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This policy has been reviewed and updated. View the current policy.

CURRENT STATUS: CLOSED FOR REVIEW

Discussed at Vancouver Pilot Consultation (May 20, 2009) and Sydney Regional Consultation (June 25, 2009). Posted to Round 1 30-day Online Consultation (August 10th, 2009).

DESCRIPTION

Big Room Inc. proposes allocating 25% of revenue from the sales of Dot Eco domains to environmental and social causes around the world using an independent Foundation.

The objective of this policy is to develop a set of guiding principles that will form the charter of this Foundation. The charter will determine how funds from the Foundation are allocated and to what causes, issues, and/or organisations.

1. REGISTRANT COMMITMENTS

Priorities for the allocation of funds will be driven by the eco-community and be global in scope. Priorities will be broad and in-line with the overall goal of achieving sustainable development. They are based on priorities developed by the United Nations Millennium EcoSystem Assessment Report, including (but not limited to):

  • Preservation (wildlife, biodiversity, and land)
  • Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation
  • Sustainable Consumption and Production
  • Remediation of Polluted Sites
  • Poverty Alleviation
  • Labour, Social and Human Rights

Registrants will have the opportunity to choose one of these issues when they purchase a Dot Eco domain. Alternately, registrants may select that the Foundation Committee decide how to best allocate the funds.

Questions for Discussion

  1. Are there other priorities not covered by these categories that you think are important and in-line with the values of the "Dot Eco Community"?
  2. Should registrants be able to nominate a particular organisation they wish the funds to be donated to?
  3. Should registrants be able to nominate particular regions in the world they wish the funds to be donated to?

2. ALLOCATION

Funds will be allocated to the priorities outlined in Section 1. Organisations will be invited to submit proposals to the Foundation, which will evaluate all proposals. The final decisions and responsibilities for funds allocated rests with the Foundation.

Questions for Discussion

  1. How can the Foundation ensure accountability without placing undue reporting burdens on organisations receiving them? (Specifically, for smaller organisations operating in the developing world with limited capacity to fulfil reporting requirements).
  2. Should recipients include individuals (e.g., for research or scholarships) or organisations, or both?
  3. What organisations should be eligible for funds? (e.g., only non-profits, or only organisations recognized by for example, Guidestar or Charity Navigator)

3. GOVERNANCE

The Dot Eco Foundation will be governed independently from Big Room Inc., in line with recognised good practice for Foundation governance.

  • Recipients of Foundation funding may not be members of the Dot Eco Foundation Board.
  • Every year the Foundation will produce an independently verified annual report.
  • Dot Eco Community members will be able to track where and how funds have been spent on projects.
  • Progress towards the goals and principles of Dot Eco will be reported on by recipients of the funds.

RESOURCES

  1. Principles for Responsible Investment
  2. UN Global Compact
  3. CERES Principles
  4. Rio Declaration on Environment and Development
  5. Wikipedia