Annual
Review
2024

Creating impact through our people and partnerships
ERM Foundation Annual Review 2024		 Creating impact through our people and partnerships		

1

Contents
CEO Foreword 

3About the ERM Foundation

4

Project locations5

Our impact

6

Community volunteering7

Pro bono support

11Grant funding

16

Future Fund program

24

Looking ahead

30

This annual review covers fiscal year 2024 (FY24) from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.
We report financial data in United States dollars, unless otherwise noted.
ERM Foundation Annual Review 2024		 Creating impact through our people and partnerships		Credit: Photoserve2CEO Foreword
I am delighted to share with you the ERM Foundation
Annual Review 2024, which provides a wonderful summaryof the impact our people have had across a range of fantastic
organizations and causes at the intersection of climatechange, nature and social sustainability.

Tom Reichert
ERM Group CEO

The Foundation is an integral part of whatmakes ERM such a special place. We arelucky enough to have a global team ofpassionate people who are dedicated tomaking a difference on some of the mostdifficult sustainability challenges facing
society. As well as achieving this throughour work with clients, the Foundation also
provides a way for our people to support
causes and organizations through pro
bono support, community volunteeringand grant funding.
It has been an exceptional year for theFoundation, as we have significantly
exceeded many of our targets, including
providing access to low carbon products,
services and initiatives to over 18,000
people and providing environmental
education to nearly 12,000 people. As
you will see from the many stories andexamples in this report, the Foundationis really going above and beyond
expectations, thanks to the commitment
and dedication of our people and ourpartner organizations.

To all of our people who have participatedin Foundation activities over the lastyear – whether that has been throughtaking part in grant funding, technical pro
bono support or volunteering – I want tothank you for the impact you have had. I
know from speaking to many of you how
personally enriching these opportunitiesare. For those colleagues who have yet toexperience working with the Foundation,
get involved!
And to the organizations that we haveworked with across the globe, I would
like to thank you for your continued
partnership and commitment to making a
positive difference to today’s sustainability
challenges. At ERM, one of our core beliefs
is that “together we challenge.” I am
honored that we are able to work together
to make a positive impact on communities
around the world, creating a legacy thatwill last long into the future.

ERM Foundation Annual Review 2024		 Creating impact through our people and partnerships		

“The impact of the Foundation isa source of great pride to myself
and everyone at ERM and it is mypleasure to serve as Foundation
Chair. This review captures theimportant contributions madeby our employees, working in
partnership with inspiringorganizations across the world.
Thank you for your passion,
expertise and commitment!”

Sabine Hoefnagel
ERM, Global Leader of Sustainability and Risk,
United Kingdom

3About the ERM Foundation
For nearly 30 years, the ERM
Foundation has worked inpartnership with nonprofit
organizations and social enterprises
to support the creation of a moresustainable and equitable world,
delivering meaningful and lasting
impact aligned to the United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals.

Protecting
and restoring
biodiversity

PRO BONO
SUPPORT

Our focus lies at the intersection of biodiversity protection,
climate action, investing in women’s livelihoods andimproving access to clean water and sanitation.
The work of the Foundation is funded by ERM withadditional money generated by employee donations andfundraising. We distribute funding across the world,
focusing on projects and initiatives within communities
or across regions where our support is most needed.

Improving accessto low carbon
products and services

GRANT
FUNDINGCOMMUNITY
VOLUNTEERING

Improving accessto clean waterand sanitation

Investing in women’s
livelihoods in thegreen economy

The driving force for the Foundation remains thepassion of our employees, who commit their time andprofessional expertise through technical reviews, pro
bono work, volunteering and fundraising.

Contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

ERM Foundation Annual Review 2024		 Creating impact through our people and partnerships		

4

Project locations
This map highlights
a selection of the 49
organizations, across
29 countries that wehave supported in FY24
through a combinationof grant funding, pro
bono support andvolunteering.

