Risk Management Associated experts, members and volunteers
Associated experts, members and volunteers The strength of Wetlands International is much more than its staff and offices. Through working with influential partners, specialist groups, experts and members, we accelerate our momentum and strategic results. Members and the Supervisory Council provide active governance and, together with Counsellors of Honour, bring high-level expertise, guidance and connections. Specialist groups, associate experts and partners provide expertise, evidence and advice that underpins our approach on science, policy and practice. Partner organisations with whom we work regularly to implement programmes and projects are listed in Annex 3.7. We are especially proud of our long-standing engagement with volunteer and citizen science groups, such as those who participate in the International Waterbird Census each year. Members of the Association Government and NGO members of the global association provide long-term support and strategic guidance to the organisation. In November 2022, we held a well-attended event for members on the margins of the Ramsar Convention COP14 meeting which highlighted the urgency and opportunity to collaborate over scaling up action for biodiverse, healthy wetlands and the involvement of members in Wetlands International and their willingness to further collaborate. Strategic partnerships Wetlands International works in partnerships in nearly all the activities we undertake. Our partnership policy outlines principles that guide why and how long-term strategic relationships are developed and managed. In 2022 we made important steps forward in strategic partnerships across our programme, including in: • Coasts and Deltas: Global Mangrove Alliance, The Nature Conservancy, WWF, Permian Global and Boskalis • Peatlands: Global Peatlands Initiative, Greifswald Mire Centre, Rewilding Europe and Greenchoice • Rivers and Lakes: CARE, International Alert, IWMI and GIZ • Conventions and Waterbird Agreements: Ramsar Convention, IUCN, AEWA, EAAFP and CMS
Risk Management A risk register for the network, overseen by the Network Management Team, is updated regularly and discussed at least once a year with the Wetlands International Supervisory Council. Overall, we see that risks have edged-up in the past year, despite that fact that Covid risks (and related disruptions) have dropped to low levels. We see increases in risk due to challenges in obtaining sufficient quality and timeliness in project audits and due to the tight labour market that has made it challenging to fill vacancies in the past 12 months. Despite this we consider the organisation to be in a good position to deal with these risks, due to its stronger financial position, which means that we can take mitigation measures more quickly when required.
From the perspective of
The top 5 risks in December 2022 are listed in the table below:
The COmON Foundation has awarded Wetlands International the status of key grantee and provides structural and project-related support to the organisation. At present the Foundation supports our action to safeguard and restore mangroves in Africa and Asia, and to further develop the 4 Returns methodology for landscape restoration in partnership with Commonland, and supports a step change in the organisation’s effectiveness, capacity and systems.
RISK
AREA OF RISK
POTENTIAL IMPACT ON ORGANISATION
MITIGATION MEASURES
1
Political instability and conflict affects operations (Ukraine/Russia, Sahel region)
Governance
Programme operations and funding is greatly reduced
Strengthen cooperation with local communities. Incorporate flexibility in project design
“If ever a breakthrough was a real breakthrough, it is the Mangrove
2
Economic recession due to cost of living crisis in multiple regions leads to less funds available and more competition
Financial
Fewer opportunites to develop and implement programesm with effects on staffing and offices
Regular monitoring by Network MT, sharpen propositions, and more attention to relationship management
Breakthrough! Thanks to the tireless work of Wetlands International in the past 25 years, finally the world has seen the importance of mangroves. They protect coastal areas with its inhabitants from the sea, they absorb massive Carbon, they provide income to local communities, they provide shelter and breeding space for fish and mammals. In other words, they play a crucial role in the Circle of Life. There is no other organisation to be found in the whole world with so much global knowledge about mangroves than Wetlands International. At COmON Foundation we are extremely proud to be associated with Wetlands International. We provide core-funding to the organisation annually and we finance several global mangrove projects, one of them being the To Plant Or not To Plant initiative in Guinee Bissau, Tanzania, Indonesia and Malaysia. I would urge other donors, big or small, to jump on the riding train and join us in supporting this spectacular organisation filled with motivated, skilled people who all have their hearts in the right place!”
3
Insufficient quallity and late submission of audits from offices (local partners finance reports are insufficient)
Financial
Delays in reports, cashflow and ultimately an impact on reputation
Pre-Investing in network support functions (senior finance staff), amd training in project finance management
European Association Members 11
4
Political instability Change in policies or priorities of major donors (closure of MAVA)
Financial
Key funding sources are no longer available E.g. Mediterranean, West Africa
Develop and maintain open relationships with other donors
(global) Association Members 35
10,000+
Volunteer Citizen Scientists
5
Tight labour market slows recruitment and leads to gaps in staffing and stress for current staff
Operational
Inability to implement current programmes correctly or to start new ones and over-work symptoms among staff
Extra suport to recruitments processes, including interim staff and recruitment agencies
8
Partners 263
Supervisory Council
8
30
Counsellors of Honour
Associate Experts
16
Specialist Groups
68
69
Wetlands International Annual Review 2022
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