RSB Membership Guide Contents I. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................... 3 II. How RSB Works ......................................................................................................................................... 4 II. Why Become an RSB Member? ................................................................................................................ 5 III. How to Join?............................................................................................................................................. 6 IV. Application Form for RSB Membership ................................................................................................... 8 V. Cover Letter Template ............................................................................................................................ 10 © 2015, Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) 2 I. Introduction RSB could not exist without its members. Over 100 diverse organizations have come together to create the RSB. What was a vision to ensure biofuel sustainability has grown into a global sustainability certification for all biomaterials. Today, members promote RSB’s sustainability certification, and approve revisions to the standard and certification system as technology, the environment and society are constantly changing. This document provides an introduction to the benefits and rights of RSB membership as well as how to apply. As a member of RSB since the beginning in 2007, I can attest to the value that your RSB membership will bring you personally and to your organization or business. RSB membership is a commitment, not just financially, but emotionally and mentally as well. When you participate in the member teleconference calls or meetings held around the world, you realize you are part of something very important - a movement of diverse people all working towards the same vision that biomaterials are produced sustainable, that smallholders have a chance, and that we leave our world a better place for future generations. I hope you join me and become a part of our impactful movement! Barbara Bramble Board Chair of the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials © 2015, Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) 3 II. How RSB Works RSB is owned and run by its members. They come together at least once a year at the General Assembly of Delegates to approve changes to the standards, appoint the Board of Directors, review the accounts and make any adjustments to the rules and legal status of the organisation. To ensure a balance between business and civil society interests the RSB members are organised into seven chambers which represent different sectors. Chambers elect delegates to represent their views at meetings of the General Assembly of Delegates. Each Chamber also nominates one of its members to the Board of Directors. The Board sets strategy and oversees the management of the Secretariat which runs the day-to-day business of the organisation. A full list of current Delegates and Directors is available on the RSB website: www.rsb.org © 2015, Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) 4 II. Why Become an RSB Member? As an RSB member, you are part of a worldwide movement of NGOs, government, businesses, academia and UN organisations that make sustainability a priority. You can help lead the way to ensure the sustainable production of biofuels and biomaterials that promote food security, rural development and reduction in greenhouse gases while protecting human rights and the environment. By becoming an RSB member, you will: 1. Demonstrate your commitment to sustainability – Whether your shareholders are buyers, consumers, or your employees, you can use your RSB involvement to strengthen your social responsibility message. You can also demonstrate that you are committed to ensuring that the biomass industry moves on a sustainable path. “SGB is proud to become a member of the RSB and is committed to ensuring that our bioenergy projects meet the organization’s rigorous standards for environmental and social sustainability through RSB certification.” 2. Shape the future of sustainable biomaterials - In the everchanging world of sustainability issues surrounding biomaterials, let your views be heard, profile your work, and ensure that it is integrated into the world’s foremost sustainability standard. Join cutting-edge discussions and engage in dialogue on the sustainability of biomaterials that contribute to building on the world’s most credible sustainability standard in this field. – SG Biofuels, RSB Member 3. Expand your network - Have the opportunity to meet others committed to sustainability issues and keep in touch with the latest developments in industry, civil society and government. RSB members have found common areas of interest and forged partnerships on policy, smallholders and technical issues such as lifecycle analysis. 4. Become eligible for a 20% discount on your licensing fees for certification. In short, your RSB membership is a way to demonstrate your commitment to economically, environmentally and socially sustainable biomaterials and support sustainable supply chains around the world. Associate Membership Option Associate Membership is an option for organizations that might have restrictions on becoming full voting members of another entity. Associate Members can participate fully in discussions on the development of the RSB standards, but unlike Full Members, they are not part of the governance of the organization. Therefore they are not eligible for leadership positions and do not vote. Assembly of Delegates Meeting September 2014 in Brazil, Photo Credit: IISD © 2015, Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) Southeast Asia Workshop, December 2013 in Kuala Lumpur, Photo Credit: RSB 5 III. How to Join? To become an RSB member there are a few simple steps. 1. Complete the Application Form on pages 7-8 of this guide. 