The Food Project
Educating people in urban gardening tocreate a sustainable food system.
Boston, USA
www.thefoodproject.org

NICOLE Foundation
Conducting environmental assessments ofcontaminated land in the Kakhovka Reservoir Ukraine.
Kakhovka, Ukraine
www.nicolefound.org

Chikyu-Ryokuka-Club
Aiding in the restoration of Miyake Island
through tree planting and protection.
Miyake Island, Japan
www.ryokukaclub.com

Sea Turtles Forever
Providing data management and analysis toassist in anti-poaching measures.
Punta Pargos, Costa Rica
www.seaturtlesforever.org

Surge for Water
Installing a well to benefit 700+ community
members in Uganda.
Kaberamaido & Kalaki, Uganda
www.surgeforwater.org

Palesa Pads
Installing solar panels to keep their factoryrunning during load shedding.
Gauteng, South Africa
www.palesapads.com

Key
Investing in women’s livelihoodsin the green economy
Improving access to clean waterand sanitation
Protecting and restoring
biodiversity
Improving access to low
carbon products and services

2024		 Creating impact through our people and partnerships		
ERM Foundation Annual Review 2024

5

Our impact
Each year, the Foundation
sets targets to measure
the impact of our work.
The summary of performance against our
FY24 targets highlights the significant
contribution the Foundation has made,in particular within the key areas ofaccess to low carbon products andservices and environmental educationand training.
The Foundation’s new metrics for FY25
are set out on page 30.

Target

FY24 Results

3,000

11,706TARGET
EXCEEDE D

7,000

18,484TARGET
EXCEEDE D

1,000

2,766

TARGET
EXCEEDE D

10,00013,160TARGET
EXCEEDE D

10,0009,895

TARGETPARTIALLY
MET

people provided with environmental
education and/or training

people with improved access to low
carbon products, services and initiatives

StatusSupported SDGs

livelihoods supported in thegreen economy, particularly indeveloping economies$643,547

disbursed through grantfunding, employee donations andprofessional pro bono support.

people with improved access to cleanwater and sanitation, including
menstrual health and hygiene education

hectares planted, restored,
reforested or protected2024		 Creating impact through our people and partnerships		
ERM Foundation Annual Review 2024

Target 99% achieved

6Community
volunteering

Credit: ERM

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERING

Every year, employees from acrossthe 42 countries in which ERM
operates, participate in community
volunteering.
In FY24, employees yet again donated their time tosupport local initiatives aligned to the ERM Foundation
focus areas. Initiatives included tree planting, habitat
restoration, coastal cleanups and plogging, which
combines jogging with picking up litter. Thanks to all
our employees who volunteered on behalf of the ERM
Foundation throughout the year.

Credit: ERM
ERM employees in the United States planted 110 trees in support of a publicgreen space restoration project.

“It was a great
opportunity tocelebrate Earth Day,
make a positive
impact and enjoy time
together as a team.”
Tavita Lio
Consultant, ERM, United States
Credit: ERM

Credit: ERM

Mexico City Reforestation Day
ERM employees from Mexico City took part ina volunteer day in Xochimilco to support withreforestation and habitat protection for endangered
axolotls. While there, they learned about the biological,
social and cultural importance of axolotls and theconservation strategies being used to protect them.
The team also helped to plant ahuejotes, which aretrees used to help strengthen the banks of the lake.

ERM employees in Shanghai regularly enjoy plogging on their lunch breaks.

ERM Foundation Annual Review 2024		 Creating impact through our people and partnerships		

8

COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERING

Credit: ERM
ERM employees in Singapore took part in a coastal cleanup.

Credit: ERM

Chikyu-Ryokuka-Club
www.ryokukaclub.com

Chikyu Ryokuka Club is working towards the restoration of Miyake’s forest, which
was damaged after a volcanic eruption in 2000. ERM employees from across Japan
went to Miyake Island to provide maintenance on trees planted by ERM in 2022.
While there, they also collected more than 2,000 liters of plastic beach waste.

ERM Foundation Annual Review 2024		 Creating impact through our people and partnerships		

“It was so rewarding for us, including
our family members, to take part in theInternational Coastal Cleanup Day at
Changi Beach. We collected a total of 92
kilograms of trash and even got a chance toappreciate our local intertidal biodiversity!”
Ester Lee
Consultant, ERM, Singapore
9COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERING“For three decades, the ERM
Foundation has brought
together impact-focused
employee volunteers andpurpose-driven partnerorganizations to makesustainable, life altering change
in our local communities andaround the world.”
ERM Foundation US Board of Directors

Credit: ERM

With the help of ERM employees,
we supported the planting of

35,830trees and saplings across 13 countries

IndigiGrow

www.indigigrow.com.au
IndigiGrow is a social enterprise that sustains people, land and culture through propagating and growing nativeplants. ERM employees in Australia held a community day to aid the restoration of biodiversity through theplanting of 450 Lemon Myrtles, an Australian native plant that has been used by Indigenous Australians, both
medicinally and in food, for 40,000 years.

