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Global e-Sustainability Initiative Establishes US Office in Washington, DC

Global e-Sustainability Initiative Establishes US Office in Washington, DC

Published 12-16-14

Submitted by Global Enabling Sustainability Initiative

On December 2, GeSI Chairman Luis Neves announced the establishment of GeSI’s first office in the Americas.  The new Washington Office will advance GeSI’s mission to become the recognized thought leader, partner of choice, and proactive driver of the information and communications technology (ICT) sustainability agenda.

“With the Obama Administration declaring that climate change is a top priority, it is appropriate for GeSI to have a more active presence in the U.S.” said Luis Neves, GeSI chairman and Group Sustainability and Climate Change Officer for Deutsche Telekom.  “This new office demonstrates our commitment to supporting our members, and assures that innovation and ICT solutions are well-represented in the public policy dialogue around sustainability issues.”

For 2015, GeSI will focus on climate change policy, human rights and human empowerment, industry responsibility issues, and cross-sector engagement.  The organization believes that innovation and ICT can offer many solutions that promote productivity, growth and job creation while simultaneously advancing carbon emission reduction, energy and resource efficiency, improving people’s lives while ensuring sustainable living, and other sustainability goals.

Based in Washington, DC, the GeSI office will be run by Stephen Jordan and Steve Rochlin, the co-founders of the research and advisory firm, IO Sustainability.

“GeSI represents many of the leading ICT providers on the planet, and it is important that American-based audiences become more aware of the thought leadership they are exercising in the sustainability field.” Jordan and Rochlin said in a joint statement. “We look forward to making sure that the potential for ICT to contribute to sustainability is well recognized in the public policy conversation here in the Americas.”

The Washington office will focus on building relationships with officials in the Executive and Legislative Branches, developing partnerships with other industries and sectors, engaging in research and thought leadership, supporting member services, and serving as an information hub.

The Global e-Sustainability Initiative was founded by major global information and communications technology companies to tackle major sustainability challenges and develop recommendations for how the ICT sector might be able to address them.  GeSI is well-known for its SMART 2020 and SMARTer 2020 series of reports, and is committed to thought leadership, cross-sector engagement, information sharing, and project development.  

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Global Enabling Sustainability Initiative

Global Enabling Sustainability Initiative

The Global Enabling Sustainability Initiative (GeSI) is a strategic partnership of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector committed to creating and promoting digital technologies and practices that foster economic, environmental and social sustainability. Formed in 2001, GeSI’s vision is a sustainable world through responsible, ICT-enabled transformation. GeSI fosters global and open cooperation, informs the public of its members’ voluntary actions to improve their sustainability performance, and promotes technologies that foster sustainable development. GeSI enjoys a diverse and global membership, representing around 30 of the world’s leading ICT companies and partners with over 30 global business and international organizations such as the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), the World Resources Forum Association (WRFA), the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA), the Centre for Sustainable Consumption and Production (CSCP), The Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI), the Global Climate Forum (GCF), the World Green Building Council (WGBC), the Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), and the International Energy Agency (IEA) - as well as a range of international stakeholders committed to ICT sustainability objectives to share and develop ideas, launch joint initiatives, and collaborate on a broad range of sustainability projects. These partnerships help shape GeSI’s global vision regarding the evolution of the ICT sector, and how it can best meet the challenges of sustainable development.

For more information, see www.gesi.org.

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