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Introduction to World Board Motions

World Board Motions are proposals put forward by the World Board to guide the strategic direction, policies, and operational focus of IFOAM – Organics International. These motions are crucial for implementing changes and ensuring that the organization remains responsive to global trends and challenges infor organic agriculture as well as keeping the governance structure of the IFOAM Network up to date.

Voting Process for the World Board Motions:

1. Proposal Development: The World Board develops motions based on strategic needs, member feedback, and emerging issues in organic agriculture.
2. Dissemination: Proposed motions are circulated to the membership ahead of the General Assembly, allowing members to review and discuss them.
3. Debate: At the General Assembly, members have the opportunity to debate and discuss the merits of each motion. Amendments can be proposed during this stage.
4. Voting: Members vote on each motion, usually through a show of voting cards. For a motion to pass, it typically requires a simple majority. Each member organization has an equal vote, and if a member can’t attend the General Assembly, a proxy vote can be generated via the member area.
5. Implementation: Approved motions are then implemented by the World Board and the staff, guiding the organization’s actions and priorities.
6. Reporting: The World Board reports back to the membership in the next General Assembly.

MOTION 1: Strengthening Impact of General Assembly Motions

The General Assembly of IFOAM – Organics International agrees to amend the motion submission process so that motions include a tentative implementation plan and clarify the role and level of commitment of the motioner in achieving the goal of the proposed motion.

OBJECTIVES:

The main objectives of this motion are to ensure that motions made to the General Assembly are achievable, implementable and contribute to building a stronger partnership with members on motion implementation. This will strengthen member-staff collaboration and give more opportunities for members to engage in IFOAM – Organics International work.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES:

Motions presented to the GA will include information on how the member presenting the motion will assist in achieving or implementing the proposed motion. For example:
a. Provision of expert technical advice to the IFOAM – Organics International office on the substance of the motion, and/or in technical working groups required.
b. Leadership or facilitation of member processes required to achieve the motion in collaboration with the IFOAM – Organics International Office.
c. Budgetary support for actioning the motion. The motion should include a description of any work already undertaken by the member presenting the motion in relation to the substance of the motion.

RATIONALE:

IFOAM-Organics International’s democratic process is unique and valuable ensuring members can be directly involved in steering the organisation and in developing strategic directions and identifying priority actions for the organisation. The General Assembly motion process is a core element of this. The intent of this motion is to strengthen ownership of motions by members and enhance membership engagement in IFOAM-Organics International beyond the GA.

Experience has shown that the organisation has found it challenging to effectively implement member motions where the resources – human, financial, or technical – have not been available within the existing staff team. Requiring proposed motions to include information about the supporting resources available to assist with implementation of motions will help contribute to members’ assessment of the feasibility of proposed motions. This will ultimately improve the successful implementation of the motions that are supported by members at the General Assembly.

MOTION 2: Motions’ process better reflecting member priorities

The General Assembly of IFOAM – Organics International instructs the World Board to establish a motions process to better reflect members priorities and provide a stronger basis for member assessment of motions. This process should include:
• Motion impact analysis in relation to IFOAM – Organics International strategy.
• Motion viability analysis in relation to IFOAM – Organics International financial and staffing realities.
• Creating greater opportunity for online discussion of motions before the General Assembly.
• Voting procedures, where members can rank motions priority in relation to each other.

OBJECTIVES:

The motion will establish a motions process that allows members to put weight on motions of greatest importance to them to better reflect member priorities. Members will also gain access to better information on motion impacts in relation to IFOAM – Organics International objectives and strategy, and the motion viability in relation to IFOAMs financial and staffing realities. Finally, the motion will improve member opportunities for dialogue and clarifications regarding motions before the General Assembly. A weighted voting method will allow members to prioritize motions (including both Member and World Board motions) so that all motions are prioritized by members in relation to each other as guidance to implementation.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES:

• Development of a voting procedure for motions, where members can rank motions priority in relation to each other.
• Enhanced focus in motion proposals on the impact in relation to IFOAM’s strategic objectives (in the IFOAM strategy, which reflect member consultations) and the financial consequences of the proposal.
• Establishment of stronger online options for clarifications on motions and dialogue among members before each General Assembly.

RATIONALE:

The current model for member motions process is not providing members with an adequate assessment of motion impacts or an opportunity to indicate which motions are most important for them. Furthermore, it is also important to improve dialogue among members regarding motions.

