres en 10 países latinoamericanos.
Las organizaciones que deseen postular sus proyectos con este enfoque de género, pueden pertenecer a los siguientes países: Belice, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panamá, República Dominicana, Colombia, Perú y Ecuador. Los sectores hacia los cuales va dirigido el concurso varían desde la agricultura, pesca, turismo sostenible, tecnologías de servicios creativos, manufactura ligera y pequeña, así como textiles. Los proyectos que participen deben estar centrados en generar soluciones locales que apuesten por economías verdes y azules con enfoque en grupos vulnerables, brindar capacitación, acceso a oportunidades de capital, trabajo en red y propiciar el acceso a cadenas de valor con empresas locales e internacionales.
“Las organizaciones que desarrollamos esta iniciativa tenemos planeado poner en marcha una serie de tres desafíos que nos permitirán elegir soluciones innovadoras para potenciar el desarrollo de MIPYMES administradas por mujeres y que generen un crecimiento más inclusivo en cada uno de los países participantes”, señaló Ernesto Samayoa, director de operaciones de WEC Latinoamérica.
Los proyectos que participen pueden provenir de organizaciones de la sociedad civil, instituciones educativas, centros focalizados en el desarrollo de pequeños negocios, así como de organizaciones dedicadas a implementar y promover la producción más limpia o del sector privado en general. Durante el proceso de selección de los ganadores, se creará un jurado multidisciplinario compuesto también por asociaciones locales. En total la serie de desafíos permitirá generar alianzas con cámaras, gremiales, o diferentes instituciones representativas de cada país, para volver más transparente el proceso. Dentro de esta serie de desafíos, los organizadores seleccionarán a 24 ganadores, quienes recibirán fondos no reembolsables para sus proyectos de hasta un máximo de $50,000 por proyecto y además tendrán la oportunidad de ser miembros del modelo de desarrollo: La Red de Innovación de Impacto. El EIC premiará a 8 organizaciones en cada una de las tres ediciones que llevará a cabo. Cada concurso se realizará una vez al año, hasta el 2025, donde al final de la serie de concursos se contará con 24 ganadores en total, cada uno ejecutando proyectos a beneficio de las MIPYMES dirigidas por mujeres en la región latinoamericana.
Para información adicional puede contactar: contacto@laredinnovacionimpacto.com Ernesto Samayoa, Director de operaciones de WEC: esamayoa@wec.org
Acerca de La Red de Innovación e Impacto (La Red)
La Red es una iniciativa que reúne a organizaciones, sin fines de lucro y con fines de lucro, para apoyar a las micro, pequeñas y medianas organizaciones instituciones (MIPYMES) con el fin de promover el crecimiento económico sostenible y la prosperidad en Latinoamérica y el Caribe (ALC). La Red nació en 2014 a través de un proceso de selección de organizaciones que han venido acelerando el desarrollo de negocios sostenibles y promoviendo el crecimiento económico en Latinoamérica y el Caribe. El proyecto fue financiado por el Departamento de Estado de los Estados Unidos y ejecutado por el Centro Mundial del Medio Ambiente (WEC) y sus socios Le Groupe-conseil baastel ltée (Baastel) y RioSlum Studio hasta junio de 2021. A partir de julio 2021, La Red se sustenta a través del liderazgo de sus propias organizaciones miembros y coordinada por el Núcleo de Biotecnología de Curauma (NBC) de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso en Chile.
WEC es una organización sin fines de lucro neutral, independiente, global, que fomenta el desarrollo sostenible a través de las operaciones de sus empresas miembros y en alianza con gobiernos, organizaciones multilaterales, organizaciones no gubernamentales, universidades y otras partes interesadas. La misión de WEC es promover los negocios y su valor social fomentando soluciones a problemas relacionados con el desarrollo sostenible.
Acerca de Núcleo de Biotecnología de Curauma (NBC)
NBC de la Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, es un Centro de I+D+i integrado por académicos y profesionales de excelencia, con más de 10 años de experiencia en desarrollo tecnológico, innovación y transferencia tecnológica en el área de ciencia y tecnología. El NBC busca hacer que las empresas sean más productivas, sostenibles y competitivas, visualizándose en tres años como un centro de referencia para apoyar a las pymes para que puedan aumentar su competitividad. NBCWe desarrolla tendencias innovadoras para afrontar los nuevos retos económicos, sociales y medioambientales para que mañana vivamos en un mundo más sostenible.
Acerca de Le Groupe-conseil baastel ltée (Baastel)
Baastel está reconocido por sus servicios de calidad en Monitoreo y Evaluación (M&E), Gestión Basada en Resultados (GBR), planificación estratégica, gestión de proyectos y programas y construcción de capacidad individual e institucional en estas áreas. La reputación sobresaliente de Baastel en la industria se ha estado construyendo sobre un historial de éxitos nacionales e internacionales y experiencia respaldada por la atención al detalle, calidad, transparencia y neutralidad.
