94-503: The World Resources Forum ( WRF ) is a non-profit organisation for sharing knowledge about the economic, political, social and environmental implications of global resource use . WRF promotes resource productivity among researchers, policymakers, business, NGOs and the public. In addition to organizing international and regional conferences, the WRF Secretariat coordinates multistakeholder dialogue projects, amongst others
188-829: A nonprofit , is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, as opposed to an entity that operates as a business aiming to generate a profit for its owners. A nonprofit organization is subject to the non-distribution constraint: any revenues that exceed expenses must be committed to the organization's purpose, not taken by private parties. Depending on the local laws, charities are regularly organized as non-profits. A host of organizations may be nonprofit, including some political organizations, schools, hospitals, business associations, churches, foundations, social clubs, and consumer cooperatives. Nonprofit entities may seek approval from governments to be tax-exempt , and some may also qualify to receive tax-deductible contributions, but an entity may incorporate as
282-939: A Resource Revolution. The World Resources Forum Latin America and the Caribbean was held in San José , Costa Rica in conjunction with the International Sustainable Building Congress, organised by the Green Building Council Costa Rica, WRF and UNEP . About 380 participants from 30 countries focused on the key topics of sustainable business and financing; bio economy – priority resources for cities; sustainable lifestyles and education; resource efficiency policies for sustainable cities and lifestyles; sustainable and inclusive cities and buildings. The meeting report
376-658: A better foundation for competitiveness on a sustainable basis. FORAM 18 - the pilot event of the project - was organised on 27 June 2018 in Nancy, France, back-to-back with the World Materials Forum . Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy , Member of the European Parliament , was one of the keynote speakers. Launching and preparatory events have been held in Brussels during Raw Materials Week, and Geneva, as part of
470-424: A delegate structure to allow for the representation of groups or corporations as members. Alternatively, it may be a non-membership organization and the board of directors may elect its own successors. The two major types of nonprofit organization are membership and board-only. A membership organization elects the board and has regular meetings and the power to amend the bylaws. A board-only organization typically has
564-554: A fiscally viable entity. Nonprofits have the responsibility of focusing on being professional and financially responsible, replacing self-interest and profit motive with mission motive. Though nonprofits are managed differently from for-profit businesses, they have felt pressure to be more businesslike. To combat private and public business growth in the public service industry, nonprofits have modeled their business management and mission, shifting their reason of existing to establish sustainability and growth. Setting effective missions
658-460: A great many applications of sciences in everyday life. We may want to know more about them but technical terminology often prevents a true dialogue. Therefore, it is important that scientific topics are carried into society and communicated in easy-to-understand language. It is equally important, however, for science to inquire about the needs of society and to take them up, either by responding to questions and concerns raised by politics or by providing
752-471: A low-stress work environment that the employee can associate him or herself positively with. Other incentives that should be implemented are generous vacation allowances or flexible work hours. When selecting a domain name , NPOs often use one of the following: .org , the country code top-level domain of their respective country, or the .edu top-level domain (TLD), to differentiate themselves from more commercial entities, which typically use .com . In
846-709: A more resource efficient society. By visiting the NEST Urban Mining and Recycling (UMAR) Unit, the participants had the opportunity to learn more about innovative solutions in the building sector. This conference took place in Geneva on 24–26 October 2017 at the Centre International de Conférences Genève. WRF 2017 has focused on Accelerating the Resource Revolution and the over 400 participants from 48 countries discussed topics such as
940-457: A nonprofit entity without having tax-exempt status. Key aspects of nonprofits are accountability, integrity, trustworthiness, honesty, and openness to every person who has invested time, money, and faith into the organisation. Nonprofit organizations are accountable to the donors, founders, volunteers, program recipients, and the public community. Theoretically, for a nonprofit that seeks to finance its operations through donations, public confidence
1034-411: A reality through organization of high-level international conferences and capacity-building workshops, dissemination of relevant research findings and scientific discussions, development of resource efficiency indices, setting standards for sustainable resource use, creation of opportunities for financing resource efficiency projects as well as through engagement with young leaders and the wider public. WRF
