Re: [Wikimedia-l] Greener, plastic-free conferences and events

[Ed Erhart]

Hi Fae,

On virtual participation, we learned quite a bit from a remote-first
strategy: https://blog.wikimedia.org/2017/09/05/wikimania-2017-materials/

Best,
--Ed

On Tue, Nov 21, 2017 at 3:45 PM, Fæ  wrote:

> On 21 November 2017 at 15:00, Andy Mabbett 
> wrote:
> > I'm interested to see how we can make our conferences, not least
> > Wikimania, and other events more green and, particularly, use less
> > plastic.
> >
> > I see from:
> >
> >https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Sustainability_Initiative
> >
> > that:
> >
> > 
> >
> > On February 24, 2017, the board of trustees of the Wikimedia
> > Foundation adopted the following resolution as a result of this
> > initiative:
> >
> > The Wikimedia Foundation is committed to seeking ways to reduce the
> > impact of our activities on the environment. We aim to always act
> > responsibly and sustainably as possible, including favoring renewable
> > energy for our operations. We believe that a long-term commitment to
> > sustainability is an essential component of our work towards the
> > Wikimedia mission and vision.To this end, the Wikimedia Foundation
> > makes the following commitments:
> >
> > * We will seek to minimize our overall impact on the environment;
> > * We will consider sustainability as an important part of decisions
> > around servers, operations, travel, offices, and other procurement;
> > * We will use green energy where it is available and financially
> prudent; and
> > * Starting in 2018, we will include an environmental impact statement
> > in our annual plan.
> >
> > 
> >
> > for example:
> >
> > * use cotton (not plastic) lanyards; or avoid lanyards altogether
> > * don't give away cheap plastic pens, etc.
> > * avoid bottled water, where tap water is potable, otherwise use glass
> bottles
> > * avoid sandwiches in plastic (or plastic-lined) packs
> > * avoid disposable cutlery and plastic plates
> > * ensure waste is collected, appropriately sorted and recycled
> >
> > How can we build this into our movement?
> >
> > Should it be a consideration in assessing grant funding applications?
> >
> > Would a more specific resolution from the board help?
> >
> > Who at WMF has oversight responsibility for these issues?
> >
> > --
> > Andy Mabbett
> > @pigsonthewing
> > http://pigsonthewing.org.uk
> >
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> 
>
> Thanks for raising the topic. It's been raised before, but there
> should be more public credit given to events and conferences that make
> the extra effort to be green.
>
> I definitely support this being a more visible goal, along with
> helpful checklists, for funding events. Logically the "environmental
> impact statement" should be seen to flow down as requirements on all
> affiliates, something I'll be looking for in 2018.
>
> The biggest environmental impact from our conferences, comes from
> staff and volunteers flying around the world, when the WMF and
> affiliates could do more to encourage virtual meetings and to manage a
> stronger virtual engagement. At the moment virtual participation at
> WMCON or Wikimania is often limited to the odd livestreamed
> presentation or small working group supported by a video hangout; it's
> at a low level and it would be nice to see far more experimentation
> with technology and virtual presence.
>
> The deliberately small choices you mention of avoiding plastic or
> encouraging attendees to do something simple like reuse and refill one
> cup for the day, or ensuring that caters are serving local food with
> low mileage,[1] makes a lot of sense. Even if this added slightly to
> an event's expenses, I think everyone would applaud the deliberate
> selection of venues and suppliers that make low environmental impact a
> priority.
>
> Links
> 1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_miles
>
> Fae
> --
> fae...@gmail.com https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Fae
>
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>



-- 
*Ed Erhart*
Senior Editorial Associate
Wikimedia Foundation
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Re: [Wikimedia-l] The other side of the crisis at WMFR

[Sylvain Boissel]

Hi Katherine,

2017-10-19 23:19 GMT+02:00 Katherine Maher :

> [...]
>

> We are committed to working with the new Wikimédia France conseil
> d’administration (governing board) to support the French community as they
> work to address and resolve these and other outstanding issues. The
> Wikimedia Foundation and the new leadership of Wikimédia France are already
> cooperating to address the governance-related concerns raised by the
> volunteer Funds Dissemination Committee in the first half of 2017. As part
> of this work, we have encouraged them to review how they will independently
> handle claims of harassment in the future. The Wikimedia Foundation and
> Wikimédia France share a common goal: a healthy, welcoming, respectful,
> inclusive Wikimedia community in France.
>
> I know I am not alone in my dismay for how these events have unfolded. Many
> dedicated, good-faith members of the French community, including current
> community members and present and former Wikimédia France board and staff
> members, have experienced distress and anxiety over recent months. Those
> outside of the community have watched with dismay as our peers and friends
> have found themselves disoriented, distressed, alienated, or at odds with
> one another. And yet we also know that many in France now feel a renewed
> sense of purpose for building the healthy and welcoming community we all
> desire.
>