We experience that:
• The motions process gives no sense of members priorities among the many motions. The current method, voting motions up or down individually, does not require members to make a considered choice among different motions. There is a tendency to vote “yes” for all motions, whether “must have” or “well, I am not against it.” There is no cost to a yes.
• Internal Auditors point out that choices on motions have no relation to IFOAMs financial realities. Our internal auditors point to motions passed in 2021 with a price tag of 300K, noting that “the GA ends with a volume of adopted motions without the appropriate means to implement them.” There is a need to increase the feasibility of motions overall.
• WB recognized the importance of member debate and ownership of motions. This requires dialogue and member influence on prioritization. This motion will enhance financial sustainability and responsibility. It will also allow the WB and team to focus on actions of highest priority to our members, including core objectives in our strategy, as defined by member consultations

MOTION 3: Building a fit for the future IFOAM structure and governance

The General Assembly of IFOAM – Organics International instructs the World Board to work out a concrete proposal for IFOAM – Organics International governance, ensuring that governance structures reflect the needs and contributions of all regions and self-or ganized structures and improve and reform IFOAM – Organics International governance to make it fit for future challenges.

For this endeavor, the World Board will appoint and establish a diverse and committed Governance Advisory Board, or a similar structure, representative of the organic movement. The Governance Advisory Board will ensure that members, at least one representative from each regional body and each sector platform, have the opportunity to be represented. This Advisory Board should also include independent governance experts to provide advice and propose a roadmap and options for longer-term reforms in the structure and governance of our organisation.

The General Assembly of IFOAM – Organics International instructs the World Board to organize an extraordinary GA (digital or physical) within 18 months focusing on ratifying the transition plan to a new governance model, ensuring that membership, regional bodies, self organized structures, and sector platforms are equitably represented in governance decisions.

In addition, the General Assembly instructs the World Board to prioritize the development of robust communication channels between the global office, regional bodies, and other member structures, ensuring that information flow is streamlined and that members are fully and timely informed of the process and transparency is ensured.

OBJECTIVES:

“To structure membership and governance to better reflect the diversity and development of the organic movement and sector, applying the principle of subsidiarity, equity, and inclusion.” (IFOAM strategy 2024-2034) This will ensure that IFOAM is fit for the future, remains relevant, and is able to lead growth of the organic movement globally.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES:

1. The governance work should include:
• Reviewing all current proposals and concepts produced in the last WB terms by relevant task forces, regional bodies and WB.
• An assessment and state of play of different regions, sectors and member groups within IFOAM – Organics International.
• Investigating alternate models for member engagement in diverse parts of the world
• Clarification of roles and responsibilities between the global head office, regional bodies, sector platforms, and self-organized structures, ensuring a cohesive, non competitive collaboration framework that allows each body to operate effectively.
• Viability analysis of the governance reform, with attention to the financial and staffing realities of both the head office and regional bodies.
• Up to two options for future governance models that reflect the spirit, intention and elements of the 2024 governance proposals from IFOAM Regional Bodies, and members.
• A detailed plan for potential future structures and governance, including a roadmap for transition.
• A motion for decision for the extraordinary GA to be held within 18 months.

2. The World Board will also act now on some more immediate challenges and recommendations emerging from the governance consultation and work in the Governance Task Force:
• Improving coordination and collaboration in our network, related to global advocacy, initiatives (Academy) and challenges, amplifying our collective impact and clarifying roles including through improving support to and function of the Network Council
• Decide on updated rules of procedure for the improved functioning of our network
• Strengthening capacity in the network
• Attracting and supporting leaders from across our network to ensure broad and inclusive representation of the global organic community in internal and external representation, working to remove barriers to participation.
• Improving communication with members from the IFOAM – Organics International World Board and office
• Strengthening accountability for these actions by office and World Board members and other appointed responsible persons/network members.

RATIONALE:

Coming out of our 50th Anniversary and with a new strategy that outlines the vision for a future membership governance structure that ‘better reflects the diversity and development of the or ganic movement and sector, applying the principles of subsidiarity, equity and inclusion.’ the WB was looking to build a strong ship that will take us forward for the next 50 years.

In 2024, the World Board designated a Governance Reform Task Force to assess governance challenges and develop reform proposals. The Task Force represented all the stakeholder groups in our structure: regional bodies, members who are only members of IFOAM OI or from areas without regional bodies, INOFO; the sector platforms, and the World Board.