2. Write a Cover Letter. You may use the template included in this guide on page 9, or create your own as long as it includes: A brief description of your organization’s biofuel/biomaterial-related activities. An acknowledgement that your organization accepts the RSB’s Articles of Association and other official RSB documents and decisions (in other words the RSB standard and decisions of the RSB governing bodies). A declaration of any conflict of interests you are aware of, or statement that none exist. And, if you are applying for a fee waiver, your organization’s most recent financial statements. Applications must be reviewed and accepted by the RSB Board of Directors. This process can take up to 3 weeks from date of receipt. We accept applications on a rolling basis, and we look forward to welcoming you! Questions? © 2015, Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) 6 Should you have any questions regarding membership, your application, etc., please feel free to contact Andrina Beaumond at andrina.beaumond@rsb.org or +41 22 796 40 37. Participants at the RSB Southeast Asia Smallholder Workshop, December 2013 in Kuala Lumpur, Photo Credit: RSB © 2015, Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) 7 IV. Application Form for RSB Membership ROUNDTABLE ON SUSTAINABLE BIOMATERIALS MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION FORM Organization: Website: Main contact name: Mailing Address: Phone Number: Email: Role of this person in the organization, expertise: Secondary contact in case of unavailability of primary contact at your organization Billing Contact: Billing Address (if different from above): Is the organization a holding company or subsidiary of another company? If yes, please specify the name and address, and if the other entity is also a member of the RSB. Membership Chambers Please select one of the following seven chambers which you would like to join. While your organization might fall into more than one category, please choose the chamber that best describes your organization’s activities. Biomass producers (e.g. farmers, plantation managers and other feedstock growers) Industrial biomaterial/bioenergy producers Retailers/blenders, Transportation industry, users of biomaterials and Banks/investors Rights-based NGOs (including land, water, human, and labor rights) and Trade unions Rural development, food security, smallholder farmers, indigenous people, and communitybased civil society organizations Environment or conservation organizations and Climate change or policy organizations Intergovernmental organizations (IGOs), governments, research/academic institutions, standard-setters, specialist advisory agencies, certification agencies, and consultant organisations, as well as any other applicants for membership who do not fulfil the characteristics of any other Chamber © 2015, Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) 8 Membership Fee Members pay a fee each year which represents an important part of RSB’s income and allow for the healthy functioning of the organization. The fee structure below is based on the economic size of the organization and is intended to allow the inclusion of a diverse range of participants. Please indicate which fee category your company falls into by circling it or marking it in the table below. Public sector and not-for-profit organizations: Size Description Annual Operating Budget Small <15 million Membership Fee (USD) 250 Medium 15-30 million 500 Large 30-150 million 1000 Very Large >150 million 2000 All other organizations: Size Description Revenue Small <40 million Membership Fee (USD)* 1000 Medium 40-200 million 2000 Large 200 million - 2 billion 5000 Very Large >2 billion 10,000 *Companies that are RSB certified are automatically granted RSB Associate Member status free of cost. Once your application is approved, we will send you an invoice for your fees which may be paid via credit card or wire transfer. Fee Waivers In exceptional circumstances where your organization is unable to pay the required amount, a fee waiver request may be submitted to the Board of Directors for their consideration. If applying for a membership fee waiver, please include a request in the cover letter (see section III above) and explain why your organization requires such a waiver. Please include a link to your organization’s most recent financial statement. Thank you for your support of RSB and for helping to ensure the sustainability of biofuels and biomaterials! © 2015, Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) 9 V. Cover Letter Template Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials Attn: Board of Directors 9 Chemin de Balexert, 1219 Chatelaine Switzerland [Place and Date] Dear RSB Board of Directors, We are pleased to hereby submit our application for RSB Membership. Our organization … [PLEASE ADD A SHORT DESCRIPTION OF YOUR ACTIVITIES RELATED TO BIOMASS AND BIOMATERIALS]. We unconditionally accept the RSB Articles of Association, as well as any and all other documents decided, approved, adopted, enacted and implemented by the RSB. We declare that, to the best of our knowledge, there is currently no conflict of interest between our activities and our participation in the Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials. [IF THIS IS NOT THE CASE, PLEASE DESCRIBE WHERE YOU MAY POTENTIALLY HAVE CONFLICTS OF INTEREST] Please find attached to this letter our latest financial report/Annual Report/other. [THIS IS ONLY APPLICABLE FOR ORGANISATIONS APPLYING FOR A FEE WAIVER]. Thank you for considering our application. [SIGNATURE – DIGITAL or SCANNED] © 2015, Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) 10 Countries with RSB Members As of 8 October 2015, RSB has 91 full members and 18 associate members in 33 countries around the world. Visit www.rsb.org for the most current member list. Thank you to all our members, board, chamber chairs and others who support us financially as well as with their time and efforts on furthering RSB projects around the world. RSB’s success is a tribute to our diverse coalition of members that include farmers, companies and businesses, non-governmental organizations, experts and academics, governments, inter- governmental agencies and many other groups from around the © 2015, Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) world. 11 Jatropha intercropped with pineapple in northeastern Guatemala, Photo Credit : Matt Rudolf, RSB About the RSB The Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) is a global movement to ensure the sustainability of biomaterials production through a comprehensive certification system. The RSB brings together a diverse coalition of over 100 organizations around the world including large and small farmers, NGOs, companies, experts, governments, and UN agencies. RSB certification provides user-friendly tools for industry to demonstrate compliance and validates sustainable production including greenhouse gas emission reductions, respect for human rights, protection of biodiversity and water and maintenance of food security. RSB is a full member of the ISEAL Alliance and has been rated the best performing sustainability certification system in recent reports published by WWF, IUCN, and NRDC. Copyright Notice © Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials, 2015 Contact Us If you have comments or questions regarding membership or this membership kit, please feel free to contact us. We appreciate your feedback as well as suggestions for improvement. Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) International Environment House 2 7-9 Chemin de Balexert CH-1219 | Chatelaine (Geneva) | Switzerland Tel: +41 22 796 40 37 Email: info@rsb.org www.rsb.org Join us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook! © 2015, Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB) 12