As the representative of the local branch of the labor union
ASSO-Solidaires at Wikimédia France, I wanted to thank you and the WMF
staff members who took part in the site visit in Paris in July  (namely
Katy Love, Winifred Olliff, Stephen Laporte and James Baldwin) for hearing
the distress of the staff members at a time when Wikimédia France's board
plainly refused to discuss with the staff.

I also wanted to confirm that things are getting better with the new board
elected in September.

I cannot speak about what my coworkers went through without asking them
first, but I can share an example from my own story: in February, I was
issued a « rappel à l'ordre » (warning) by the former direction and
board, accusing
me of disloyalty to the chapter because I had a girlfriend. It was
cancelled this month by the new board, and this is a huge relief to me.

Best regards,
Sylvain.

-- 
*Sylvain Boissel*
Délégué du personnel et Responsable de la section syndicale ASSO-Solidaires
*WIKIMÉDIA FRANCE*
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Re: [Wikimedia-l] New FDC office bearers [was: FDC Recommendations, Round 1 2017-18 ]

[Anna Stillwell]

Thank you, Risker. You are a passionate, giving contributor to this
movement. I mean it.
Liam, I've now seen how much you do. Thank you. And I've come to enjoy your
sense of humor.
Bishakha, the rumors of your wonderfulness precede you. Thank you.
Delphine, you're wise, deep, kind, and not taking it from anyone. Thank
you.

Thank you to the entire committee. You do a lot of really good work.
/a

On Wed, Nov 22, 2017 at 3:19 AM, Delphine Ménard 
wrote:

> Dear all,
>
> As is custom every year, the FDC during its deliberations has voted for
> their new office bearers this round and has elected:
>
> Bishakha Datta as Chair
> Liam Wyatt as Vice-Chair
> Katherine Bavage as Secretary
>
> We would like to wholeheartedly thank Anne Clin (Risker) for her service as
> chair in the last year and Lorenzo Losa for his service as secretary.
>
> The office bearers roles are described in the FDC handbook on meta
>  Handbook#Office-bearers>
> .
>
> Welcome to Bishakha and Katherine in their new role and thanks to Liam for
> his continuing service.
>
> Best,
>
> Delphine
>
>
>
> 2017-11-20 18:42 GMT+01:00 Bishakha Datta :
>
> > Dear Wikimedians,
> >
> > The Funds Dissemination Committee (FDC) meets twice a year to make
> > recommendations about how to effectively allocate movement funds to
> achieve
> > the Wikimedia movement's mission, vision, and strategy.  This is now the
> > 11th round of allocations made by the FDC, and we met in person from
> > November 17-20, 2017 in Madrid to deliberate on 9 proposals submitted
> this
> > round. Wikimedia Deutschland's annual plan will be reviewed separately.
> >
> >
> > We would like to thank all of the participating organizations for the
> hard
> > work they put into this round’s proposals.
> >
> > Our recommendations for Round 1 2017-2018 on the annual plan grants to
> the
> > Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees have now been posted on Meta.[1]
> The
> > Board will review our deliberations and make a decision by December 31,
> > 2017.
> >
> > We received grant requests for approximately USD 2,766,000 this round.
> > Before we met, committee members reviewed all of the proposals and
> > documents submitted.  We were assisted in this review with input from the
> > FDC staff assessments which included analysis on impact, finances, and
> > programs, as well as community comments on the proposals.
> >
> > As you may know, there is a formal process to submit complaints or
> appeals
> > about these recommendations. Here are the steps for both:
> >
> > Any organization that would like to submit an appeal on the FDC’s
> > recommendation should submit it to the Board representatives to the FDC
> by
> > 23:59 UTC on 8 December 2017 in accord with the appeal process outlined
> in
> > the FDC Framework [2]. A formal appeal to challenge the FDC’s
> > recommendation should be in the form of a 500-or-fewer word summary
> > directed to the two non-voting WMF Board representatives to the FDC,
> > Nataliia Tymkiv and Dariusz Jemielniak. The appeal should be submitted
> > on-wiki, and must be submitted by the Board Chair of a funding-seeking
> > applicant. The Wikimedia Foundation Board will publish its decision on
> this
> > and all recommendations by December 31, 2017.
> >
> > Anyone can file a complaint about the FDC process [3] with the
> Ombudsperson
> > at any time. The complaint should be submitted on wiki, as well. The
> > Ombudsperson will publicly document the complaint, and investigate as
> > needed.
> >
> > On behalf of the FDC,
> >
> > Bishakha Datta
> > FDC Chair
> >
> >
> > [1]
> > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:APG/FDC_
> recommendations/2017-2018_
> > Round_1
> >
> >
> > [2]
> > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:APG/Funds_
> Dissemination_Committee/
> > Framework_for_the_Creation_and_Initial_Operation_of_the_FDC
> >
> >
> > [3]
> > https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:APG/Complaints_
> > about_the_FDC_process
> > ___
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> > 
>
>
>
>
> --
> Delphine Ménard
> Program Officer
> Wikimedia Foundation
> User:Delphine_(WMF) 
> ___
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[Wikimedia-l] New FDC office bearers [was: FDC Recommendations, Round 1 2017-18 ]

