ERM Annual Review 2008 - (Page 31) The ERM Foundation plays an important role in the life of ERM. Through it, our employees are able to demonstrate their commitment to the environment and the community. One of its programs, the Low Carbon Enterprise Fund, allows the ERM Foundation to provide both technical and financial support to climate friendly small businesses in the developing world. I would like to thank everyone for their enormous contributions over this past year. Robin Bidwell, Executive Director, ERM “ ” Supporting Low Carbon Enterprises As part of ERM’s Low Carbon Initiative, ERM donated around 250 days of consultants’ time to the ERM Foundation’s pro-bono program. This has enabled the ERM Foundation to offer pro-bono technical and managerial advice to entrepreneurs, non-government organizations and other groups on different types of low carbon projects. ERM sees this as an effective way of leveraging its expertise and as a sustainable alternative to offsetting. The Foundation’s pro-bono program has assessed and advised on rain forest sustainability initiatives in Guyana and Indonesia, a student program to measure office CO2 emissions in Shanghai, small solar businesses in Nigeria and India and a micro-hydro project in East Africa. The Foundation has also provided financial support in the form of loans and equity stakes to entrepreneurs where these businesses will result in a reduction of CO2 emissions. These include a solar lamp business in Nepal, sustainable livelihoods project in Guyana, biofuels enterprise in Madagascar and sustainable forestry business in Ecuador. We are very grateful to the individuals and organizations that have donated to the Low Carbon Enterprise Fund. Competing in the Blenheim triathlon was a real personal challenge. Completing it was great; being able to fundraise for the ERM Foundation – even better. Claire Stevens London, UK “ ” A lot of people join ERM to make a difference. Beyond our consultancy work we can do this through the ERM Foundation. Alison McCallum Cape Town, South Africa “ ” Protecting Rainforest, Guyana The ERM Foundation sponsored a team to assess ways that the Iwokrama Rainforest could be made financially, socially and environmentally sustainable. The ERM Foundation’s Low Carbon Enterprise Fund subsequently provided a loan to support the upgrading of a community-based ecotourism project. ERM Annual Review 2008 31
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