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#17327760756661128-717: A regional level, too, scientific topics are brought to the attention of a large public. This task has been assumed by the cantonal and regional associations, which organise lecture series supported by the academy and produce publications. The earlier, the better. This especially applies if topics are to be identified that are of major significance for the future of society and the environment. The academy's activities in this respect include operating scientific monitoring systems (glaciers, Permos, etc.) and providing platforms for socially relevant topics (forums). But also new technologies that are being developed, such as nanotechnology, biotechnology, synthetic biology, etc., represent challenges for
1222-697: A self-selected board and a membership whose powers are limited to those delegated to it by the board. A board-only organization's bylaws may even state that the organization does not have any membership, although the organization's literature may refer to its donors or service recipients as 'members'; examples of such organizations are FairVote and the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws . The Model Nonprofit Corporation Act imposes many complexities and requirements on membership decision-making. Accordingly, many organizations, such as
1316-441: A series of high-level keynotes, parallel sessions and targeted workshops as well as special side events. Apart from the regular media reports are regularly being written by Student Reporters. Furthermore, the WRF Secretariat conducts other knowledge and multi-stakeholder dialogue as well, such as the dissemination of UN Environment International Resource Panel reports though website, social media and MOOCs . The Corporate image of
1410-471: A strong vision of how to operate the project, try to retain control of the organization, even as new employees or volunteers want to expand the project's scope or change policy. Resource mismanagement is a particular problem with NPOs because the employees are not accountable to anyone who has a direct stake in the organization. For example, an employee may start a new program without disclosing its complete liabilities. The employee may be rewarded for improving
1504-581: A wide diversity of structures and purposes. For legal classification, there are, nevertheless, some elements of importance: Some of the above must be (in most jurisdictions in the US at least) expressed in the organization's charter of establishment or constitution. Others may be provided by the supervising authority at each particular jurisdiction. While affiliations will not affect a legal status, they may be taken into consideration by legal proceedings as an indication of purpose. Most countries have laws that regulate
1598-399: Is a factor in the amount of money that a nonprofit organization is able to raise. Supposedly, the more a nonprofit focuses on their mission, the more public confidence they will gain. This will result in more money for the organization. The activities a nonprofit is partaking in can help build the public's confidence in nonprofits, as well as how ethical the standards and practices are. There
1692-461: Is a key for the successful management of nonprofit organizations. There are three important conditions for effective mission: opportunity, competence, and commitment. One way of managing the sustainability of nonprofit organizations is to establish strong relations with donor groups. This requires a donor marketing strategy, something many nonprofits lack. Nonprofit organizations provide public goods that are undersupplied by government. NPOs have
1786-551: Is a two-year project funded by European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program. It will develop a voluntary certification scheme for waste treatment. Specifically, the CEWASTE project will create, validate and launch the scheme for collection, transport and treatment facilities of key types of waste containing significant amounts of valuable and critical raw materials such as waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) and batteries. The project has received funding from
1880-439: Is an important distinction in the US between non-profit and not-for-profit organizations (NFPOs); while an NFPO does not profit its owners, and money goes into running the organization, it is not required to operate for the public good. An example is a club, whose purpose is its members' enjoyment. Other examples of NFPOs include: credit unions, sports clubs, and advocacy groups. Nonprofit organizations provide services to
1974-414: Is an important distinction in the US between non-profit and not-for-profit organizations (NFPOs); while an NFPO does not profit its owners, and money goes into running the organization, it is not required to operate for the public good. An example is a sports club, whose purpose is its members' enjoyment. The names used and precise regulations vary from one jurisdiction to another. According to
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#17327760756662068-671: Is committed to the inclusiveness of economic growth and elimination of poverty and marginalization, thus making these issues a core element in any objectives we pursue. Flagship activity of the World Resources Forum is the organisation of the annual WRF Conference, which brings together science, research, policymakers and industry. The programme includes a series of high-level keynotes, parallel sessions and targeted workshops as well as special side events. The program normally also include WRF Cinema, WRF Art Gallery, WRF Workshop Parade and WRF Gala Dinner. The Workshop Parade format
2162-557: Is concerned. In many countries, nonprofits may apply for tax-exempt status, so that the organization itself may be exempt from income tax and other taxes. In the United States, to be exempt from federal income taxes, the organization must meet the requirements set forth in the Internal Revenue Code (IRC). Granting nonprofit status is done by the state, while granting tax-exempt designation (such as IRC 501(c) )
