Charter of AlterContacts

AlterContacts is the Global Think Tank for Sustainable Development

Date of registration: 5 April 2019

Country of registration: The Netherlands

Title of registration authorities: Chamber of Commerce and Tax Office

Registered as: Civil society partnership (Vennootschap onder firma)

Executive Officers & co-founders: 1 - Julia Skupchenko (Dutch citizen); 2 - Massimo Mercuri (Dutch citizen)

Main office: The Hague, the Netherlands

Type: International, virtual

Regions of operation: Europe, Americas, Asia, Africa, Oceania



To confirm our commitment to conduct all our activities in a responsible and sustainable manner with well-assessed long-term implications on people and the environment, we are putting our principles of acting and interacting in writing in this Charter. It is applicable to everyone who is directly involved in our activities: co-founders, board of directors, experts, advisors, members, volunteers, partners and suppliers.

Goal

Think Tank AlterContacts contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through research, publications, initiatives and facilitating constructive dialogue on International Development worldwide. Our key initiatives are aimed at Eradicating Ignorance, Empowering Entrepreneurship and helping organizations to instill the mindset of sustainability, and track and measure their contribution to the UN SDGs.

Mission

Together with the United Nations, leading international organizations and countries set an ambitious target for 2030 - to work jointly on Sustainable Development Goals and improve life on planet Earth. Being fully supportive of this intention, the Think Tank AlterContacts is actively working towards it.


Contents

Goal

Mission

The Structure

Board of Directors

Expert Advisory Committees

Volunteer Members Consultative Committee

The Decision Making Process

Board Meetings

Decision-making

Stakeholder Engagement

Mission Lock

Regulations

Financial year and annual accounts

Tax Management Practices

Membership

Expert Members

Volunteer Members

Training

Organization Citizenship Engagement

Values

Manifesto

Sustainability and Contribution to SDGs

Supplier Screening

Human Rights & Labor Standards

Non-Discrimination Statement

Anti-Harassment Policy

Prohibition of child labor and forced or compulsory labor

Payment of a Living Wage

Anti-Corruption

Organization Transparency

Ethics Policies and Practices

Instruction on Code of Ethics

Whistleblower Policy

Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct

Environment

Monitoring Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Monitoring and Managing Water Use

Environmentally Friendly Technologies

The Structure

The structure of the Think Tank AlterContacts consists of the following administrative bodies:

Board of Directors

1. The board of the think tank shall consist of a number of at least two (2) directors, to be determined by the board. Presently and until further notice, the board of the Think Tank AlterContacts consists of two people who also are its co-founders Julia Skupchenko and Massimo Mercuri. 

2. The directors shall be appointed and suspended by the board, with the exception of the first board, which shall be appointed upon incorporation. The board shall elect a chairman, a secretary and a treasurer from among its members. The positions of secretary and treasurer may be held by one person. 

3. The directors are appointed for an indefinite period. In the event of one or more vacancies on the board, the board shall retain its powers. 

4. The Board shall be charged with the management of the think tank. In discharging its duties, the Board shall be guided by the interests of the think tank and the organisation affiliated with it. 

5. The Board defines the strategy of the Think Tank upon consultation with the Expert Members and Volunteer Members Consultative Committee during the bi-yearly online meetings (hosted twice a year). 

6. The Board is responsible for reporting the actions of the think tank publicly on the social media channels, website and a yearly report, including deliverables and numbers as much as possible. 

7. The Board of Directors shall be authorised to resolve to enter into agreements to acquire, dispose of and encumber registered property. 

8. The board is not authorised to decide to enter into agreements whereby the think tank binds itself as surety or joint and several debtors, warrants performance by a third party or provides security for a debt of another party. 

9. Resignation. A board member resigns: 

a. through his death or, if the director is a legal entity, through its dissolution or if it ceases to exist; 

b. by the loss of the free disposal of its assets; 

c. by his resignation; 

d. by dismissal by the remaining directors jointly; 

e. by resignation pursuant to section 2:298 of the Dutch Civil Code. 

10. Representation 

a. The Board represents the think tank. 

b. The power of representation shall also be vested in two directors acting jointly. 

c. The Board may grant a proxy to one or more members of the Board, as well as to third parties, to represent the think tank within the limits of that proxy. 

Expert Advisory Committees

1. Expert Advisory Committees are formed per initiative and consist of two to six experts.

2. Their composition depends on the expertise and location of the experts.

3. At the start of the initiative, relevant experts receive a verbal or written invitation to participate in it as advisors. 

4. The ones who reply positively are invited to the personal or group briefing. 

5. Consultation process in the course of the initiative happens at least every two months in a group online meeting and monthly in personal communication. 