ERM Foundation Annual Review 2024		 Creating impact through our people and partnerships		

10Pro bono
supportCredit: Zac Mills/SOSPRO BONO SUPPORT

Accessing professional
expertise is critical to thework of nonprofits andsocial enterprises.
The Foundation’s program of pro bonowork offers our employees the uniqueand rewarding opportunity to utilize
their technical skills and knowledge
to support inspiring projects in often
challenging conditions.
Pro bono work not only contributes
to making a tangible contribution tocommunities, it also supports training
and skills development in partnerorganizations and the longer-term
benefits that this generates.

“What makes the ERM
Foundation so unique is that
we are able to combine grantfunding with employees’ timeand relevant skills to makea measurable difference tosociety and the environment.”
ERM Foundation UK Board of Trustees

Solar Village Project

www.solarvillageproject.org/
Solar Village Project (SVP) works with India’s mostvulnerable populations to alleviate energy poverty.
Through pro bono support, ERM experts worked with
SVP to develop a new governance framework, key
performance indicators and a robust reporting process.
In addition, our grant funded access to reliable solar
power for 250 students across five rural schools in
India. This combined work helped SVP to increase
operational efficiency; measure, quantify and effectively
communicate project impacts; increase student
attendance rates; and reduce carbon emissions.

“The support and expertise provided
by the ERM Foundation has been
pivotal in advancing our projects.
Their dedication, knowledge andwillingness to engage deeply with
our projects have added significant
value, making them indispensable
partners in our journey.”
Joe Kselman
Solar Village Project

250

students with accessto reliable solar power

ERM Foundation Annual Review 2024		 Creating impact through our people and partnerships		Credit: Solar Village Project12

PRO BONO SUPPORT

ArgenINTA

www.argeninta.org.ar
The ERM Foundation has been proudly supporting ArgenINTA since 2019. This year, ERM employees
in Argentina provided technical expertise to optimize the efficiency of the solar pumping systems
and support groundwater data management to identify potential new areas for a water supply. An
ERM Foundation grant helped with the improvement of the water distribution network and theinstallation of solar pumping systems in two remote communities in Northern Argentina, helping toprovide reliable, clean water for 30 families.

150

Credit: World Salmon Council

World Salmon Council
www.worldsalmoncouncil.org

people with improved accessto clean, reliable waterWorld Salmon Council (WSC) provides student education andcommunity engagement on the environmental importance of wild
salmon conservation in watershed management, to connect students andadults with nature. The ERM Foundation has partnered with WSC since2017, funding field-learning experiences on the importance of salmon inecosystem health for middle and high school students from underserved
populations. In addition, a dedicated team of 10 ERM employees shared
their expertise throughout the school year to teach field activities that
improve understanding of biodiversity and ecosystems and provide
mentorship and career role-modeling for students.

“It is very rewarding seeing kids’ faces lightup when they get out in nature for possibly
the first time.”
Justin Dauphinais
Consultant, ERM, United States

Credit: ArgenINTAERM Foundation Annual Review 2024		 Creating impact through our people and partnerships		

1,560

students with improved
understanding of
biodiversity and watersheds

13

PRO BONO SUPPORT

Credit: Agua Clara

Agua Clara

www.aguaclara-por-bacalar.org

Credit: ADSEIADSEIAgua Clara is committed to implementing actions that respect theenvironment and protect the Bacalar Lagoon in Quintana Roo, Mexico.
Grant funding and pro bono expertise are strengthening water quality
monitoring systems along the 60 kilometer length of the lagoon
and generating a robust database to enhance understanding of theenvironmental impacts on the sensitive ecosystem. To effectively
communicate this information to key stakeholders and the public,an ERM team created a digital dashboard visualization tool andreporting platform.

www.adseicolombia.com
ADSEI works to promote industrial ecology and the sustainability ofColombian community development projects. The ERM Foundation
is supporting a sustainable economic development initiative tocreate resilient livelihood alternatives for two ecotourism-dependentcommunities impacted by the global pandemic and increasing climatechange-related events. A team of ERM experts in Colombia is conducting
a socio-environmental study of the region, working with community
residents and project stakeholders to identify and assess the feasibility ofpotential conservation projects and their associated livelihoods. The goal
is to improve communities´ livelihoods by identifying synergies withecotourism-related activities.
ERM Foundation Annual Review 2024		 Creating impact through our people and partnerships		