2256-453: Is granted by the federal government via the IRS. This means that not all nonprofits are eligible to be tax-exempt. For example, employees of non-profit organizations pay taxes from their salaries, which they receive according to the laws of the country. NPOs use the model of a double bottom line in that furthering their cause is more important than making a profit, though both are needed to ensure
2350-686: Is implemented by the Empa, WRF and ecoinvent. It builds on the success of implementing e-waste recycling systems together with various developing countries for more than ten years. The SRI programme attempts to attain three objectives. First, it develops basic data for the assessment of environmental and social life cycle performance for industrial activities through the improvement of local and regional expertise in Brazil, India and South Africa. Furthermore, SRI improves local capacity for sustainable recycling together with private and public institutions, as well as
2444-408: Is not classifiable as another category. Currently, no restrictions are enforced on registration of .com or .org, so one can find organizations of all sorts in either of those domains, as well as other top-level domains including newer, more specific ones which may apply to particular sorts of organization including .museum for museums and .coop for cooperatives . Organizations might also register by
2538-707: Is responsible for the coordination and organisation of multiple activities. Founding members are the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment , the Swiss interdisciplinary research institution and service provider for materials science and technology Empa , the United Nations Environment International Resource Panel , Hewlett-Packard , and the city of St. Gallen . Other members have included
2632-411: Is the remuneration package, though many who have been questioned after leaving an NPO have reported that it was stressful work environments and the workload. Public- and private-sector employment have, for the most part, been able to offer more to their employees than most nonprofit agencies throughout history. Either in the form of higher wages, more comprehensive benefit packages, or less tedious work,
2726-476: Is unique in which source of income works best for them. With an increase in NPOs since 2010, organizations have adopted competitive advantages to create revenue for themselves to remain financially stable. Donations from private individuals or organizations can change each year and government grants have diminished. With changes in funding from year to year, many nonprofit organizations have been moving toward increasing
2820-774: Is what makes future-oriented research possible in the first place. Therefore, it is important that scientists take ethical matters of concern seriously, because research always has an ethical dimension as well. Awareness of this can be raised among both researchers and society by providing ethical guidelines to be applied in research work. Such guidelines are drawn up by the academy, in conjunction with researchers. The Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences produced brochures of guidelines and recommendations such as "Ethical principles and guidelines on animal testing", "Authorship in scientific publications – analysis and recommendations", "Scientific policy advice – recommendations" and "Scientific integrity - principles and procedural rules". We encounter
2914-808: The European Commission , the European Geological Survey, the European Federation of Geologists , UNEP International Resource Panel , the World Resources Forum, the World Materials Forum, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and others. It is widely felt that improved international resource transparency and governance would be beneficial for all, since it would lead to stability, predictability, resource-efficiency and hence
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3008-729: The National Center for Charitable Statistics (NCCS), there are more than 1.5 million nonprofit organizations registered in the United States , including public charities , private foundations , and other nonprofit organizations. Private charitable contributions increased for the fourth consecutive year in 2017 (since 2014), at an estimated $ 410.02 billion. Out of these contributions, religious organizations received 30.9%, education organizations received 14.3%, and human services organizations received 12.1%. Between September 2010 and September 2014, approximately 25.3% of Americans over
3102-653: The Sustainable Recycling Initiative (SRI) as well as the H2020 projects Towards a World Forum on Raw Materials (FORAM), and CEWASTE. The WRF contributes to other EC-projects (like CICERONE and RE:SOURCE) and projects with the German development organisation GiZ, UNEP and UNIDO. WRF serves as a platform fostering knowledge exchange between academics, politicians, research-oriented practitioners, entrepreneurs, consultants and other professionals in
3196-596: The Wikimedia Foundation , have formed board-only structures. The National Association of Parliamentarians has generated concerns about the implications of this trend for the future of openness, accountability, and understanding of public concerns in nonprofit organizations. Specifically, they note that nonprofit organizations, unlike business corporations, are not subject to market discipline for products and shareholder discipline of their capital; therefore, without membership control of major decisions such as