6. Initiative meetings could also be planned depending on the needs of the initiative.

7. All meetings can be carried out in English or Spanish, depending on the proficiency level of experts.

8. At the end of the initiative the dedicated Advisory Committee stops its work.

9. For each initiative a new Expert Advisory Committee is formed.

Volunteer Members Consultative Committee

1.  The committee provides feedback and suggestions on how volunteer activities could be organized, what changes need to be made during the bi-yearly online meeting with experts. During it, they can meet Expert members and contribute their insights and opinion to the think tank initiatives.

2. The invitation to attend bi-yearly meetings is sent to all current volunteer members. 

3. The committee members are rotating based on their availability. 

4. To become a member of the Volunteer Members Consultative Committee, a volunteer member simply needs to be present and active at the bi-yearly online meeting with experts.

5. At any time we try to make sure that the committee consists of three to twelve volunteer members representing at least three regions where we operate.

The Decision Making Process

Board Meetings 

1. The meetings of the Board of Directors shall be held in the place specified in the convocation. 

2. Annually, within six months after the end of the financial year, a meeting of the board (the annual meeting) shall be held to discuss in any case the adoption of the balance sheet and the statement of income and expenditure. In addition, a meeting shall be held every quarter. 

3. Furthermore, meetings shall be held when one of the managing directors issues a convocation to that effect. 

4. A meeting shall be convened by means of a letter convening the meeting at least seven days in advance, not counting the day of the convening of the meeting and that of the meeting. If a member of the managing board has consented to this, the meeting may also be convened by means of a readable and reproducible electronic message sent to the electronic address given to the think tank by the member of the managing board concerned for this purpose. 

5. Apart from the place and time of the meeting, the notice convening the meeting shall also state the items to be discussed. 

6. The meetings shall be chaired by the chairman. If the chairman is absent, the directors present shall provide for the chairing of the meeting. Until that moment the meeting shall be led by the oldest director present. 

7. The secretary shall take minutes of the meeting. In the absence of the Secretary, the minute taker shall be appointed by the person chairing the meeting. The minutes shall be adopted and signed by those who have acted as chair and minute taker at the meeting. The minutes shall subsequently be kept by the secretary. 

8. Admission to the meetings of the board shall be granted to the directors in office and to those invited by the board. 

9. Each Board Member shall be authorised to participate in the meeting, to address the meeting and to exercise his voting rights by electronic means of communication, provided that the managing director can be identified through the electronic means of communication, can directly take note of the proceedings of the meeting and can exercise his voting rights. 

Decision-making 

1. The board may only pass resolutions at a meeting if the majority of the directors in office are present or represented. A managing director may be represented at a meeting by another managing director after a written power of attorney, sufficient in the opinion of the chairman of the meeting, has been granted. A managing director may only act as a proxy for one other managing director. 

2. If at a meeting the majority of the directors in office are not present or represented, a second meeting shall be convened to be held not earlier than two and not later than four weeks after the first meeting. At this second meeting, resolutions may be passed, irrespective of the number of directors present or represented, on the subjects to be dealt with at the first meeting. The notice convening the second meeting must state that and why a resolution may be passed regardless of the number of directors present or represented. 

3. As long as all sitting directors are present at a meeting, valid resolutions may be passed on all matters coming up for discussion, provided they are passed unanimously, even if the provisions of these articles of think tank for convening and holding meetings have not been observed. 

4. The board may also pass resolutions by unanimous vote outside a meeting. The secretary shall draw up a report of any decision taken in this way, which shall be kept as a record after being countersigned by the chairman. 

5. Each director is entitled to cast one vote. In so far as these Articles of Think Tank do not prescribe a larger majority, Board resolutions shall be passed by an absolute majority of the valid votes cast. In the event of a tied vote, the proposal shall be deemed rejected. 

6. All voting at a meeting shall take place orally, unless one or more directors demand a written vote prior to the vote. Voting in writing shall be by unsigned, sealed ballot papers. 

7. Blank votes shall be considered as not having been cast. 

8. In all disputes concerning votes, the chairman of the meeting shall decide. 

9. A member of the managing board shall not take part in any deliberations and decision taking if he has a direct or indirect personal interest that conflicts with the interest of the think tank and the organisation affiliated to it. If, as a result, no board decision can be taken, the decision shall be taken by the board with a written record of the considerations on which the decision is based. 

Stakeholder Engagement

We regularly host events, webinars, calls, meetings, and think tank conversations with the representatives of various stakeholder groups. Most of them are advertised and shared publicly through social media.


