Forum for the Future
Encyclopedia
Forum for the Future is a British
non-profit organisation with a mission to promote sustainable development
. Its vision is of "businesses and communities thriving in a future that’s environmentally sustainable and socially just". It runs partnerships with more than 90 organisations across business and the public sector to incorporate the principles of sustainable development. Forum specialises in futures work, innovation and capacity building, and it also runs a Masters course, 'Masters in Leadership for Sustainable Development', which has been running since the inception of Forum for the Future. It publishes a magazine called Green Futures which highlights news stories on the environment, sustainable development and green innovation.
Forum has staff based in three offices - London, Bristol and Cheltenham.
, Sara Parkin
and Paul Ekins
. Peter Madden became CEO in 2005.
A full list is available on its website
It funds its work from three principle revenue streams: annual fees from its partners; fees and grants for its work on projects which advance sustainability; and charitable donations and legacies.
In 2009 the Forum’s revenue was £4.1m, of which 61% came from business, 14% from central and local government, and 13% from not-for-profit organisations. Source – 2010 Annual Report
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
non-profit organisation with a mission to promote sustainable development
Sustainable development
Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use, that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come...
. Its vision is of "businesses and communities thriving in a future that’s environmentally sustainable and socially just". It runs partnerships with more than 90 organisations across business and the public sector to incorporate the principles of sustainable development. Forum specialises in futures work, innovation and capacity building, and it also runs a Masters course, 'Masters in Leadership for Sustainable Development', which has been running since the inception of Forum for the Future. It publishes a magazine called Green Futures which highlights news stories on the environment, sustainable development and green innovation.
Forum has staff based in three offices - London, Bristol and Cheltenham.
History
Forum for the Future was founded in 1996 by Jonathon PorrittJonathon Porritt
Jonathon Espie Porritt, CBE, is an English environmentalist and writer. Porritt appears frequently in the media, writing in magazines, newspapers and books, and appearing on radio and television regularly.-Early life and family background:...
, Sara Parkin
Sara Parkin
Sara Parkin is a former Green Party of England and Wales activist and politician. She rose to prominence during and after the 1989 European election, in which the Green Party received 15% of the vote...
and Paul Ekins
Paul Ekins
Paul Ekins is a prominent British academic in the field of sustainable economics. He is a former member of the Green Party.-Political career:...
. Peter Madden became CEO in 2005.
Partners
Forum for the Future has partnerships with more than 90 organisations in the public and private sector.A full list is available on its website
Governance and Funding
Forum for the Future is a registered charity and a company limited by guarantee. It is run by a senior management team led by Peter Madden and overseen by a board of trustees chaired by Janis Kong. The Forum’s partners have no influence over its governance.It funds its work from three principle revenue streams: annual fees from its partners; fees and grants for its work on projects which advance sustainability; and charitable donations and legacies.
In 2009 the Forum’s revenue was £4.1m, of which 61% came from business, 14% from central and local government, and 13% from not-for-profit organisations. Source – 2010 Annual Report
Projects
Recent Forum for the Future projects include:- Tourism 2023. The Forum worked with leading travel companies to develop four scenarios exploring the future of the UK outbound tourism industry, a vision for a sustainable industry and a strategy to achieve it. It published a report in October 2009 when British Airways, TUI Travel, Thomas Cook and the other partner companies announced they were signing up to the vision
- Fit for the Future. The project explored the impacts of climate change on the UK National Health Service, made recommendations on creating a sustainable low-carbon healthcare system and presented scenarios for the future of healthcare which health professionals can use to test strategy. It was jointly produced with the NHS Sustainable Development Unit.
- FT Climate Change Challenge. The competition, backed by the Financial TimesFinancial TimesThe Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....
newspaper and technology company Hewlett-PackardHewlett-PackardHewlett-Packard Company or HP is an American multinational information technology corporation headquartered in Palo Alto, California, USA that provides products, technologies, softwares, solutions and services to consumers, small- and medium-sized businesses and large enterprises, including...
, aims to promote green innovation and give publicity to the most promising new ideas to tackle climate change. Nearly 300 projects from around the world entered the competition in 2008-09.
- Sustainable Cities Index. The Forum’s annual Sustainable Cities Index tracks progress on sustainability in Britain’s 20 largest cities, ranking them on environmental performance, quality of life and future-proofing – how well they are addressing issues such as climate change, recycling and biodiversity. Bristol came top in 2008 and Newcastle in 2009.
- Climate Futures. The report, jointly produced with HP Labs and published in October 2008, analyses the political, economic, social and psychological consequences of climate change and shows how different global responses to the problem can lead to very different futures. It presents five scenarios for 2030 and explores the role of business and technology.