3290-716: The informal sector in Colombia, Egypt, Ghana, India, Peru, and South Africa. Lastly, the program facilitates a stakeholder consultation for the development of sustainability criteria for secondary raw materials. This has resulted in the ISO International Workshop Agreement on the 'Guidance Principles for the Sustainable Management of Secondary Metals' (ISO IWA 19:2017), which was launched at the Thirteenth Meeting of
3384-769: The "Entwicklungsfonds Seltene Metalle" ESM Foundation, the Swiss Network of Mineral Resources NEROS, NFP 73, the Swiss Network for Sustainable Management Öbu, Reffnet.ch, the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences SATW, and the Swiss Association for Quality and Management Systems SQS. A "Raw Materials Market" enabled visitors to discover through an interactive poster exhibition the diversity of Swiss initiatives and networks on resource efficiency in Switzerland that already exist today and are working towards
3478-604: The Conference of the Parties to the Basel Convention. This new ISO document aims to guide economic operators of secondary metals value chains, including the informal sector, in the efficient and credible implementation of improved recycling practices, in particular in emerging and developing economies. The video "Tales of Trash: 5 Principles for Inclusive Recycling" introduces the program in just 3,5 minutes. CEWASTE
3572-507: The Environment) Director Bruno Oberle was elected President in 2018, Xaver Edelmann stayed on as Vice-President. WRF envisions the world where influential decision-makers, established civil societies, key industrial players, leading scientists and the empowered public interact and communicate on setting the agenda and developing solutions for sustainable use of resources worldwide, paying close attention to
3666-639: The European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. CICERONE is building a joint platform for efficient circular economy programming . If our societies are to make the switch to circular practices, all actors need to be involved and actively commit to transitioning a more sustainable economy. This is why CICERONE works in close cooperation with a variety of practitioners including government bodies, research & technology organisations, civil society, industry, innovative SMEs, startups, cities and investors. The project has received funding from
3760-465: The European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. The project will set up a Global Stakeholder Platform for Responsible Sourcing (RS). This platform is expected to facilitate the development of a globally accepted definition of RS and develop ideas for incentives facilitating responsible business conduct in the EU, enable exchange of stakeholders for information exchange and promotion, foster
3854-1143: The German Federal Environment Agency, the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment , the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation , the Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences , the Rhomberg Group, the Global e-Sustainability Initiative (GeSI), the Mercator Foundation Switzerland, the Association for Quality and Management Systems (SQS), the Chinese Academy of Sciences , the Foundation for Rare Metals ESM,
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3948-616: The Governance of Raw Materials, Circular Economy and Sustainable Recycling, the Sustainable Development Goals , Business Concepts on Resource Efficiency and Decoupling, Sustainable Consumption and Production, Life Cycle Thinking , Smart Cities, Infrastructure and Lifestyles and Capacity Building for Resource Efficiency. Keynote speakers have included, amongst others, Mathis Wackernagel , Jørgen Randers , Anders Wijkman and Janez Potočnik . The meeting report
4042-455: The NPO's reputation, making other employees happy, and attracting new donors. Liabilities promised on the full faith and credit of the organization but not recorded anywhere constitute accounting fraud . But even indirect liabilities negatively affect the financial sustainability of the NPO, and the NPO will have financial problems unless strict controls are instated. Some commenters have argued that
4136-565: The Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences. Forums and platforms allow the academy to adopt an interdisciplinary approach to various topics, and to strengthen the disciplinary national and international network. The academy also coordinates the sciences among the universities in Switzerland, while cooperating with institutions for the promotion of research, such as the Swiss National Science Foundation . At
4230-632: The Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences (SATW) and the Finnish Innovation Fund SITRA . The Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology , Empa, part of the ETH Domain , has organised international conferences on recycling and re-use of resources since 1995, the so-called "R"series (R'93, R'95 etc). R referred to reduce, reuse and recycle. In 2009 Empa together with the Factor 10 Institute decided to broaden
4324-876: The UN Sustainable Development Goals. The conference was originally planned to take place in Autumn 2018. The meeting report was published in October 2019. The Swiss Resources Forum 2018 was organised 25 October in Dubendorf, near Zurich, as an initiative of a broad group of organizations, including the WRF, the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment FOEN, Empa, the Swiss Academies of Art and Sciences a+, ecos, engageability,