This was an inclusive, open, and transparent consultative process, where approx. 20% of the membership engaged in facilitated consultation sessions. Our regional bodies in Asia, Europe and Mediterranean contributed proposals for reform with concrete proposals for an alternative governance model based on a revised World Board election process.

The consultant’s report presented three pathways 1) doing nothing, 2) adopting any number of incremental reforms from a menu developed by the Task Force, and 3) launching a lengthier and more comprehensive governance reform process. The Task force presented consensus recommendations, without dissent, and one member provided supplemental recommendations. In both cases there was agreement that there was a need for “more time to carefully reconsider what, in fact, needs to be changed and why.’ The World Board concurs and supports the Chair’s recommendation of appointing an Advisory Board on governance reform that can provide a detailed plan as recommendation to WB and the General Assembly.

MOTION 4: Establishment of role of Treasurer within the IFOAM-Organics International World Board

The General Assembly of IFOAM – Organics International instructs the World Board to amend the Statutes to establish the role of Treasurer. The amendment should enable the World Board to coopt a member to undertake this role should the elected World Board members not have the requisite financial skills and experience.

OBJECTIVES:

To strengthen fiscal oversight of IFOAM-Organics Internationals operations, provide support to the Executive Director and ensure the World Board is provided with robust financial analysis and advice.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES:

Incoming World Board to amend the statutes in line with the Motion.

Incoming World Board to act on the intent of the Motion through appointing or co-opting a Treasurer immediately.

RATIONALE:

After managing the financial crisis during this term and seeing the cycles of financial ups and downs for the organisation over the past decades the World Board sort to strengthen the governing bodies fiscal oversight of the organisation’s operations.

It was recognised that the role of Treasurer is critical, as is having a person with the right skills sets and experience in that role.

As part of the World Boards efforts to professionalise and ensure more robust and transparent financial governance, the current Board appointed a member with the requisite skills to take on a Treasury role. We believe it should be formally part of the World Board composition going forward.

It is recognised that as the World Board is elected that there is no guarantee that every World Board will have an elected member with the necessary financial skills and experience so recommend that the ability to co-opt for the role also be formalised.

Introduction to Member Motions

Member Motions are proposals submitted by IFOAM members to address specific issues of strategic relevance, suggest changes, or  introduce new initiatives within the organization.

These motions reflect the grassroots engagement of IFOAM’s diverse membership and ensure that the voices of all members are heard and considered.

Voting Process for the World Board Motions:

1. Submission: When Members submit motions, the office ensures that each submission meets all necessary requirements. The World Board (WB) then evaluates the motions, providing feedback to the motioners. Throughout this process, both the office and the WB support motioners in adapting, adjusting, or, if necessary, withdrawing their motions. Once finalized, the motions are formally presented to the General Assembly (GA) for consideration.
2. Review: Submitted motions are reviewed for compliance and feasibility. They are then compiled and shared with the entire membership prior to the General Assembly.
3. Discussion: During the General Assembly, members present and discuss each motion.
This discussion period allows for clarifications, debates, and potential amendments to the motions.
4. Voting: Members vote on each motion, usually through a show of voting cards. For a motion to pass, it typically requires a simple majority. Each member organization has an equal vote, and if a member can’t attend the General Assembly, a proxy vote can be generated via the member area.
5. Implementation: Approved motions are then implemented by the World Board and the staff, guiding the organization’s actions and priorities.
6. Reporting: The World Board reports back to the membership in the next General Assembly.

MOTION 1: The international organic movement is committed to remaining GMO-free and excludes gene editing (GE)

There is increasing pressure to introduce new GMOs produced by gene editing techniques into food and farming systems. Greater collaboration across the organic movement is needed to:
• Ensure organic agricultural production remains free of all GMOs
• Advocate for strict regulation of all GMOs, including labelling & traceability
• Advocate for a systems-based approach to innovation & sustainability.

OBJECTIVES:

To collaborate & coordinate global efforts to address the growing threat posed by new GMOs and protect the right of farmers, food producers, and consumers to choose food and farming that is GMO-free.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES:

1.Actively support and engage with Regional Bodies, Sector Platforms and members advocating on this topic, to ensure alignment and effective sharing of knowledge and resources and support capacity building.

2. Support the work of the IFOAM Seeds Platform, for instance by and promoting the ‘Global Safety & Risk Assessment Protocol for New Genomic Technologies’.