World Environment Center Launches Challenge: “Empower Innovation Challenge” Inspire and design the future
More than US$1 million will be awarded in small grants to 24 winners to manage projects benefiting micro, small and medium-sized enterprises led by women in Latin America. The application period begins March 1, 2023.
Feb 27, 2023. The World Environment Center (WEC) and its partners, Núcleo de Biotecnología de Curauma (NBC) and Baastel, will develop a series of competitions in Latin American and Caribbean countries called “Empower Innovation Challenge” (EIC) to support the expansion of the development model “La RED de Innovación e Impacto (La RED).”
The invitation to participate in the first EIC competition will be from March 1st to March 20th, 2023 at https://www.EICLaRed.org/ for organizations that develop activities aimed at empowering micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) led by women in 10 Latin American countries.
Qualified Organizations that wish to apply must be from the following countries: Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica, Panama, Dominican Republic, Colombia, Peru and Ecuador. The sectors targeted by the competition range from agriculture, fishing, sustainable tourism, creative services technologies, light and small manufacturing, as well as textiles. The participating projects must focus on generating local solutions that support green and blue economies with a focus on vulnerable groups, providing training, providing access to capital opportunities, networking, and promoting access to valuable chains in local and international companies.
“The organizations that developed this initiative are planning to launch a series of three challenges that will allow us to select innovative solutions to enhance the development of MSMEs managed by women and that generate more inclusive growth in each of the participating countries,” said Ernesto Samayoa, Project Director of WEC Latin America.
The participating projects may come from civil society organizations, educational institutions, centers focused on the development of small business, organizations dedicated to implementing and promoting cleaner production, and the private sector in general. A multidisciplinary panel composed of local associations will be created to select the challenge winners. The challenges will generate alliances with chambers, trade associations, and different representative institutions from each country to make the process more transparent. Three EICs will be held each year starting in 2023 to select up to 24 winners. Winners will receive non-reimbursable funds of up to a maximum of US$50,000 per project and will also have the opportunity to become members of the La RED de Innovación e Impacto network.
This initiative is funded by the U.S. Department of State (DoS) through the Secretary’s Office of Global Women’s Issues (S/GWI) 2021 Global Equity and Equality Action (GEEA) Fund and implemented by the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs Policy Planning Coordination Office (WHA/PPC)
For additional information you can contact: www.EICLaRED.org contacto@laredinnovacionimpacto.com
About La RED de Innovación e Impacto (La RED)
La RED is an initiative that brings together non-profit and for-profit organizations to support micro, small and medium-sized institutions (MSMEs) in order to promote sustainable economic growth and prosperity in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). La RED was born in 2014 through a selection process of organizations that have been accelerating the development of sustainable business and promoting economic growth in Latin America and the Caribbean. The project was funded by the U.S. Department of State (DoS) and implemented by the World Environment Center (WEC) and its partners Le Groupe-conseil Baastel ltée (Baastel) and RioSlum Studio until June 2021. As of July 2021, La RED is supported through the leadership of its own member organizations and coordinated by the Nucleo Biotecnología Curauma (NBC) of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso in Chile.
WEC is an independent, global non-profit, non-advocacy organization that promotes sustainable development through the business practices and operations of its member companies and in partnership with governments, multilateral organizations, non-governmental organizations, universities and other stakeholders. WEC’s mission is to promote business and its social value by advancing solutions to sustainable development related problems.
NBC of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso is an R+D+i Center integrated by academics and professionals of excellence, with more than 10 years of experience in technological development, innovation and technology transfer in the area of science and technology. NBC seeks to make companies more productive, sustainable and competitive, visualizing itself in three years as a reference center to support Small and Mid-size Enterprises (SMEs) so they can increase their competitiveness. NBC develops innovative trends to face new economic, social and environmental challenges so we will live in a more sustainable world tomorrow.
Baastel is recognized for its quality services in Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E), Results Based Management (RBM), strategic planning, project and program management, and individual and institutional capacity building in these areas. Baastel’s outstanding reputation in the industry is built on a track record of international and national successes and expertise that is backed by attention to detail, quality, transparency and neutrality.
WEC’s global Board of Directors in December elected officers for 2023. Emilio Tenuta (Ecolab) and Eunice Heath (Dow, retired) were reelected for second terms as Chair and Vice Chair, respectively. Cristina Gil-White (Suzano) was elected as Secretary and Sheryl Telford (Chemours) was elected as Treasurer. The board thanked Lauren Hopkins (Beveridge & Diamond) and Donna Venable (Ricoh) for their two terms of service as Secretary and Treasurer, respectively.