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community
members involved

20
people trained in taking
and testing of water17
parameters
analyzed in water

14

Lemur Conservation Foundation

PRO BONO SUPPORT

www.lemurreserve.org

The ERM Foundation provided professional pro bono time to support The Lemur
Conservation Foundation (LCF) establish a research project site to better understandthe occupancy of the critically endangered Silky Sifaka Lemur. ERM employee PatrickRoss, who had previously led similar projects across Madagascar, provided technicalexpertise to lead a collaborative effort in Northeastern Madagascar to install 74 motion
activated cameras in both canopy and terrestrial locations spread across 850 hectaresof protected rainforest. Alongside this, LCF and ERM conducted multiple training
sessions with students, guides, and professional climbers in order to build local
capacity for many other conservation research projects.

Credit: Patrick Ross
Silky Sifaka lemur. Global population is estimated at 200 – 2,000 individuals.

74

cameras installed850

hectares of rainforest
monitored“This project helped tomake my dream come trueof continuing endangered
species research. This was
the sixth time that I’ve beenable to lead this type ofwork, and it was a real treat
to do it in collaboration
with the ERM Foundation.”
Patrick Ross
Consultant, ERM, United States“Thanks to Patrick andthe LCF team’s efforts,
invaluable data on Silky
Sifaka Lemur populationand habitat usage will drive
real-world conservation
efforts to ensure these
iconic creatures have afighting chance at surivalfor generations to come.”
Dr. Erik Patel
Conservation and Research Director,
The Lemur Conservation Foundation

3

Reports published
ERM Foundation Annual Review 2024		 Creating impact through our people and partnerships		

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Grantfunding

Credit: Thousand Year TrustGRANT FUNDING

Drink Local Drink Tap
www.drinklocaldrinktap.org

One of the main
mechanisms by which
the ERM Foundation
supports organizations
is through the grantfunding program.

The ERM Foundation has been partnering with Drink
Local Drink Tap (DLDT) since 2019 in its mission
to improve global water equity awareness througheducation and clean water and sanitation projects.
This past year, Foundation funding helped to constructgender-specific bathroom blocks and wash stations
at two Ugandan primary schools, benefitting 1,050
students and teachers. In addition, an ERM team in
the United States actively supports DLDT with local
awareness and fundraising initiatives and leadershipadvisory guidance.

ERM employees identify nonprofits andsocial enterprises and work with theseorganizations to collaborate on initiatives
and programs that the Foundation can
support with funding.

“Increased privacy and safety
at school improves dignity andcontributes to student health andsafety, self-esteem and fosters a
conducive environment
for education.”

Grant funds are provided for both one-off
initiatives and for programs that run for
multiple years, maximizing the impact tocommunities and habitats.

Erin Huber
Executive Director, Drink Local Drink Tap$270,216
in grants distributed to
39 organizations

ERM Foundation Annual Review 2024		 Creating impact through our people and partnerships		

1,050

Credit: Drink Local Drink Tap

students and teachers withimproved sanitation facilities

17

GRANT FUNDING

The Litterboom Project

Sumatran Orangutan Society

www.thelitterboomproject.com

www.orangutans-sos.org

The Litterboom Project is a new initiative in South
Africa that aims to prevent plastic pollution in theoceans by tackling the problem earlier in the river
systems. This year, we helped The Litterboom Projectto identify “waste-prenuers”: individuals who will be
key players in diverting plastics into sellable products.
By supporting waste-prenuers, there is a direct
incentive for households to not discard plastic due toits inherent value as a raw material for locally madeproducts. With the ERM Foundation’s support, twowaste-prenuers have been trained and three prototype
products have been made.

This year, the Foundation continued our partnershipwith the Sumatran Orangutan Society, which we havebeen working with for four years. The latest funding has
been directed to support a feasibility study to assess thepotential to retrofit smallholder oil palm plantations tointegrate nature and generate more sustainable incomesfor smallholder farmers.