4418-677: The WCEF was that the business case for Circular Economy does not have to be made, but that many countries and businesses are already leading the way. The WRF organized together with other stakeholders a resource forum focusing on Switzerland. The conference brought together over 100 participants from industry as well as policymakers and researchers. It focused on the supply of critical metals and other resources needed for renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies, innovation and economic growth. The main outcome stated that Switzerland not only needs an Energy Revolution (away from fossil fuels) but also
4512-477: The WRF Secretariat. The WRF capacity-building activities include, for instance, supporting the participation of scientists from developing countries and of young people (for example the youth programme of the 2011 WRF Conference) and Kids and yWRF program of WRF 2013. Flagship activity is the organisation of the annual WRF Conference, which usually takes place in the fall and brings together science, research, policymakers, and industry. The programme usually includes
4606-735: The WRF and in 2011 the enlarged WRF Conference took place again in Davos, followed by annual flagship meetings in Switzerland and beyond (see next chapter). The spin-off of the Secretariat from Empa and inauguration of the independent WRF Association took place on 16 March 2012 in St. Gallen, Switzerland, with support from governmental and non-governmental organizations, as well as the private sector. Bas de Leeuw (former UN Environment ) became its first Managing Director, and Xaver Edelmann (former Empa ) its first President. Former FOEN (Federal Office for
4700-558: The World Resources Forum 2017. WRF also takes up a leading role in the planning, coordination and production of massive open online courses on issues such as e-waste, resource efficiency and circular economy. Examples are the MOOC on e-waste and the MOCC on decoupling with partners such as UN Environment International Resources Panel , Secretariat of the Basel Convention , Climate-KIC, Stellenbosch University and engageability. In addition to
4794-457: The World Resources Forum was designed by Helmut Langer. It shows a white R in a blue world which symbolizes not only the resource issue but also associations like Refusing, Reducing, Re-using, Repairing, Refurbishing, Remanufacturing, Re-purposing, Recycling and Recovering. The WRF is a non-for-profit association, with a General Assembly and Board. The WRF Secretariat, based in St. Gallen, Switzerland ,
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#17327760756664888-461: The age of 16 volunteered for a nonprofit. In the United States, both nonprofit organizations and not-for-profit organizations are tax-exempt. There are various types of nonprofit exemptions, such as 501(c)(3) organizations that are a religious, charitable, or educational-based organization that does not influence state and federal legislation, and 501(c)(7) organizations that are for pleasure, recreation, or another nonprofit purpose. There
4982-649: The appropriate country code top-level domain for their country. In 2020, nonprofit organizations began using microvlogging (brief videos with short text formats) on TikTok to reach Gen Z, engage with community stakeholders, and overall build community. TikTok allowed for innovative engagement between nonprofit organizations and younger generations. During COVID-19, TikTok was specifically used to connect rather than inform or fundraise, as its fast-paced, tailored For You Page separates itself from other social media apps such as Facebook and Twitter. Some organizations offer new, positive-sounding alternative terminology to describe
5076-403: The areas of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) ( sustainable development .) The WRF aims to bring the issues of global resource consumption and resource productivity higher on the agenda of policymakers and business leaders. Aspects covered by the WRF include the scarcity and security of supply as well as the price risks of key resources. The issues of pollution and energy use over
5170-401: The best of the newly minted workforce. It has been mentioned that most nonprofits will never be able to match the pay of the private sector and therefore should focus their attention on benefits packages, incentives and implementing pleasurable work environments. A good environment is ranked higher than salary and pressure of work. NPOs are encouraged to pay as much as they are able and offer
5264-565: The community; for example aid and development programs, medical research, education, and health services. It is possible for a nonprofit to be both member-serving and community-serving. Nonprofit organizations are not driven by generating profit, but they must bring in enough income to pursue their social goals. Nonprofits are able to raise money in different ways. This includes income from donations from individual donors or foundations; sponsorship from corporations; government funding; programs, services or merchandise sales, and investments. Each NPO
5358-529: The conclusion of a scientific paper, published in Elsevier's Telematics and Informatics Journal. At the Davos meeting, WRF attendees adopted a declaration that calls for western economies to massively reduce their material inputs and for the world to dramatically increase resource productivity. They also agreed that, because the price of natural resources is low compared to that of labour, industry will not purposely drive those changes. Only governments can provide
5452-587: The conference was rescheduled to 2021. WRF 2019 on Resource Governance was held in Geneva, October 23–24, 2019, at the Centre International de Conférences Genève. The conference attracted over 300 participants coming from some 50 countries and international organisations. Participants called for ambitious international rules for mineral resources management. A low-carbon and resource efficient economy requires an uptake in technologies such as electric vehicles, renewable energy, and digitalization. Without improved governance it will be impossible to ensure proper provision of
