Influence of Funders over Direction of FSC Organization
6/30/98
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RELAYED TEXT STARTS HERE:
Title: Influence of Funders over Direction of FSC Organization
Source: Friends of the Earth
georgina@foe.co.uk
Status: Distribute freely with proper credit to source
Date: 6/30/98
Dear FSC members
There follows a letter to the FSC Board about an issue that is absolutely
fundamental to
the integrity of the FSC - the influence of funders or potential funders over
the
strategic direction of the organisation. The FSC's statutes state very clearly
that the
FSC should remain independent from its funders.
PLEASE READ THIS LETTER AND SIGN ON TO IT IF YOU CAN.
I believe it is important the FSC receives a very clear message from as many
members as
possible about this issue.
TO SIGN ON: - E-MAIL georgina@foe.co.uk BY THURSDAY 9 JULY. Please include your
name and
your organisation.
NOTE: PLEASE DO NOT PRESS THE RETURN BUTTON ON YOUR E-MAIL AS THIS WILL SEND
YOUR
RESPONSE TO THE WRONG PERSON.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Best wishes
Georgina Green
Friends of the Earth (England, Wales, Northern Ireland).
Dear Board Members
1) We understand that a summary of the Draft Strategic Plan (which is marked, we
note,
strictly confidential) was presented and discussed with a group of
representatives from
major American foundations.
2) We further understand that these Foundation representatives have provided
strong views
to the Board on the very significant strategic decisions the FSC should make,
and have
made it clear that significant funding support could be available, if the
decisions made
follow the path they would like to see.
3) It is also clear that some Board Members have been actively encouraging
potential
donors to exert their influence on the way the FSC develops, certainly since
late
January.
We find it totally unacceptable that a democratic, membership-based organisation
that
purports to a multi-stakeholder approach should be allowing (indeed encouraging)
funders
or potential funders to exert this sort of influence over the structure,
strategy,
positioning and priorities of the organisation - essentially, on what the
organisation is
and does.
The consultation with funders over the Strategic Plan is especially galling when
no
proper process was set up to enable the FSC members to discuss and input to the
draft
report and its recommendations.
We would like to point out that the FSC Statutes state that:
"The FSC shall be a non-profit, non-governmental organisation, and shall remain
independent from control by commercial interests and government, multilateral
and
bilateral agencies, although collaboration with these entities will be sought"
and
" The FSC will accept contributions from non-governmental organisations,
foundations,
government sources, multilateral agencies and individuals, as long as no
restrictions are
attached which would affect the independence or integrity of the FSC".
We request that the Board issues a statement clearly saying that:
a) it will ensure that funders or potential funders will not have any influence
over the
strategic direction, structure and priorities of the organisation and ensure
that the
Secretariat does the same;
b) it is the absolute policy of the organisation to remain independent from
funders or
potential funders;
c) as a democratic, membership based organisation, it is the members and their
elected
representatives (the Board), after consultation with the members, who decide the
strategic direction and structure of the organisation, and its major principles,
priorities and policies. Such consultations must be fully participatory,
accessible to
all members, and conducted in an open and transparent manner.
As FSC members, we consider this to be of the utmost importance to the
functioning of the
organisation and our support for it.
We look forward to hearing your reaction to this matter.
Yours sincerely
Georgina Green
Friends of the Earth (England, Wales, Northern Ireland)
Saskia Ozinga
FERN
Simon Counsell
Individual Member
Reinhard Behrend
Rettet den Regenwald
REMINDER: E-MAIL YOUR WISH TO SIGN ON TO georgina@foe.co.uk DO NOT PRESS YOUR
REPLY
BUTTON - YOUR RESPONSE WILL GO TO THE WRONG PERSON!