WEC’s Executive Committee Officers for 2023 are:
Chair:Emilio Tenuta, Senior Vice President & Chief Sustainability Officer – Ecolab, Inc.
Vice-Chair:Eunice Heath, Corporate Director of Sustainability – Dow
Treasurer:Sheryl Telford, Chief Sustainability Officer, The Chemours Company
Emilio Tenuta served previously as Board Chair. Eunice Heath served previously as a Vice-Chair. Sheryl Telford and Cristina Gil-White will start their first terms in respective roles.
They join current WEC Board Members: Kevin Butt, Director, Environmental Sustainability, Toyota North America; Zoe Haseman, Vice President, Global Sustainability, Jacobs; Kris Morico, Vice President, EHS & Sustainability, Baxter; Lars Murawski, Vice President, EHS & Sustainability, Boehringer Ingelheim; Glenn Prickett, President & CEO, WEC; Isabel Studer, Director, Allianza University of California-Mexico; and Karen Westley, Vice President for Carbon, Environment & Downstream Safety, Environment & Asset Management, Shell; and Exequiel Rolan Michel, Sustainability & Community Relations Manager – Fresnillo, plc.
“We are fortunate to have such accomplished global leaders in sustainability as the officers of the World Environment Center. I am thrilled with the experience, guidance, and oversight that they bring to our work,” said Glenn Prickett, WEC President & CEO.
About the World Environment Center The World Environment Center advances sustainable development through corporate business practices. Headquartered in Washington, D.C. with offices in Europe and Latin America, WEC creates business solutions through executive roundtables on key sustainability challenges, builds capacity of small enterprises in emerging markets; and honors industry excellence through its annual Gold Medal Award. WEC is an independent, non-profit, non-governmental organization. For more information, please visit www.wec.org.
On December 8th we hosted our second WEC Action Forum, bringing together executives and WEC members in a deep dive into some of the key takeaways from this year’s COP 27 in Sharm El-Sheikh. Read the summary of this important discussion below
Entrepreneurship in Sustainable Value Chains Summary
Gold Medal Symposium Hosted with 2022 Winner, AB InBev
The World Environment Center along with 2022 Gold Medal Winner AB InBev hosted the Gold Medal Symposium on Entrepreneurship in Sustainable Value Chains. Speakers included sustainability executives from AB InBev, Mastercard, Inter-American Development Bank, Colgate-Palmolive, APCO, U.S. State Department, and UNDP
Our mission, to advance sustainable development through corporate business practices, has never been more urgent. Last month, the UN reported that the Human Development Index, which measures the health, education, and living standards of nations, fell globally for the second year in a row—the first time in 32 years of measurement. The combined effects of pandemic, war in Ukraine, and climate change caused 90 percent of countries to lose ground in one or both of the last two years.
That’s the sobering part of this message. The exciting part is how businesses around the world are rising to the challenges of climate action and sustainable development.
You’ll see in these pages how WEC is helping our member companies strengthen their value chains with sustainability innovation and entrepreneurship through Executive Roundtables.
New members Suzano and Wells Fargo enhance our diversity of experience and perspective. New partnerships with the U.S. Department of State and the Walmart Foundation allow us to support more small businesses in Latin America, especially women entrepreneurs.
We are proud to support you in your important work to accelerate sustainable business. Please let us know how we can do even better!
Glenn Prickett is the President and CEO of the World Environment Center. He has spent three decades leading international environmental, natural resource and climate change policy in some of the world’s preeminent NGO’s.
WECosystem Action Forum Summary
U.S. Inflation Reduction Act and Implications for Sustainable Business
WEC hosted a virtual member discussion on Thursday, October 6th @ 12pm EST. Speakers Carla Frisch from the US Department of Energy and Grace Van Horn – Principal Consultant at ERM joined WEC along with members from 15 different companies for a conversation on the implications and business opportunities in response to the recent passage of the US inflation and Reduction Act. Read the summary of the discussion below.
The World Environment Center Presents The Clean Tech Fair
The World Environment Center (WEC) and its international partners are excited to present the Clean Tech Fair this November 3rd, 7th, and 14th from 9AM to 12PM ET.
Our partners for this event include The Royal Scientific Society (RSS) in Jordan, La Confédération Générale des Entreprises du Maroc, (CGEM), Bank of Africa (BMCE Group) and EDIC Consulting in Morocco.
Topics on the agenda include Solid Waste, Water and Wastewater, and Energy and Air Emissions.
Presenters from these organizations will speak on strategies and solutions within these domains for how companies can improve their environmental performance, implement current technological solutions and increase sustainable practices within their operations.
This free Virtual Fair is open to all and is designed to connect international experts and key stakeholders of the industrial sector with current technological solutions for their business challenges.