We engage stakeholders to assess our social and environmental performance. We have an informal advisory board that includes stakeholder representation. We have processes in place to gather information from stakeholders specifically for social and environmental issues (focus groups, surveys, community meetings, etc.). We publicly report on stakeholder engagement mechanisms and results.

Mission Lock

To legally ensure that the social or environmental performance is a part of our decision-making over time, regardless of the ownership, we have adopted a specific legal entity or governance structure that preserves mission over time but does not require consideration of all stakeholders in its decision-making (e.g. cooperative).

Regulations 

1. The Board shall be authorised to adopt regulations governing those subjects which, in the opinion of the Board, require (further) regulation. 

2. The regulations may not be contrary to the law or these Articles of Think Tank. 

3. The board is authorised to amend or terminate the regulations.

Financial year and annual accounts 

1. The think tank's financial year shall be equal to the calendar year. 

2. The Executive Committee is obliged to keep records of the financial position of the think tank and of everything connected with the activities of the think tank, in accordance with the requirements arising from these activities, and to keep the books, documents and other data carriers connected with this, in such a way that the rights and obligations of the think tank may be known at any time. 

3. The board is obliged to draw up, put on paper and adopt the think tank's balance sheet and statement of income and expenditure every year within six months of the end of the financial year. 

4. The Board shall be obliged to keep the books, documents and other data carriers referred to in the preceding paragraphs for a period of seven years. 

5. The data recorded on a data carrier, with the exception of the balance sheet and profit and loss account recorded on paper, may be transferred to another data carrier and retained, provided that the transfer is made with the correct and complete representation of the data and that these data are available during the entire retention period and can be made legible within a reasonable time. 

Tax Management Practices

We have internal policies or processes to review tax strategies for fairness to ensure that the organization pays its fair share of taxes. 

Membership

There are two types of membership in the think tank: Expert members and Volunteer members. The participation, rights and responsibilities of both are outlined below. There is no fee attached to it. All contributions are done in-kind. 

Expert Members 

1. Think Tank AlterContacts is a collaboration of rare experts that provide advice, generate ideas and explore solutions to specific problems on demand. 

2. Being an AlterContacts Expert Member is an honour and a volunteer commitment. 

3. Among our experts are researchers, entrepreneurs, PhD's, free professionals, TED speakers, world award winners in their own fields, and include those that have graduated from distinguished universities and those certified by forward-thinking institutions such as IDEO, the Institute for the Future, the Singularity University and other more diverse sources of knowledge. 

4. Expert Members have broad T-profiles, capable of applying their expertise across different systems, situations, scenarios, disciplines, industries and markets.

5. Expert Members contribute their time and resources to Think Tank activities. For example, submit an article; host a Think Tank Conversation online; host a webinar for AlterContacts Experts; participate in reporting activities that contribute to SDG; help create partnerships and connections from their network for the think tank.

6. Bi-yearly joint meeting. Twice a year all current expert members are gathered in an online meeting hosted in English. The purpose of the meeting is to update them on all the running initiatives, connect them and get their input on strategy for the following 6 months.

7. Yearly membership renewal. Based on their contribution to the work of the think tank, the membership of experts is reviewed individually and is extended or terminated by verbal or written consent of both parties.  

8. New Expert members join by invitation only. Current expert members can recommend to the Board people that would fit the role. 

9. To be onboarded as experts, they need to have two interviews with two current expert members. If both current experts give a positive evaluation, the Board issues the invitation. 

10. There is no monetary fee to being an Expert Member.

Volunteer Members 

1. The think tank runs nonprofit initiatives with the help of volunteer members.

2. Volunteer members are recruited through the United Nations Volunteers platform, Idealist.org,  and the website of the initiatives directly.

3. Volunteer members join to fulfil a specific role.

4. To join, they need to successfully complete a test-assignment based on their chosen role. 

5. If successful, they receive a Welcome email, Onboarding Guide, and can schedule a one-on-one call with the initiative leader.   

6. Volunteer membership is personal and cannot be delegated.

7. The duration of the volunteer membership is based on the active contribution to the initiatives and the volunteer's personal availability.

8. Based on their contribution to the work of the think tank, the membership of volunteers is reviewed individually and is extended or terminated by verbal or written consent of both parties.  

9. Depending on how active volunteer members are, they can nominate themselves for the Volunteer Members Consultative Committee.

10. There is no monetary fee to being a Volunteer Member.

Training

We provide training to our expert and volunteer members. Co-founders and AlterContacts Experts host training events online and in different locations of the World - workshops, masterclasses, webinars, one-on-one calls and retreats. The topics cover Sustainable Development Goals, initiatives of the Think Tank, youth and education, entrepreneurship and growth, transformation and change, mental resilience and confidence, etc.  

