At the ISIE's first-ever Annual General Meeting (AGM) last month, members had the opportunity to present proposals that they felt are important for the industrial ecology community to take forward. These proposals ranged from a diversity and inclusion initiative to an ISIE development board, and they were put up for a vote around the time that the AGM took place.
In order to allow for sufficient reflection and discussion, the AGM decided to extend to voting period and members were given until the end of July to cast their votes. Now that all votes have been cast, we hereby share the outcome.
| Yes | No | Abstain | Yes % | Votes cast | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial ecology data commons (IEDC) | 75 | 11 | 8 | 80% | 94 |
| Diversity and Inclusion Initiative | 54 | 9 | 18 | 67% | 81 |
| ISIE Development Board | 70 | 5 | 9 | 83% | 84 |
| Initiatives to support turning research into action | 55 | 20 | 11 | 64% | 86 |
| Reduce Air-Travel Carbon Footprint of ISIE Conferences | 82 | 11 | 2 | 86% | 95 |
Each proposal could be voted on independently, which is why the number of votes varies for each proposal. In total, the member proposals generated 440 votes that were cast, the majority of which were positive. This indicates that our members have put forth projects and initiatives that find resonance with the rest of the membership.
We would like to thank the members who spent time putting together these proposals, as well as all of the members who took time to read and discuss these proposals, and to cast their votes. It is only through active member involvement that the ISIE can address emerging topics and remain a dynamic and member-driven organization!
Right now, the ISIE board is discussing what the best way forward is. When we first called for proposals, we did not know how many reactions - and what kinds of proposals - we would receive. Just like the AGM, this is the first time the ISIE is involving the membership in this manner.
Now that we have completed the round of voting, the board will decide on the best way forward, taking into account the membership votes. As discussed at the AGM, any budgetary decisions can only be made after the AGM approves the 2020 budget, so where needed the board will liaise with the proponents of the relevant proposals to include a more detailed budget and present this to the AGM.
We will keep the membership informed of how these proposals will find continuation, and we invite members who want to be further involved in any of these proposals to reach out to the board or to the original proponents to get on board.
Paul Hoekman
ISIE Executive Director
