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GIN
FAQ
How
was GIN created?
Our first conference in November 1991 marked the official launch of the
Greening of Industry Network. Planning started in October 1989 with two
researchers with common interests, Kurt Fischer and Johan Schot, and subsequent
establishment of GIN programs at two universities, in the US and the Netherlands.
They convened an advisory board, raised seed funding, and made plans for
projects based on a ten-year series of conferences with linked publications
and communications. In 1996, Theo de Bruijn joined as coordinator, replacing
Johan Schot. In 1998 a GIN program in Asia was established at Chulalongkorn
University in Thailand with Somporn Kamolsiripichaiporn as GIN coordinator.
January 2001
marked the launch of GIN's Second Decade.
By
what authority did you create the Network?
We saw unfilled needs to do a better job of connecting research, policy,
and practice; to build connections across professional, disciplinary,
and national boundaries; to bring together fragmented knowledge; and to
stimulate discussion and research on sustainable development — to
align industrial development policies with sustainable development goals.
How
is the Network managed?
GIN management is decentralized, with regional coordinators
working together to pursue the GIN mission, with the help of the GIN
International Planning Board. Planning board members serve on working
groups, and the working group chairs and the GIN coordinators serve as
the Network steering committee.
Is
GIN a separate institute or corporation?
GIN affairs are managed cooperatively, as a consortium of university-based
programs, by the regional program offices.
While we have considered the creation of a supra-regional GIN, a formal
society, or of an incorporated association, we see that as an unnecessary
additional expense and administrative layer at this time.
Who's
who, and who does what?
The GIN coordinators work together on an equal footing, along with the
help of the planning board, to carry out the GIN
Mission and projects. Beyond the GIN coordinators, most of the work
is carried out by volunteers from the planning board and others, with
graduate students, and with logistical support from our host institutes.
In 2004, four working groups were created to focus attention on particular
activities.
How
do you make decisions? How are projects designed?
The coordinators set the agenda, solicit the advice of the planning board,
consult with the steering committee, and make decisions in accordance
with the principles and goals of the GIN Mission and Second
Decade Plan. The GIN coordinators and the working group chairs constitute
the GIN steering committee. Planning has begun for launching GIN's third
decade.
Do
you survey GIN participants and members for their views?
Yes. Beyond working with the 50-member planning board, we make regular
surveys of participants' views. For example, in each of our conferences,
we devote at least one major session to the mission and direction of GIN,
and we obtain conference evaluations from delegates. GIN regional workshops
are another vehicle for obtaining user views and input. In the mid-1990s,
we undertook a project to build a research and action agenda, convening
workshops and interviewing individuals. In the late 1990s, we cooperated
with General Motors R&D to conduct a global survey of views and trends
in sustainable development. In 1999, we began an 18-month process of planning
for GIN's Second Decade, convening scenario teams and conducting workshops.
The results of all of these projects are documented and posted at http://www.greeningofindustry.org/publications.html.
In late 2007 we conducted a survey of the GIN community evaluating our
programs and progress.
How
do you communicate with GIN participants and the public?
We use email postings of the GINnews to our email distribution
list and maintain a public Web page at www.greeningofindustry.org.
Over 200 other Web pages link to the GIN Web page.
How
was the GIN Planning Board created?
In the beginning, we invited ten people who were working in the field,
either known to us or recommended to us as interested in building bridges
across disciplines and national boundaries in pursuit of sustainable development.
Planning board members have been added to cover a variety of disciplines,
professions and regions; they are often drawn from among our most active
volunteers. They serve three-year, renewable terms as invited by the GIN
coordinators.
How
are business matters conducted?
Business transactions of taking in and disbursing funds and entering into
agreements are conducted through the not-for-profit university host institutes
of the GIN coordinators, and in the case of conferences and workshops,
through the host institutes and universities of our meeting partners.
Where
does the funding come from?
Funds are solicited from government, business, individuals, and foundations
to support GIN activities. A list of funding sources since 1991 may be
found at GIN Sponsors.
How
does one make a proposal for a GIN project or conference?
Brief pre-proposals of one or two pages of project descriptions may be
sent to any of the GIN coordinators. Activities must fit within the goals
of the GIN Mission and the Second
Decade Plan. Proposals must describe goals, nature of the activity,
timetable, staffing, institutional backing and support, and, since GIN
is not a funding agency, evidence of full financial support.
How
does JOIN GIN! work?
See JOIN GIN! FAQ.
Will
you launch GIN's Third Decade in 2011?
We welcome your support and participation in continuing the work of the
Greening of Industry Network, and we invite you to JOIN
GIN!
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