[Delphine Ménard]

Dear all,

As is custom every year, the FDC during its deliberations has voted for
their new office bearers this round and has elected:

Bishakha Datta as Chair
Liam Wyatt as Vice-Chair
Katherine Bavage as Secretary

We would like to wholeheartedly thank Anne Clin (Risker) for her service as
chair in the last year and Lorenzo Losa for his service as secretary.

The office bearers roles are described in the FDC handbook on meta

.

Welcome to Bishakha and Katherine in their new role and thanks to Liam for
his continuing service.

Best,

Delphine



2017-11-20 18:42 GMT+01:00 Bishakha Datta :

> Dear Wikimedians,
>
> The Funds Dissemination Committee (FDC) meets twice a year to make
> recommendations about how to effectively allocate movement funds to achieve
> the Wikimedia movement's mission, vision, and strategy.  This is now the
> 11th round of allocations made by the FDC, and we met in person from
> November 17-20, 2017 in Madrid to deliberate on 9 proposals submitted this
> round. Wikimedia Deutschland's annual plan will be reviewed separately.
>
>
> We would like to thank all of the participating organizations for the hard
> work they put into this round’s proposals.
>
> Our recommendations for Round 1 2017-2018 on the annual plan grants to the
> Wikimedia Foundation Board of Trustees have now been posted on Meta.[1] The
> Board will review our deliberations and make a decision by December 31,
> 2017.
>
> We received grant requests for approximately USD 2,766,000 this round.
> Before we met, committee members reviewed all of the proposals and
> documents submitted.  We were assisted in this review with input from the
> FDC staff assessments which included analysis on impact, finances, and
> programs, as well as community comments on the proposals.
>
> As you may know, there is a formal process to submit complaints or appeals
> about these recommendations. Here are the steps for both:
>
> Any organization that would like to submit an appeal on the FDC’s
> recommendation should submit it to the Board representatives to the FDC by
> 23:59 UTC on 8 December 2017 in accord with the appeal process outlined in
> the FDC Framework [2]. A formal appeal to challenge the FDC’s
> recommendation should be in the form of a 500-or-fewer word summary
> directed to the two non-voting WMF Board representatives to the FDC,
> Nataliia Tymkiv and Dariusz Jemielniak. The appeal should be submitted
> on-wiki, and must be submitted by the Board Chair of a funding-seeking
> applicant. The Wikimedia Foundation Board will publish its decision on this
> and all recommendations by December 31, 2017.
>
> Anyone can file a complaint about the FDC process [3] with the Ombudsperson
> at any time. The complaint should be submitted on wiki, as well. The
> Ombudsperson will publicly document the complaint, and investigate as
> needed.
>
> On behalf of the FDC,
>
> Bishakha Datta
> FDC Chair
>
>
> [1]
> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:APG/FDC_recommendations/2017-2018_
> Round_1
>
>
> [2]
> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:APG/Funds_Dissemination_Committee/
> Framework_for_the_Creation_and_Initial_Operation_of_the_FDC
>
>
> [3]
> https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Grants:APG/Complaints_
> about_the_FDC_process
> ___
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> 




-- 
Delphine Ménard
Program Officer
Wikimedia Foundation
User:Delphine_(WMF) 
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