The United States Department of State’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs has funded the World Environment Center to promote environmental governance through improved practices and technologies in Morocco and Jordan. The purpose of this initiative is to strengthen environmental governance that will lead to the adoption of improved environmental practices, technologies, and services, particularly in addressing air pollution, water and waste management challenges. WEC has partnered with EDI Consulting in Morocco and Water and Environment Center/Cleaner Production Unit at the Royal Scientific Society in Jordan to provide their on-the-ground knowledge and support to achieve project objectives.
WEC and its local partners will create public-private partnerships involving priority sectors to address those environmental challenges, while fostering the use of U.S. environmental technologies.
About World Environment Center
WEC is an independent, global non-profit, non-advocacy organization that advances sustainable development through the business practices and operations of its member companies and in partnership with governments, multi-lateral organizations, non-governmental organizations, universities and other stakeholders. WEC’s mission is to promote business and societal value by advancing solutions to sustainable development-related problems. It manages projects for companies across their global operations, builds executive level learning and competency in incorporating sustainable development principles across a number of business sectors, and recognizes performance excellence through an annual awards program. WEC is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with regional offices in China, El Salvador and Germany.
World Environment Center Welcomes New Gold Medal Jury Members
The World Environment Center’s (WEC) is honored to have three new members join this unique group of sustainability leaders, which independently selects the recipient of the annual WEC Gold Medal Award for International Achievement in Sustainable Development winner each year. The jury represents leaders from academia, civil society, and the private sector. .
The new WEC Jury Members:
Olufunmilayo “Funmi” Arewa – Shusterman Professor of Business and Transactional Law at Temple University – James E. Beasley School of Law, Philadelphia, USA
Olufunmilayo (Funmi) Arewa’s major areas of scholarly research include business law, music, entrepreneurship, technology, copyright, film, and Africana studies.
Prior to becoming a law professor, Professor Arewa practiced law for nearly a decade, working in legal and business positions primarily in the entrepreneurial and technology startup arena, including law firms and companies in the Silicon Valley and New York. She also served as Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel of a venture capital firm in Boston. Before becoming a lawyer, she was a Visiting Lecturer at the Center for Afroamerican and African Studies (CAAS) at the University of Michigan and served as a Foreign Service Officer in the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. and Montevideo, Uruguay.
She received an M.A. and Ph.D. (Anthropology) from the University of California, Berkeley, an A.M. (Applied Economics) from the University of Michigan, a J.D. from Harvard Law School, and an A.B. from Harvard College. In addition to writing about music, Professor Arewa has studied classical voice for many years.
Karen Fawcett – formerly Global CEO Retail, and Global Head Brand and Marketing for Standard Chartered Bank, Singapore
Karen Fawcett was formerly CEO Retail, Brand and Marketing for Standard Chartered Bank, which focused primarily on Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Her broad career across complex global businesses covers wholesale and retail banking, global strategy, technology transformation, and brand & marketing.
Ms. Fawcett holds several non-executive director positions, with a portfolio across financial services & digital transformation, education, and climate change mitigation. These positions are with the following entities: the LGT Private Bank Foundation Board; INSEAD; Temus Pte. Ltd.; Global Evergreening Alliance; and BetterTradeOff Pte. Ltd. And and Aegon’s Supervisory Board.
Prior to her career in banking, Ms. Fawcett was a Partner at global management and information technology consultancy firm Booz, Allen & Hamilton, where she advised insurers, banks, and asset managers on a wide range of strategic, technological, and operational transformations.
Tim Mohin, Experienced Sustainability Leader, PA, USA
Tim Mohin is a globally recognized sustainability leader. He served as chief executive of the Global Reporting Initiative; he also held sustainability leadership roles with Intel, Apple, and AMD and worked on environmental policy within the U.S. Senate and Environmental Protection Agency. He is the author of Changing Business from the Inside Out: A Treehugger’s Guide to Working in Corporations and a founder and former Chairman of the Responsible Business Alliance (formerly the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition). Currently, he is living in Pittsburgh, PA where he bikes with the N+1 cycling team and spends time with his grandchildren.
Glenn Prickett, WEC’s President & CEO shared, “WEC is truly delighted to have access to such a well-respected group of leaders to help support our efforts as we work to advance sustainable development.”
About the World Environment Center
WEC is an independent, global non-profit, non-advocacy organization that advances sustainable development through the business practices and operations of its member companies and in partnership with governments, multi-lateral organizations, non-governmental organizations, universities and other stakeholders. WEC’s mission is to promote business and societal value by advancing solutions to sustainable development-related problems. It manages projects for companies across their global operations, builds executive level learning and competency in incorporating sustainable development principles across a number of business sectors, and recognizes performance excellence through an annual awards program. WEC is headquartered in Washington, D.C., with regional offices in China, El Salvador and Germany
# # #
If you would like more information on the Gold Medal Award or the nomination process, please contact Smitha Konduri at info@wec.org