5546-658: The current and future generations. The meeting report was published in 2015. World Resources Forum 2013 was held in Davos, Switzerland, 6–9 October 2013 and attracted over 400 participants from 53 countries and international organisations. Main conference topics at WRF 2013 were Resource Efficiency and Governance, Sustainable Business and Industry, Sustainable Cities and Infrastructure, and Lifestyles and Education. The conference included plenary speeches by leading experts such as Ernst Ulrich von Weizsäcker , as well as debates featuring Gerben-Jan Gerbrandy , Reinhard Bütikofer and H.R.H. Prince Jaime of Bourbon-Parma . The meeting report
5640-618: The current complex maze of existing raw material related initiatives more effective. As such, the FORAM project is said to be the largest collaborative effort for raw materials strategy cooperation on a global level so date. The project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. The global use of mineral resources has drastically increased and supply chains have become ever more complex. Several global initiatives and organizations have been contributing to knowledge and information transfer, including
5734-572: The delicate interplay between the economic, social and environmental implications of resource use as well as acknowledging the challenges of increasing pressure on available resources. Through this interaction of multiple stakeholders, innovative and effective solutions emerge, addressing the issue of efficiency and sufficiency of resource utilization amongst consumers, producers, and waste management sector, establishing sustainable practices of resources use worldwide. The World Resources Forum aims to make their vision of sustainable use of resources worldwide
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#17327760756665828-412: The dissemination of scientific reports and papers, WRF also funds publications and papers in collaboration with universities and research institutes. In cooperation with Leiden University , WRF published the paper Towards a resource-efficiency index of nations . Non-profit organisation A nonprofit organization ( NPO ), also known as a nonbusiness entity , nonprofit institution , or simply
5922-402: The diversity of their funding sources. For example, many nonprofits that have relied on government grants have started fundraising efforts to appeal to individual donors. Most nonprofits have staff that work for the company, possibly using volunteers to perform the nonprofit's services under the direction of the paid staff. Nonprofits must be careful to balance the salaries paid to staff against
6016-432: The election of the board, there are few inherent safeguards against abuse. A rebuttal to this might be that as nonprofit organizations grow and seek larger donations, the degree of scrutiny increases, including expectations of audited financial statements. A further rebuttal might be that NPOs are constrained, by their choice of legal structure, from financial benefit as far as distribution of profit to members and directors
6110-584: The emergence of RS in international political fora, and to support the European Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials . The project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme. The project Towards a World Forum on Raw Materials (FORAM) developed and set up an EU-based platform of international experts and stakeholders, advancing the international cooperation on raw material policies and investments. The platform works together on making
6204-475: The establishment and management of NPOs and that require compliance with corporate governance regimes. Most larger organizations are required to publish their financial reports detailing their income and expenditure publicly. In many aspects, they are similar to corporate business entities though there are often significant differences. Both not-for-profit and for-profit corporate entities must have board members, steering-committee members, or trustees who owe
6298-678: The first Swiss Resources Forum, focusing on resources issues within Switzerland, was organised in the NEST , Empa's Innovation Hub in Dubendorf, Zurich. WRF 2020 was scheduled to be held in Accra, Ghana, in June 2020, so announced the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation of Ghana, H.E. Kwabena Frimpong-Boateng, in the closing session of WRF 2019. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic
6392-496: The life-cycle of certain resources, their social impact – in particular in developing countries – and in general the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are topics examined by the WRF as well. As an inter-link between research, industry and policymaking, WRF emphasises the facilitation of networking in order to optimise the transfer of knowledge between the different stakeholders. For that purpose, special events are organised and connections to key leaders can be established through
6486-511: The money paid to provide services to the nonprofit's beneficiaries. Organizations whose salary expenses are too high relative to their program expenses may face regulatory scrutiny. A second misconception is that nonprofit organizations may not make a profit. Although the goal of nonprofits is not specifically to maximize profits, they still have to operate as a fiscally responsible business. They must manage their income (both grants and donations and income from services) and expenses so as to remain
