Sustainable development has direct relevance to the missions of many voluntary and community organisations, according to findings published today by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) to mark Climate Week.
The report, 'The Sustainable Organisation: what does sustainable development really mean for voluntary and community organisations?', proposes that non-environmental organisations should be supported to consider how sustainable development fits with their core activities. It acknowledges that many organisations are already improving their environmental performance. However, it suggests that this type of activity is often an add-on to the main work of these organisations. It argues that VCOs have the potential to contribute much more fully to sustainable development through the delivery of their mission.
The findings draw on a seminar held last month, which brought together key players from the environmental field and voluntary sector support providers, as well as funders and government representatives, to explore what sustainable development means for voluntary and community organisations. The seminar was the culmination of an NCVO project supported by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
Seminar delegates stressed the need to demystify the concept and to find ways to help VCOs understand why it is important to their core work. They also agreed on the need to recognise and celebrate existing good practice.
Dr Richard Piper, NCVO's Head of Strategy and Impact, said: 'The idea of sustainable development has always been about creating a better society, one in which we care as much about future generations and people in other parts of the world as ourselves. This agenda has been kept alive by the great work of the environmental movement, but it is actually something that the whole of civil society can and does contribute to - often without realising it. What we are now starting to realise is we may only be scratching the surface of what could be achieved if all VCOs realised the inter-connectedness of our work with sustainable development.'
Andrew Barnett, Director, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation UK Branch, said: 'The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is in a privileged position to support national and transnational work tackling contemporary issues. In the UK one of our key aims is to help encourage the development of a society which benefits from a more sustainable relationship with the natural world. We are also interested in supporting civil society organisations to demonstrate and maximise their capacity to bring about lasting social change. Helping wider civil society, not just environmental organisations, understand how the principles of sustainable development connect with their core mission will impact not only on their own effectiveness but on social justice and resilience long term.'
The report recommends the establishment of an alliance to promote better understanding of the relevance of sustainable development across the voluntary sector.
The project forms part of NCVO's ongoing work on climate change and sustainable development. NCVO staff are also taking part in a range of activities over the next few days to mark Climate Week, including a low carbon vegan lunch and the Climate Week mini-challenge.
Journalists requiring more information can contact Mandy Murphy in NCVO's press office on 020 7520 2469 or email: mandy.murphy@ncvo-vol.org.uk. For calls outside office hours, please call 07714 243942.
Notes to Editors:
The National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO) www.ncvo-vol.org.uk is the umbrella body for the voluntary sector in England, with sister councils in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. NCVO has over 8,400 members, ranging from large national bodies to community groups, volunteer centres, and development agencies working at a local level. With over 280,000 staff and more than 13 million volunteers working for our members, we represent and support almost half the voluntary sector workforce.
For more information on NCVO's climate change and sustainable development work, visit www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/climatechange
The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation is an international charitable foundation with cultural, educational, social and scientific interests. Based in Lisbon with offices in London and Paris, the Foundation is in a privileged position to support national and transnational work tackling contemporary issues. The purpose of the UK Branch in London is to connect and enrich the experiences of individuals, families and communities, with a special interest in supporting those who are most disadvantaged. For more information about the work of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation in the UK please visit www.gulbenkian.org.uk
Climate Week, 21-27 March 2011, is a new national programme of events and activities highlighting ways to help combat climate change. Climate Week is backed by every part of society - from the Prime Minister to Paul McCartney, the NHS to the National Trust, Girlguiding UK to the CBI, the Big Lottery Fund to the National Association of Head Teachers. To find out more, visit www.climateweek.com.
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