3. Represent the position of the organic movement in global policy and advocacy activities, and support members in their own advocacy activities on this matter, including by preparing clear policy briefs.

HOW IS IT RELATED TO IFOAM’S STRATEGY?

The motion equips members with competencies, tools, and community in relation to a key issue for the movement, and ensures IFOAM is taking global leadership on this vital issue.

RATIONALE:

GMOs are a red-line issue for the organic movement. The motion ensures the organisation plays a leading role in mobilising and assisting members to both resist and mitigate the introduction of new GMOs

PROPOSED FUNDING SOURCES?

Philanthropic funders or organic businesses who understand the threats and risks posed by GMOs, including in relation to potential impacts on organic trade and market viability.

MOTION 2: Organic/Agroecology development cooperation with members

Development cooperation is an important tool for organic development in low income countries. IFOAM – Organics International shall further engage with donors and use the opportunities however avoid competing with members in the global South and in the global North. IFOAM – Organics International develops an own code of conduct to foster best practice, cooperation and synergies.

OBJECTIVES:

Sensitive collaboration with the huge opportunity to use ODA for organic development. Develop best practice for the benefit of organic development in the Global South and be abreast of trends.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES:

Develop and own code of conduct to avoid member competition and foster collaboration and use of synergies.

HOW IS IT RELATED TO IFOAM’S STRATEGY?

Objective 3, bulding a sustainable future of IFOAM – Organics International

RATIONALE:

Most of the funds of IFOAM – Organics International in the last 10 years came from ODA (Official Development Assistance) and supported the assistance of IFOAM – Organics International`s members in low income countries. Some IFOAM – Organics International projects had a high impact. Other actors including members (e.g. KOAN, NOGAMU, INOFO, SAT, Naturland, Organic Denmark, Helvetas, Biovision/BVAT, FiBL, Organic consultancies etc.) do the same. ODA and organic development were promoted at the OWC 2011(Korea) and 2014 (Turkey) and the support volume for Organic and Agroecology development increases continuously.

PROPOSED FUNDING SOURCES?

This motion does not ask for budget, but for good policy to use ODA and to be sensitive with members bidding for same opportunities.

MOTION 3: Install an IFOAM membership web forum

The proposal is to instruct IFOAM – Organics International to install a discussion, information and exchange forum on the Internet – primarily for the membership – in order to remedy the deficit that the current communication is organised very “top-down” and consists almost exclusively of only consumable success stories about organic agriculture.

OBJECTIVES:

The aim of the motion is to provide IFOAM – Organics International’s membership with a place for discussion, member-initiated mutual information and exchange of experience and opinions.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES:

1. Call for the formation of a working group – first and for some time consisting of volunteers – of people experienced or knowledgeable in web forum construction and the possible diversity of approaches.

2. Several (e.g. Zoom) conferences of the membership to collect and contribute suggestions and ideas on the content and methodology of the forum, moderated by the working group.

3. Permanent, periodic evaluation and information towards the membership and WB will be an obligation by the moderation group.

4. Acquisition of appropriate web forum software.

5. Launch of the forum with a number of prepared threads on important current topics.

HOW IS IT RELATED TO IFOAM’S STRATEGY?

Vision, mission and all three “we will” intentions could be considerably strengthened by a broad, permanent democratic formation of opinion and decisions in which everyone can participate.
The participatory life of the federation, its expansion, its strategy building, the progress of organic agriculture worldwide are all only realistically conceivable if the local and national movements actively participate and see themselves as a world movement, underpinning IFOAM – Organics International’s right to act as such.

The “new strategy” cannot solely be developed and supported (for 10 years!) by our Board; this must be done by the whole membership, constantly participating, democratically and openly and transparently organised.

RATIONALE:

There is no simple level at which IFOAM – Organics International members can enter into dialogue. There are centrally communicated information reports, videos, etc., which are almost exclusively success stories, and mostly convey content that the consuming membership agrees with anyway.

Horizontally, the forum should offer the opportunity to discuss even controversial topics, to work together on all kinds of negative issues in organic farming and its self-organisation, to enable the exchange of opinions and ideas from the grassroots, to contribute to democratic decision-making beyond every 3 years of GA and to make IFOAM – Organics International a “WE” instead of a distant kind of institution “back there” in Bonn. Even regionalisation has hardly changed this; it is often a repetition of the world structure at regional level.