Organization Citizenship Engagement 

Think Tank AlterContacts takes part in civic engagement through financial or in-kind donations (excluding political causes); community or pro-bono service; advocacy for adopting improved social or environmental policies or performance; partnerships with charitable organizations or membership with community organizations; discounted products or services to qualified underserved groups; and free use of organization facilities to host community events.

Values

1. We aim to create a positive lasting impact in a holistic way.


2. As a collective of like-minded individuals, we can reach and inspire more people, help them find meaning and purpose, foster a sense of empathy, self-efficacy and collaboration that is missing in the World.


3. We work together to empower true diversity and change the paradigm from the money-driven, to a world led by heart where people trust each other and feel safe.


4. We believe in the strength of collaboration. Even if the many stories of different people are expressed in different languages, we can bring it together to have a bigger and wider vision of a joint future.


5. We support people in following their dreams. We help them realise the things they may not have thought possible and enable them to widen their resourcefulness both internally and externally.


6. Each of us brings a wealth of personal and professional experience to the group. We collaborate internally to cross-fertilize each others’ experience and capabilities, to learn from each other, and to make this knowledge available to anyone who wants to benefit from it. All to serve a better world. 

Manifesto

“Every person is a chest of treasures. We open them, bring them to light, and let them shine.


There were times when each of us was considered a misfit. 

When we knew more than people around us and we were ostracized for it. 

When we were brave enough to say what we think despite the consequences. 

When we followed our heart and not what the society dictated us to follow. 

When we refused to settle for what others called a “normal” life. 


We have always fearlessly stepped into the unknown. And that is how we found each other.

Everyone of us and those we are looking for has faith in people and the power to accomplish the bravest ideas for the good of humanity.


We dream bigger than big, we dream the future this world truly deserves and we make it happen!”

Sustainability and Contribution to SDGs


To contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals we have analyzed and identified specific SDGs and their underlying targets that are most relevant to our organization. Our analysis included both opportunities to positively contribute to the SDGs and potential risks of our organization hindering their achievement.


We are in the process of aligning our ongoing sustainability reporting metrics to the SDGs. We are planning to set specific improvement goals to help achieve the SDGs. We are regularly conducting internal training across our organization to educate our experts and members about the SDGs and our strategy to contribute to them.


We are developing specific outcome indicators to measure our organization's positive contributions to the SDGs to manage the results, outcomes, effects and impact of our activities. We are planning to define targets for these indicators that are in line with the national development strategy or best practices of the countries where we operate


We lead ongoing work to analyze and develop processes to manage risk that would impact our efforts to deliver the intended results, or would do so less efficiently than planned; to analyze interrelations between the SDGs and developed processes to manage the risk that our efforts to contribute to them could adversely impact others.


Supplier Screening 

By formally screening our suppliers regarding their social and environmental practices, we look at their compliance with all local laws and regulations, including those related to social and environmental performance; good governance, including policies related to ethics and corruption; positive practices beyond what is required by regulations (e.g. environmentally-friendly manufacturing process, excellent labor practices); third-party certifications related to positive social and/or environmental performance.

Human Rights & Labor Standards

We recognize the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (Ruggie Principles). We support the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. 


We plan to put practices in place to review the human rights implications of our organization activities. We aspire to achieve the state where before engaging or starting any initiative, from the ideation or seeding phase and all the way to the execution of projects, deals, partnerships, research or collaboration journeys including volunteers, in-house experts, partners and beneficiaries, we proactively trigger the discussion with all the involved parties, reflecting about and identify the potential risks and opportunities related to fulfilling the principles of Protect, Respect, and Remedy framework.

Non-Discrimination Statement

Our mission is to contribute to better future of humanity, therefore Think Tank AlterContacts does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include, but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, clients, volunteers, subcontractors, vendors, and clients.

Anti-Harassment Policy

Think Tank AlterContacts is committed in all areas to providing a work environment that is free from harassment. Harassment based upon an individual's sex, race, ethnicity, national origin, age, religion or any other legally protected characteristics will not be tolerated. Everyone who is directly involved in our activities -- co-founders, board of directors, experts, advisors, members, volunteers, partners and suppliers -- is expected and required to abide by this policy. No person will be adversely affected in employment or other benefits with AlterContacts as a result of bringing complaints of unlawful harassment.

Prohibition of child labor and forced or compulsory labor

We support the United Nations in its efforts to fight child labor and forced or compulsory labor.