1

feasibility
assessment
completed“Without education, and therefore
without the support of youth, wecannot begin to inform the next
generation of what they can do toleave the planet better than we, as
the user generation, have done.”
Cameron Service
CEO, The Litterboom Project

Credit: The Litterboom Project

ERM Foundation Annual Review 2024		 Creating impact through our people and partnerships		2

waste-prenuers trained

Credit: Zac Mills/SOS

18

GRANT FUNDING

Thousand Year Trust

www.thousandyeartrust.org
The Thousand Year Trust’s mission is to catalyze thetripling of rainforests growing in the United Kingdom
over the next 30 years to one million acres. In orderto successfully carry out rainforest restoration across
12,000 acres in this area, the Thousand Year Trust ispartnering with over 30 farmers and landowners andsubmitting a bid to the UK government. With funding
from the ERM Foundation, a landscape scale recovery
program will bring together third parties to create thebid and develop full interactive, explanatory mappingand geospatial materials for the ecosystem restoration.

Credit: Projet Primates

Projet Primateswww.projetprimates.com“Funding to deliver this project isa key challenge for the charity. The
ERM Foundation support will enable
this project to proceed and for thedelivery phase to be initiated.”

Grant funding from the ERM Foundation has contributed
to the restoration of 2,000 trees in degraded areas ofGuinea. The funding has also enabled 130 children
to receive environmental education as part of Projet
Primate’s project to save Haut Niger National Park
through partnerships with local communities to increaseawareness and engagement around environmental issues.

2,000
trees restored

Merlin Hanbury-Tenison
Thousand Year Trust130

children involvedin environmental
education

ERM Foundation Annual Review 2024		 Creating impact through our people and partnerships		Credit: Thousand Year Trust

1,282
hectares restored

19

GRANT FUNDING

Credit: Swadhina

Swadhina

Credit: Project Zawadi

www.swadhina.org.in
Swadhina works in remote villages in the states of
Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal to improve the lives
and living conditions of women and children. This year,
the ERM Foundation helped to fund Swadhina’s “Futurefor Us” project, which aims to build awareness and action
among children and young adults on environmental
protection. With ERM’s support, Swadhina created five
ecology clubs, each comprising 40 members, with theaim of involving young people between the ages of 13 and25 in actions and activities relating to the protection of
ecology and their local environment. Due to these clubs,
action-based initiatives like tree planting and villagecleaning drives have taken place in local villages.

“The funds and the support provided
by the ERM Foundation and ERM
employees help us reach out to thewomen and children of remotevillages with the messages of health,education and sustainable livelihood.
We are giving them a vision of abrighter, cleaner and greener future.
Thank you, ERM Foundation!”
The Swadhina team

1,850
ERM Foundation Annual Review 2024		 Creating impact through our people and partnerships		

trees
planted

Project Zawadi

www.projectzawadi.org
Project Zawadi works to ensure Tanzanian children
have access to quality education. The ERM Foundation
supported Project Zawadi’s Model Farm project thisyear. The Model Farm program provides Conservation
Agriculture education to students across four schools
in the local village. With ERM Foundation funding,the program increased the number of students fed anutritious meal and improved the soil biodiversity inthe school farm utilizing vetiver technology. In addition,
this funding enabled Project Zawadi to recruit 40 new
community farmers into their education program.

79

hectaresrestored20

GRANT FUNDING

Credit: Rios Tarango
Credit: Tēnaka 2024

Rios Tarango

www.rios-tarango.org

Tēnakawww.tenaka.org
Tēnaka builds regenerative programs to restore
marine ecosystems across Asia. With funding fromthe ERM Foundation, Tēnaka was able to expand
beyond Southeast Asia and the Indian Ocean to open
a new site in New Caledonia. This site is home to thesecond largest barrier reef in the world. While there,
Tēnaka planted 2,600 new mangroves to help restore
local biodiversity.

Rios Tarango is building an artificial wetland to aid thesanitation of the Puerta Grande river. This wetland cleans
the water, captures carbon dioxide and generates sufficientbiomass to be used as compost. The ERM Foundation
has assisted Rios Tarango with ongoing technical advice
for the rehabilitation and design of the wetland. ERM
employees in Mexico have trained staff from Rios Tarango
on how to operate the portable water laboratory so they
can monitor water quality independently. Grant funding
meant Rios Tarango was able to generate a water baseline
for the wetland and corresponding reservoir.

