Mixed Group will Set up a New Worldwide NGO to Proceed to Advance Sustainability by way of its Company Members with Revolutionary Options, Collaborations and Thought Management

New NGO will Ship Significant Personal Sector Contributions – from Operations to the C-Suite – Via Science-based Approaches in Nature, Water, Local weather Resilience and Social Influence

Washington, D.C., January 2, 2024 – Two of the main NGOs working with enterprise on sustainability and nature programming, the World Setting Middle (WEC) and the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) have entered right into a memorandum of intent (MOI) to mix the 2 organizations. As of January 1, 2024, Margaret O’Gorman assumed the twin function of President and CEO of WEC and President of WHC. The brand new group title and branding is predicted to launch within the fall of 2024.

The mixed group shall be positioned as a pacesetter working on the intersection of enterprise and sustainability, providing significant non-public sector worth by way of science-based approaches in nature, water, local weather resilience and social affect. Via technical acumen and thought management, the brand new group will ship options and assist for a variety of company sustainability efforts – from operations to the C-suite, all below the identical roof.

With the experience of the 2 organizations, and their mixed 75 years of expertise, this new NGO will increase alternatives for best-in-class collaborations with firms to halt and restore nature loss, enhance water stewardship, improve local weather and group resilience and assist the transition to a round economic system. This mix may also embody WEC Europe e.V., which is able to proceed to function the World Thought Management hub for the longer term world group.

“We’re bringing collectively two purpose-driven organizations working with firms on sustainability and nature targets,” mentioned Emilio Tenuta, Senior Vice President and Chief Sustainability Officer of Ecolab, Inc. and WEC Board Chair. “The brand new group comes at a crucial time for enterprise as stakeholder and shareholder expectations associated to planet and folks develop, and intersections between points like water, local weather and nature are more and more acknowledged. We anticipate to be a pacesetter on this house from the beginning.”

Provides Connie Hergert, Vice President, Company Actual Property at Ontario Energy Technology and WHC Board Chair, “The experience of every group enhances the opposite, permitting for a particular method by seamlessly connecting C-suite ambition to operational implementation and provide chain engagement. Corporations will discover a robust accomplice to advance their nature, local weather and affect reporting. WEC and WHC members will see the good thing about the mixed experience virtually instantly.”

Below the phrases of the MOI, unanimously permitted by the boards of administrators of each organizations, Margaret O’Gorman shall be appointed President and CEO of WEC whereas remaining President of WHC. When the authorized mixture is full, O’Gorman shall be named CEO of the brand new group. Dr. Neil Hawkins, interim CEO of WEC, accomplished his pre-determined tenure on December 31, 2023.

“I really feel very lucky to have the chance to steer this mix and construct a corporation that can higher meet non-public sector wants whereas addressing a few of the planet’s most urgent points,” mentioned O’Gorman. “I’m thrilled to work in becoming a member of WEC’s world thought management and capability constructing with WHC’s strategic pragmatism and technical know-how. I wish to prolong my deepest due to Neil Hawkins for the crucial function he performed in supporting and advancing this effort.”

Says Dr. Hawkins, outgoing President and CEO of WEC, “The brand new group will turn into the ‘thought chief’ and the ‘do chief’ that’s wanted to assist accelerated progress on local weather change, water, circularity and nature challenges all of us face. It is extremely thrilling.”

The signature occasions of WEC and WHC, the WEC Gold Medal Award Presentation and WHC Conservation Convention respectively, will proceed. The 2024 WEC Gold Medal occasion, commemorating 40 years of recognizing sustainable enterprise excellence, shall be moved from Might 2024 to the autumn of 2024. The WHC Conservation Convention shall be held June 4-5 in New Orleans, LA. Moreover, all work associated to funded tasks of each organizations — at present underway or scheduled— will proceed with out interruption.

About Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC)

WHC has been working on the nexus of enterprise and biodiversity for 35 years and is the one worldwide NGO centered solely on enabling non-public sector motion for nature. WHC builds methods and frameworks for firms to combine nature with local weather, fairness and engagement to assist sustainable ecosystems and wholesome communities. WHC company members characterize a few of the main nationwide and multinational firms. WHC-certified packages may be present in nineteen international locations and 48 U.S. states.

About World Setting Council (WEC)

The World Setting Middle is an impartial, world, non-profit, non-advocacy group that advances sustainable growth by way of the enterprise practices of member firms and in partnership with governments, multi-lateral organizations, non-governmental organizations, universities and different stakeholders. WEC creates sustainable enterprise options by way of particular person tasks in rising markets; convenes management roundtables to form strategic pondering throughout a spread of sustainability subjects; and honors trade excellence by way of the annual awarding of its Gold Medal Award. WEC celebrates 40 years of affect in 2024.

MEDIA CONTACTS

Monica Keller, Chief Advertising Officer, WHC
mkeller@wildlifehc.org  |  240.247.0930

Zoie Gaidos, Advertising & Communications Coordinator, WEC
press@wec.org  |   202.939.3852