Forum for the Future

Background

Forum for the Future states the following on its website as an introduction:

Forum for the Future is recognised as the UK’s leading sustainable development charity. Our object as a charity is to promote sustainable development and to educate different groups in sustainable development, in order to accelerate the building of a sustainable way of life, taking a positive solutions-oriented approach.

We were founded in 1996 by environmentalists Jonathon Porritt, Sara Parkin and Paul Ekins out of a conviction that many of the solutions needed to defuse the environmental crisis and build a more sustainable society are already to hand. Our magazine Green Futures is a leading source of debate on those solutions.

We work with more than 150 companies, local authorities, regional bodies and universities to build their capacity to overcome the many barriers to more sustainable practice. We aim for nothing less than transformation-irreversible change.

We tackle issues as diverse as renewables and climate change, farming, finance, environmental accounting and the digital divide. And as a charity in a hurry to achieve change, we share lessons learnt with decision-makers and opinion formers. Our aim is to help deliver not only a healthy environment, but also a better quality of life, strong communities, and practical answers to poverty and disempowerment.[1]

Their object as a charity is the following:

To advance the education of the public in the economic and social studies as they relate to individuals, communities, society at large and the planet as a whole, with special reference to their inter-relationshop with ecology, the natural world, health, technology, agriculture, sustainable development, philosophy and psychology.

To promote sustainable development for the benefit of the public by:

The preservation, conservation and protection of the environment and the prudent use of natural resources

The relief of poverty and the improvement of the conditions of life in socially and economically disadvantaged communities

The promotion of sustainable means of achieving economic growth and regeneration

Their mission statment is:

Our mission is to accelerate the building of a sustainable way of life, taking a positive, solutions-oriented approach. We achieve our charitable object and mission by educating different groups in sustainable development and by promoting sustainable development to decision-makers and opinion-formers in target sectors.

Their values are:

We are inspired by the world in which we live and those with whom we share it. We celebrate the indivisibility of all life forms on Earth, are committed to the pursuit of equity, and seek to act justly in all we do. Our values are central to our work: they are inherent in our vision of a more sustainable world, and they guide us on the path we take towards that vision and in our everyday work.

We are dedicated to accelerating the building of a sustainable way of life, taking a positive, solutions-orientated approach. We pursue this goal with vision, enthusiasm and energy, inspiring and motivating each other and our partners.

We value the inherent uniqueness of individuals, the different contributions they make, and the richness brought to our work by a diversity of cultures, backgrounds, opinions and ideas. We promote a working environment in which people feel able to express differing views openly; we seek to build consensus and to act with tolerance, fairness and empathy.

We strive to build a holistic, mutually supportive and creative environment in which we foster each other's development, and share our skills, knowledge and experiences. Partnership, participation, consultation and dialogue are core to the way in which we operate.

We believe in truthfulness and seek to maximise transparency in our working relationships. We openly acknowledge and learn from our mistakes.

We believe work should be fun. We appreciate humour, and seek to create an enjoyable and friendly working environment.

These are the foundations upon which we as individuals, collectively, and in partnership with others, aspire to build an organisation in which there is an atmosphere of trust where we can fully manifest our potential.

Forum for the Future is committed to progressing towards the ideals expressed in this statement through a continual process of improvement.[2]