2,600

mangrove trees planted

ERM Foundation Annual Review 2024		 Creating impact through our people and partnerships		“Collaborating with ERM experts
through the ERM Foundation will
enrich our water monitoring strategy
and will help us to understand theresults obtained in order to evaluate
the performance of each project andimprove them.”
Rios Tarango Team1

water baseline
assessment completed

21

GRANT FUNDING

Rocking the Boatwww.rockingtheboat.org
The ERM Foundation strengthened ourlong-term partnership with Rocking theBoat (RTB) this year, funding an air qualityand data analysis educational project
engaging 48 Bronx teens and impacting thehealth of the Bronx River in New York City.

“Every individual isproud of what they do andempowered in their roles at
RTB, and I always walk awayfrom any discussion feelinglucky to be involved withthis organization throughAnno’s Arts
the ERM Foundation.”

Credit: Anno’s Arts

www.annosarts.org

Rayna Stern
Associate Partner, ERM, United States

48

young people engaged inenvironmental education

Credit: Joaquin Cotton, Rocking the BoatERM Foundation Annual Review 2024		 Creating impact through our people and partnerships		

The mission of Anno’s Arts is to improve the wellbeing and educationof children and young adults in Kenya through the arts and academia.
With an ERM Foundation grant, Anno’s Arts was able to install a
10,000 litre water tank that makes clean water directly accessible tothe children who use the centre. As a result, children were given accessto clean, safe water and educated on how to ensure water is safe forcooking, cleaning and drinking.

50

children with improved
access to drinking water
22

GRANT FUNDING

Africa Development Promisewww.africadevelopmentpromise.org

The ERM Foundation has supported Africa Development Promise (ADP)
since 2014 as a founding funder and has supported its sewing andbusiness management program since 2022. This year, funding fromthe ERM Foundation enabled 20 women to participate in five-monthprograms in certified tailoring and micro business development basedon the award-winning Street Business School curriculum.
The story of Catherine Nyubunnya, a 21-year-old resident ofNdazabazadde, a village in the Wakiso District of Uganda, exemplifies
the impact created.
When Catherine was in her senior year of secondary school, she took an
introductory sewing class and was encouraged by her teacher to pursue
advanced training in tailoring.
However, sewing programs at vocational institutions were too expensive
so Catherine worked as a store clerk at a tailoring business where she
paid close attention and picked up many skills. She then learned of thecertified tailoring program with ADP.
Over the next five months, Catherine learned pattern design andgarment construction of dresses, bags, shorts and shirts, and she soon
began getting requests from neighbors, who loved the outfits she madefor herself. She is now saving to purchase her own sewing machine.
Catherine is enrolled in ADP’s micro-business development program
to enhance her business and financial skills. She is planning to open atailoring business.

Credit: Amanda Kaywaisolya“Our partnership with the ERM
Foundation has been characterized
by a highly positive and supportive
relationship that extends beyond
financial contributions.”
Monica LaBiche Brown,
Founder & Executive Director,
Africa Development Promise

ERM Foundation Annual Review 2024		 Creating impact through our people and partnerships		Sewing and business
management program

20
10

women supported

month program duration

23

Future Fund
programCredit: SolarAid/Haley Withers

FUTURE FUND

About the Future FundAt the start of the fiscal year,
ERM launched the Future Fund
program, which has been madepossible thanks to the generous
donations of ERM shareholders.
This program is the first of its kind for the Foundation,
enabling us to accelerate and scale progress towards
the SDGs by investing in longer-term partnerships
with organizations whose programs sit at theintersection of biodiversity protection, climate action
and sustainable livelihoods.

ERM Foundation Future Fund

ClimateactionSustainable
livelihoods

Biodiversity
protection

Our partners:

The Future Fund supports one project per ERM region,
each with a dedicated project team to support theinitiative. These projects were chosen with the help of
ERM employees globally.
The next pages provide more information about eachorganization and its achievements during the first yearof the program.

Contributing to the following SDGs:$200,000
disbursed in year one of athree-year program

ERM Foundation Annual Review 2024		 Creating impact through our people and partnerships		

25

“The 1,320 individuals whomake up the Mayi Walas
groups have blossomed
into accomplishedentrepreneurs, all thanks tothe empowering initiativesof the ERM Foundation.”