Payment of a Living Wage

In the event there is a paid contract with any of our experts, we have benchmarked our wages, including legal minimum wages in the jurisdiction where we operate, to living wage calculations developed by third parties or calculated on our own. Based on calculations above, all workers including independent contractors are paid at least a living wage calculated for a single individual. Based on calculations above, all workers including independent contractors are paid at least a living wage calculated for a family.

Anti-Corruption

Organization Transparency

Think Tank AlterContacts makes the following information publicly available and transparent: Beneficial ownership of the organization; Membership of the Board of Directors. Information about the Financial performance is available upon request.

Ethics Policies and Practices

Given the size and nature of our organization, to ensure ethical decision-making we conduct one-on-one conversations with all our experts and volunteers. Those conversations will extend to our collaborating partners and eventually involve executing workshops to assure alignments of the different parties.

Instruction on Code of Ethics

Think Tank AlterContacts instructs people involved in our activities on Code of Ethics on behavioral expectations, bribery, and corruption. We instruct the Board of Directors on the Code at least annually. 

Whistleblower Policy

We encourage Board members, expert and volunteer members to report suspected or actual occurrence(s) of illegal, unethical or inappropriate events (behaviors or practices) without retribution.

Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct 

“1. Be inclusive.

We welcome and support people of all backgrounds and identities. This includes, but is not limited to members of any sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, race, ethnicity, culture, national origin, social and economic class, educational level, color, immigration status, sex, age, size, family status, political belief, religion, and mental and physical ability.


2. Be considerate.

We all depend on each other to produce the best work we can as an organization. Your decisions will affect clients and colleagues, and you should take those consequences into account when making decisions.


3. Be respectful.

We won't all agree all the time, but disagreement is no excuse for disrespectful behavior. We will all experience frustration from time to time, but we cannot allow that frustration to become personal attacks. An environment where people feel uncomfortable or threatened is not a productive or creative one.


4. Choose your words carefully.

Always conduct yourself professionally. Be kind to others. Do not insult or put down others. Harassment and exclusionary behavior aren't acceptable. This includes, but is not limited to:


Threats of violence.

Discriminatory jokes and language.

Sharing sexually explicit or violent material via electronic devices or other means.

Personal insults, especially those using racist or sexist terms.

Unwelcome sexual attention.

Advocating for, or encouraging, any of the above behavior.


5. Don't harass.

In general, if someone asks you to stop something, then stop. When we disagree, try to understand why. Differences of opinion and disagreements are mostly unavoidable. What is important is that we resolve disagreements and differing views constructively.


6. Make differences into strengths.

We can find strength in diversity. Different people have different perspectives on issues, and that can be valuable for solving problems or generating new ideas. Being unable to understand why someone holds a viewpoint doesn’t mean that they’re wrong. Don’t forget that we all make mistakes, and blaming each other doesn’t get us anywhere. Instead, focus on resolving issues and learning from mistakes.”

Environment

Think Tank AlterContacts is committed to making continuous improvements by reducing the environmental impact of our activities. Our dedication goes beyond compliance with the law and encompasses the integration of sound environmental practices into our day-to-day decisions. We follow best practices to assure it in our initiatives, and when partners are involved:


Monitoring Greenhouse Gas Emissions

We strive to achieve carbon neutrality. We regularly monitor and record emissions and have set specific science-based targets necessary to achieve global goals to address climate change.


To assure carbon neutrality, we introduced the following actions:


1) The organization doesn’t own a car. For transportation we use car-sharing services with a preference towards electric cars.

2) For organization travel we use trains vs. planes as much as possible.

3) Local events are hosted by the local experts instead of bringing in an expert from abroad.

4) Meetings with the experts from four continents are hosted online instead of traveling to the same location.

5) Our computer resources are cloud-based to avoid the impact of data centers. We also avoid running external storage devices that may require additional power sources.

Monitoring and Managing Water Use

We regularly monitor and record water usage and have set science-based targets necessary to achieve sustainable usage linked to our local watershed.


To save water and other resources, our Think Tank does not have an office. The co-founders and the experts conduct all their operations related to the Think Tank from home to avoid creating an additional strain on water usage.

Environmentally Friendly Technologies

Think Tank AlterContacts encourages the development and use of environmentally friendly technologies. We have water efficient technologies and equipment. We have energy efficient technologies and equipment. We have worked with our landlord to adopt environmentally efficient technology. We have a preference for suppliers who use resource-efficient materials and/or technologies in our supply chain.

We plan to put processes in place to regularly evaluate products, processes and technologies to identify more environmentally friendly alternatives (e.g. by using life cycle assessments (LCA), circular economy principles, design for sustainability or a cradle-to-cradle approach).


Signed on 5 April, 2019

By Co-founders:

Massimo Mercuri & Julia Skupchenko