The forum should offer open and closed (e.g. producer forums, product or climate-defined etc.) spaces; WB and head office should constantly take note of what appears there and contribute to it. Example: Something like the lively exchange, criticism and strategy initiative “Real Organic” in the USA is currently not possible at IFOAM – Organics International level. The forum is also intended to remedy this.

Protection against dilution, infiltration and “hostile takeover” must be effectively built into the reality of the forum.

PROPOSED FUNDING SOURCES?

Only software purchase, Zoom fees, comprehensive initial information of the membership by the head office are initial costs. The work itself is to be carried out on a voluntary and honorary basis for quite some time.

It is possible to accept and solicit paid advertising, but only from the entire organic sector.
Donations of any size are encouraged from the users.

MOTION 4: Strategic Relevance of Sector Platforms

IFOAM – Organics International considers its Sector Platforms with the same relevance as its Regional Bodies, including in its strategic consideration and in providing rights (e.g. voting right, budget etc.).

OBJECTIVES:

 Give Sector Platforms equal relevance as Regional Bodies.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES:

Review own policies, rights and budget allocations internally and towards the outside and act accordingly.

HOW IS IT RELATED TO IFOAM’S STRATEGY?

To Objectives 1 and 2, empower and lead organics

RATIONALE:

There is no doubt that the IFOAM Self Organized Structures (SOS) are very important for IFOAM OI, which is expressed among others in the Governance Task Force. The SoS reflect very well that there are regional concerns and subject matter concerns which need to be dealt with. The Regional Bodies are well integrated and have e.g. a voting right at the GA, and get budget support. However, apart from INOFO, the other 5 sector platforms are considered less strategic even though they contribute invaluable knowledge for position building (e.g. for seeds, smallholder farmers, animal husbandry, Apiculture, Aquaculture, Technology&Innovation etc.) that is required to bring in substance to the global organic debate and representation.

PROPOSED FUNDING SOURCES?

We don´t ask primarily for additional budget, but for equal priority in budget allocation, when it comes to regions and sectors. E.g. voting rights are not a question of budget.

MOTION 5: Think Tanking for global organic leadership

IFOAM – Organics International resumes organic thought leadership in issues relevant to global organic positioning and advocacy. For this purpose, it leads controversial discussions of members` interest and issues background and position papers for organic development worldwide.

OBJECTIVES:

IFOAM – Organics International becomes a thought leader again. It leads (among others) together with its stakeholders through developing clear, convincing and deep diving content for inspiring ideas and organic positions.

SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES:

Build a group with the purpose of taking care of think tank projects. A little “Organic Club of Rome”: The successor of SOAAN.

HOW IS IT RELATED TO IFOAM’S STRATEGY?

Objective 2: Lead the organic movement globally. It is a vessel to take on future oriented topics and to assue global coordination and content leadership.

RATIONALE:

Science and practice come up with many innovative technologies that are also relevant for the organic development. However, not all inventions are in line with the Principle of Care (e.g. some breeding technologies) or new developments may be of special interest for the organic development (e.g. true cost accounting).

IFOAM – Organics International shall take up new developments including in the technical (e.g. breeding technologies, production of synthetic meat), in the social (e.g. social criteria compliance, gender/youth) and political (e.g. true cost accounting, land or seedtenureship, soil carbon or biodiversity offsetting certificates for smallholder farmers) spheres and publish e.g. annually well legitimated papers for advocacy worldwide. IFOAM – Organics International used to be successful with RTOACC (Round Table of Organic Agriculture and Climate Change) and the SOAAN (Sustainable Organic Agriculture Action Network) think tank that has developed and promoted best practices of organic agriculture, Organic 3.0 and other IFOAM – Organics International landmarks.

PROPOSED FUNDING SOURCES?

It finances these think tank activities through special own projects for each think tank issue (e.g. artificial meat) for which a budget is fundraised e.g. with crowd and other funding activities with leading organic institutions and individuals.

Bids for the Organic World Congress / GA 2027

The Organic World Congress (OWC) is a premier global event, bringing together stakeholders from across the organic sector to discuss, share, and advance organic agriculture practices. Hosting the OWC is a prestigious opportunity for member organisations to showcase their region’s achievements in organic farming and to foster international collaboration.

Meet your bidders to host the OWC2027!

1. Australia

2. The Philippines

Below are the flyers for each bidder, followed by the voting area where you can cast your vote and select your preferred bidder that you want to host the OWC 2027.