6580-502: The necessary framework and incentives. The World Resources Forum Secretariat coordinates and has the project lead for various programs. They range from development cooperation projects to more governance oriented initiatives. The Sustainable Recycling Industries (SRI) program builds capacity for sustainable recycling in developing countries. The program is funded by the Swiss State Secretariat of Economic Affairs and
6674-445: The nonprofit sector today regarding newly graduated workers, and to some, NPOs have for too long relegated hiring to a secondary priority, which could be why they find themselves in the position many do. While many established NPOs are well-funded and comparative to their public sector competitors, many more are independent and must be creative with which incentives they use to attract and maintain people. The initial interest for many
6768-411: The organization a fiduciary duty of loyalty and trust. A notable exception to this involves churches , which are often not required to disclose finances to anyone, including church members. In the United States, nonprofit organizations are formed by filing bylaws, articles of incorporation , or both in the state in which they expect to operate. The act of incorporation creates a legal entity enabling
6862-452: The organization to be treated as a distinct body (corporation) by law and to enter into business dealings, form contracts, and own property as individuals or for-profit corporations can. Nonprofits can have members, but many do not. The nonprofit may also be a trust or association of members. The organization may be controlled by its members who elect the board of directors , board of governors or board of trustees . A nonprofit may have
6956-511: The organization's sustainability. An advantage of nonprofits registered in the UK is that they benefit from some reliefs and exemptions. Charities and nonprofits are exempt from Corporation Tax as well as the trustees being exempt from Income Tax. There may also be tax relief available for charitable giving, via Gift Aid, monetary donations, and legacies. Founder's syndrome is an issue organizations experience as they expand. Dynamic founders, who have
7050-550: The public and private sectors have enjoyed an advantage over NPOs in attracting employees. Traditionally, the NPO has attracted mission-driven individuals who want to assist their chosen cause. Compounding the issue is that some NPOs do not operate in a manner similar to most businesses, or only seasonally. This leads many young and driven employees to forego NPOs in favor of more stable employment. Today, however, nonprofit organizations are adopting methods used by their competitors and finding new means to retain their employees and attract
7144-483: The receipt of significant funding from large for-profit corporations can ultimately alter the NPO's functions. A frequent measure of an NPO's efficiency is its expense ratio (i.e. expenditures on things other than its programs, divided by its total expenditures). Competition for employees with the public and private sector is another problem that nonprofit organizations inevitably face, particularly for management positions. There are reports of major talent shortages in
7238-576: The recommendations and integrated these in their statements in Rio. Topics discussed at the conference included the Security of Supply; Assessment Methods, Resource Use Indicators and Targets; the Social Dimension of Resources as well as communication and education. The meeting report was published in 2011. The R'09 conference on resource management and technology for material and energy efficiency
7332-721: The resources needed. The chair summary was published in November 2019. WRF19 on Closing Loops was held in Antwerp, Belgium, on 24–27 February 2019, at the Flanders Meeting & Convention Center, co-organised with OVAM, the Public Waste Agency of Flanders. The conference attracted some 750 participants from 70 countries. Her Majesty the Queen of Belgium visited the opening session in her capacity as Advocate of
7426-481: The sciences at a regional, national and international level. They are designated by the Federal Act to Promote Research and Innovation to promote research together with the Swiss National Science Foundation . The Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences is an association of four distinct Swiss academies of different kinds: The two Centres for Excellence TA-SWISS and Fondation Science et Cité are also member of
7520-411: The sciences. Here, it is crucial to scientifically determine the consequences so as to be able to take advantage of the opportunities and minimise the risks. Promoted by the academy, exchange within and among the sciences ensures a broad basis for the early detection of socially relevant problems. Knowing that representatives of science adhere to ethical rules bolsters society's trust in science. And this
7614-696: The scope of the conferences to include the full life-cycle of products and services. And so the series of conferences became the World Resources Forum, which has been attracting high-level politicians, business leaders, NGOs and scientists from all over the world ever since. In 2009 the WRF Conference was organised in Davos , Switzerland, back to back with the R'09 Twin World Congress on Resource Management and Technology for Material and Energy Efficiency. The R' Conferences got entirely integrated into
7708-436: The sector in its own terms, without relying on terminology used for the government or business sectors. However, use of terminology by a nonprofit of self-descriptive language that is not legally compliant risks confusing the public about nonprofit abilities, capabilities, and limitations. Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences The Swiss Academies of Arts and Sciences is a Swiss organization that supports and networks