FUTURE FUND

SolarAid

EUROPE, THE MIDDLE
EAST AND AFRICA

www.solar-aid.org
Millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa rely on expensive, toxic
and dangerous lighting sources, such as candles and kerosene lamps.
SolarAid’s mission is to light up every home, school and clinic in
Africa by 2030 using clean, safe solar power. It does so by innovative
programs to reach the poorest communities with clean, safe light andby supporting entrepreneurs to run their own solar businesses which
accelerates access to clean energy.

SolarAid

Year one figures

The ERM Foundation is supporting SolarAid’s Mayi Walas (women solar
entrepreneurs) program in rural Malawi, to help establish and support
60 new groups over the next three years. These women will be upskilled
and provided with the resources needed to start and maintain successful
solar energy businesses, helping to accelerate clean energy access. ERM
employees are assisting SolarAid with project management and haveraised awareness of this project throughout the ERM region.

60

Mayi Wala groups havereceived initial training

3,281

During its first year as part of the Future Fund program, SolarAid has
recruited, trained and provided loans to 60 Mayi Walas groups. In thenext phase of the Future Fund, SolarAid plans to further leverage this
support by providing ongoing training and helping the women become
members of FEBCO (a savings and credit cooperative established bySolarAid) to access larger loans and long-term business support. By theend of year three, SolarAid will have supported 1,320 women to become
self-sufficient entrepreneurs and provided up to 70,000 people withaccess to clean, safe and affordable solar light.

Solar lamps sold

2,852

Children can now study
after dark

16,720Credit: SolarAid/Chris Gagnon

ERM Foundation Annual Review 2024		 Creating impact through our people and partnerships		People now have access to clean,safe and affordable lighting
26

FUTURE FUND

The Ocean Foundation

LATIN AMERICA& CARIBBEAN

www.oceanfdn.org

Increasing greenhouse gas emissions threaten coastal and marine
ecosystems through changes in the ocean temperature and melting
ice caps. Coastal ecosystems require a holistic protection strategy thatconsiders each habitat type, the species reliant on the ecosystems
and the human-induced stressors on the environment. The Ocean
Foundation’s (TOF’s) mission is to support, strengthen, and promoteorganizations dedicated to reversing the trend of destruction of ocean
environments around the world. It focuses its expertise on emerging
threats to generate cutting-edge solutions.
The ERM Foundation is supporting a project centered on community-led
capacity building to ensure the protection and restoration of 400 acresof mangroves in the Xcalak Reefs National Park in Mexico, which forms
part of the second largest coral reef in the world. TOF’s goal is to expand
mangrove wetlands by restoring patterns of water flow to promote
rapid colonization of mangroves and native plants. ERM employees areproviding TOF with project management and local project coordination,
including permitting support and wetland expertise.

Credit: The Ocean Foundation

The Ocean Foundation

Year one figures50+

During the first year of the project, TOF completed a feasibility assessment
and restoration plan. The organization presented the findings on its
blue carbon* baseline assessment to the local community and provided
community-wide training in restoration and monitoring techniques.
During the next phase, TOF plans to complete large-scale hydrologicalrestoration activities, such as channel dredging, vegetation removal,
culvert cleaning, and create seedling and sapling dispersion centers.
*Blue carbon: The carbon captured by the world’s marine systems“This project engages Xcalakcommunity members as
citizen scientists in naturebased solutions while
diversifying their livelihood
options. With the help of
the ERM Foundation, we
have trained residents andformed brigades, madeup of mostly women, formangrove restoration.”

Community members trainedin mangrove restoration

Credit: The Ocean Foundation
This project is a partnership of The Ocean Foundation with Xcalak Reefs National
Park (CONANP), CINVESTAV, ENES-UNAM, PMC (Programa Mexicano de
Carbono) and FMO (Fundación Mexicana para el Océano) and habitat restoration
experts at Xcalak Reefs National Park.

ERM Foundation Annual Review 2024		 Creating impact through our people and partnerships		3
1Community workshops heldBlue carbon baseline
assessment completed
27

“ERM experts areresearching and offering
advice to questions facing
Ocean Wise that will help
us address the ongoingsustainability of theseaforestation program.”

