English Français

Key Message

Our vision: Better living for all—sustainably

Our mission: To champion innovation, enabling societies to live sustainably

Contact us

  • IISD's head office
    161 Portage Avenue East, 6th Floor
    Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
    R3B 0Y4

    · Phone: +1 204 958-7700
    · Fax: +1 204 958-7710
    · E-mail
    · IISDnet
    · Linkages

  • Ottawa office
    340 Albert St
    Suite 710
    Ottawa, ON
    K1R 7Y6

    · Phone: +1 613 238-2296
    · Fax: +1 613 238-8515

  • IISD Reporting Services
    300 East 56th Street #11A
    New York, NY 10022 USA

    · Phone: +1 646 536-7556
    · Fax: +1 646 219-0955
    · E-mail

  • Geneva office
    International Environment House 2
    9 chemin de Balexert
    1219 Châtelaine
    Geneva Switzerland

    · Phone +41 22 917-8373
    · Fax +41 22 917-8054
    · E-mail

FAQ About IISD

Shedding light on our activities and objectives

What does IISD try to achieve?

The International Institute for Sustainable Development is in the business of promoting change towards sustainable development. Through our research and through effective communication of our findings, we engage decision-makers in government, business, NGOs and other sectors to develop and implement policies that are simultaneously beneficial to the global economy, the global environment and to social well-being. In the pursuit of sustainable development, we promote open and effective international negotiation processes. And we believe fervently in the importance of building our own institutional capacity while helping our partner organizations in the developing world to excel.

What is sustainable development?

Sustainable development is the notion that humanity should strive to develop the economy in a manner that does not damage the integrity of ecosystems and social well-being. It's about working toward a better life for all people for today and for the future. The most commonly accepted formal definition of SD is taken from Our Common Future, the landmark 1987 report of The World Commission on Environment and Development. Chaired by former Norwegian Prime Minister, Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, the Commission noted that “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Click here for more information on sustainable development.

Is IISD primarily a think tank?

As an independent, not-for-profit organization, IISD indeed thoughtfully advances discourse on the sustainable development issues of the day. But IISD is far more than a think tank. Increasingly, we are becoming an institute of applied research where our people conduct research, and then work toward effective implementation of results and findings on the ground. We are increasingly sought after as a consultant to business and government. And as a coordinator of powerful networks, we are a facilitator of worldwide alliances in the areas of trade, climate change and communications. Finally, we are an exciting Internet and technology company reporting on international negotiations, delivering our research to the world and sharing our technical expertise.

How did the institute start?

In 1988, former Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney announced at the United Nations General Assembly that Canada was poised to launch and fund a sustainable development institute response to the World Commission on Environment and Development. At the urging of the province of Manitoba and then-premier Gary Filmon, the institute was launched in Winnipeg (Manitoba's capital) in 1990, funded wholly by the governments of Canada and Manitoba. While our funding sources are becoming increasingly international and diversified in nature, the federal and provincial governments continue to support the institute and the institute's head office remains in Winnipeg.

Is the institute genuinely international?

While we are a Canadian-based organization, our team and our work are clearly international. Our 150 staff, associates, freelancers and Board members come from more than 30 countries. Our work and our relationships keep us active on five continents. IISD's offices are located in Winnipeg, Ottawa, New York and Geneva.

How is the institute funded?

IISD has a budget of roughly CDN$12 million. About 20 per cent is financed by core funding. Roughly 80 per cent is financed by designated grants for specific projects. Funding comes from numerous Canadian and international government sources, international organizations, the private sector and foundations. Our designated funding profile is increasingly international in nature with almost the same amount of designated funding coming from international governments and agencies as from Canadian governments and agencies.

How is the institute organized?

IISD is divided into seven activity areas including five strategic objective areas and two strategic functions. The five strategic objective areas where a bulk of our research is carried out are: Climate Change and Energy; Measurement and Indicators; Trade and Investment; Natural Resources Management; and Economic Policy. The two strategic functions are Reporting Services and Knowledge Communications. Our Reporting Services team covers international negotiations on environment and development, and the Knowledge Communications group helps research staff to get their messages out to those they most want to inform and engage, while conducting its own research on sustainable development communications and engagement practices.

Who is IISD's audience?

In broad terms, IISD aims to influence, inspire and communicate with decision-makers—those people in government, business, civil society and other sectors who are in a position to develop and implement policies to achieve sustainable development. The specific make-up of the audiences, of course, varies across our activity areas and over time.

What is the composition and role of IISD's Board of Directors?

Under Canadian law our Board is required to retain a Canadian majority of 50 per cent plus one. The 2003–04 Board has members from Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Denmark, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Thailand and Pakistan. The Board meets twice a year in Canada and has an active committee structure. The Board governs, sets the institute's strategic direction and is responsible for oversight of the sound management of the institute's finances.

How has IISD changed since it launched?

Like all organizations, IISD has changed significantly since its inception. Perhaps the most important change has been the increasing trend toward project funding. The institute launched with undesignated seed funding, and has moved toward a project orientation. The original funding model allowed for a broad implementation and exploration of sustainable development, while today we increasingly focus our efforts on a number of specific issues. Another important change has been our relationship with information and communications technology. The Internet was in its infancy when IISD was born. Today, it is the very soul of our communications culture and our most important tool for reaching our audiences. There are millions of downloads from our Web sites annually.

What challenges and opportunities are ahead for IISD?

As an organization with a policy solutions mandate, we face the ongoing challenges of encouraging change towards sustainable development in a world of flawed mechanisms and inconsistent signals and incentives. Some people believe that the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in 2002 in Johannesburg could mark the end of sustainable development summitry. As the urgency grows to address SD issues, we will need to work increasingly at a multilateral level. And, as the funding environment becomes more competitive, we will need to become increasingly innovative. Still, IISD is poised to make great advances. Our technological competence, our substantive expertise, our healthy relationships, our ability to adapt to change and our unwavering passion stand us in good stead to define and address the issues, and to continue to contribute positively to economic, social and environmental well-being around the world.