7802-570: The sector. The term civil society organization (CSO) has been used by a growing number of organizations, including the Center for the Study of Global Governance . The term citizen sector organization (CSO) has also been advocated to describe the sector – as one of citizens, for citizens – by organizations including Ashoka: Innovators for the Public . Advocates argue that these terms describe
7896-489: The traditional domain noted in RFC 1591 , .org is for "organizations that didn't fit anywhere else" in the naming system, which implies that it is the proper category for non-commercial organizations if they are not governmental, educational, or one of the other types with a specific TLD. It is not designated specifically for charitable organizations or any specific organizational or tax-law status, but encompasses anything that
7990-455: Was held in Arequipa , Peru, from 19–22 October 2014 and attracted over 1,000 participants coming from 40 countries and international organisations. Main topics of the conference included issues such as increasing resource productivity, fighting climate change , decreasing the environmental and social burden of current consumption and production patterns, and achieving a high quality of life for
8084-634: Was launched by the Institute for Sustainable Futures of the University of Technology (UTS) and the Centre for Sustainable Materials Research and Technology at UNSW Australia . The chairman's summary was published in 2015. Key themes discussed during the conference were Resource Productivity in the Asia‐Pacific, Enabling Transition Pathways and Innovation through Collaboration. World Resources Forum 2014
8178-669: Was organized by Empa in cooperation with the Swiss Academy of Engineering Sciences, the EcoTopia Science Institute of the University of Nagoya , and the Factor 10 Institute. For the first time, that year's conference was followed by the World Resources Forum, where politicians and scientists had the opportunity to discuss new economic frameworks promoting the sustainable use of resources. The innovative two site conference concept saved considerable amounts of CO 2 , so
8272-589: Was published in 2012. More than 400 participants from over 40 countries and international organisations attended the World Resources Forum 2011 in Davos, Switzerland, from 19–21 September 2011. The results from the conference were documented in a meeting report and were submitted to the Rio+20 Earth Summit 's compilation document, as well as other stakeholders, such as the International Monetary Fund . The Swiss government adopted
8366-776: Was published in 2013. A video with conference highlights was published by UBrainTV. World Resources Forum 2012 was held from 21–23 October at the China National Convention Center in Beijing , China, and attracted over 700 participants. Main theme of this forum, co-organised with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was Resources and Green Economy . The outcome of the conference stated that scarcity of resources, increasing prices, and unsustainable use of resources do hinder economic development and therefore pose risks for global stability. The meeting report
8460-405: Was published in 2016. World Resources Forum 2015 was held in Davos, Switzerland, from 11–14 October 2015, and had over 600 participants coming from 108 countries. Discussed topics included Circular Economy and Decoupling; technological innovation, business and finance; targets, indicators, and benchmarks for resource use as well as lifestyles and education. One of the main outcomes of the conference
8554-1025: Was published in 2018. Together with the Finnish Innovation Fund SITRA, World Resources Forum has co-organized the World Circular Economy Forum (WCEF) in June 2017 with the Nordic Council of Ministers , the Ellen Macarthur Foundation , the Finnish government , the European Commission , the European Environment Agency , International Institute for Sustainable Development , UN Environment and WBCSD . The forum has focused on showcasing circular economy solutions for business, cities and finance and attracted 1500 participants from 105 countries. Overall conclusion of
8648-409: Was run simultaneously in Davos and Nagoya from 14 to 16 September 2009. The main goal of the ninth event in the R' World Congress series was to promote technologies and frameworks for enhancing the material and energy efficiency of products, services and processes (from production and use to recycling), including developing sustainable solutions for tackling the growing mountain of e-waste. The conference
8742-969: Was shortlisted for the Audience Interaction Award by the Meeting Design Institute at the multi-hub FRESH 2018 conference. The World Resources Forum Secretariat also organizes regional conferences such as the Asia-Pacific Resources Forum, and the Latin America and the Caribbean Resources Forum, and it contributes to the bi-annual European Resources Forum, held in Berlin, organised by the German Federal Environment Agency UBA . In 2016
8836-484: Was that there is a strong need for reliable and comprehensive indicators and benchmarks that could produce meaningful data to set targets and goals for policymakers in the field of resource management. The meeting report was published in 2015. World Resources Forum Asia-Pacific was held in Sydney , Australia, from 1–3 June 2015, and attracted close to 300 participants. An Action Agenda on Resource Productivity and Innovation
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