FUTURE FUND

Ocean Wise Conservation AssociationNORTH
AMERICAwww.ocean.org

Ocean Wise’s mission is to empower communities and individuals totake action to protect and restore our world’s oceans. The ERM
Foundation is supporting Ocean Wise’s seaforestation project, which
provides nature-based solutions to climate change and biodiversity loss.
In 2023-24, Ocean Wise worked on a kelp planting project with
Tsleil-Waututh Nation, in its traditional waters of Burrard Inlet, Canada.
Informed by this work, Ocean Wise researches and develops costeffective and scalable kelp regeneration techniques to support ecosystem
restoration efforts with Indigenous Peoples and coastal communities
around the world. By combining scientific and Indigenous knowledge toengage communities in project design and in-water activities, Ocean Wiseand its First Nations partners will identify restoration sites, monitor thehealth of plantings, and plan and implement appropriate solutions.

Ocean Wise

Year one figures

16

An ERM team of subject matter experts is providing Ocean Wise withexpertise, guidance and research on scientific technical questions thatwill help address the ongoing sustainability of the program as well as
identify sustainable revenue streams for seaforestation.
During the first year of the program, Ocean Wise established theviability of two pilot test sites, planted the first generation of kelp at two
restoration sites and developed a fully functioning kelp nursery. Ocean
Wise will continue to trial, monitor and evaluate planting and seeding
techniques for successful kelp regeneration to bolster ecosystems andbenefit local communities.

Community members
engaged and involved
Credit: Tsleil-Waututh Nation2

Kelp restoration
methods tested

1Credit: Tsleil-Waututh Nation

ERM Foundation Annual Review 2024		 Creating impact through our people and partnerships		

Fully functioning kelp
nursery established28

FUTURE FUND

Center for Rural Development in Central Vietnam

ASIA–PACIFIC

www.crdvietnam.org

The Center for Rural Development in Central Vietnam (CRD) is a nonprofit organization
whose goal is to build capacity and develop sustainable livelihoods associated withnatural resource conservation. CRD does this through research, training, technologicaltransfer and advocating for sustainable rural development policies.
The ERM Foundation is supporting CRD with the conservation of medicinal plants
and the improvement of livelihoods for ethnic minorities in the mountainous areas of
A Luoi district in Vietnam. The district has a large area of natural forest containing
at least 27 rare and valuable medicinal plants that are on the verge of extinction. The
decline in medicinal resources has had an impact on community health, biodiversity,
indigenous knowledge and people’s livelihoods. The ERM Foundation is working with
CRD to address the root causes behind the decline of plant resources. The project aims
at protecting and restoring the biodiversity of the forest through education on forest
management. With the focus on upskilling the local communities, with a specific focus
on women, this project aims to provide greater economic independence to address
gender stereotypes in ethnic minority communities.
During the first year of the project, CRD is involving five forest management
communities that will actively contribute to the management and conservation ofnatural medicinal plant resources. This will lead to up to 400 people being upskilledin biodiversity conservation, sustainable development and business development.
Throughout the remainder of the project, CRD aims to increase the number of local
communities involved, leading to 5,000 hectares of natural forest being better managed
and protected by the community.

Credit: CRD“The ERM Foundation’s aid is critical to the local
community, contributing significantly not only toincreased livelihoods for indigenous people but also to thearea’s biodiversity restoration and preservation.”
Lan Anh
CRD

Year one figures

1,500
People with increased
awareness of
biodiversity
conservation andclimate change

ERM Foundation Annual Review 2024		 Creating impact through our people and partnerships		Credit: CRD

1,800

10,000People actively engaged
in forest management
and the conservationof medicinal plantresources

Medicinal plants
planted29

Looking ahead
For the year ahead, we have set three ambitious targets
aligned to the ERM Foundation focus areas.

Our FY25 Targets

10,000 10,000 10,000
people engaged throughlow carbon initiatives

hectares of habitats
protected or restored

livelihoods improved

As the ERM Foundation nears its’ 30th anniversary, we arereflecting on the ever-increasing challenges faced in protecting
both our planet and its people. Over the next year, we will
be engaging with stakeholders to review and evolve our
focus and priorities which will define the future delivery of
our work. Support is provided for both established and pilot
projects, where we can best leverage our technical expertise incombination with grant funding.

ERM Foundation Annual Review 2024		 Creating impact through our people and partnerships		Credit: Thousand Year Trust

30

The ERM Foundation
The ERM Foundation is a registered charity in the United Kingdom (1113415).
The ERM Group Foundation, Inc. is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizationin the United States (tax I.D. 23-2792333).
ERM Foundation Limited is a registered charity in Australia (113 079 708).
ERM Foundation Central Europe e.V is a registered charity in Germany(registration no: VR 5299).

Front cover image credit: ERM