EO Announces New Partnership with Global Infrastructure Basel

EO Announces New Partnership with Global Infrastructure Basel: Expansion of Positive Impact and Raise Global Standards for Responsible Energy and Infrastructure Development Practices While Equitable Origin (EO) works to raise the bar for social and environmental practices by energy developers, the Switzerland-based foundation Global Infrastructure Basel (GIB) pursues a parallel mission of promoting responsible and…

Read More

The Importance of Community Engagement in Renewables: A Tale of Two Wind Farms in Kenya

Community engagement: the common factor that can determine whether an energy project will come to fruition or be stopped in its tracks by local opposition. As we have seen in New England, Mexico, Kenya, and many other places around the world, engaging with local communities before, during, and after the energy development process can save projects from failure.

Read More

Elevating Indigenous Voices in Debates Over Energy Development on Their Lands

In early February a 40-year old pipeline that is Peru’s main conduit for crude oil ruptured, spilling 3,000 barrels of oil in the Amazon rain forest and polluting two rivers. Several indigenous communities depend on the affected waterways, and their contamination poses a serious threat to those communities’ health and well-being.

Read More

Governors’ Pledge to Support Renewables will Accelerate Clean Energy Boom and Increase Risk of Social Conflict in the U.S.

In a time of intense partisan animosity in the U.S., a bipartisan group of governors from 17 states has found common ground in renewable energy. In an accord, signed on February 16, the governors pledged to accelerate their efforts to create a green economy in the U.S. by boosting renewables, building better electricity grids and cutting emissions from transportation.

Read More

EO’s Latin America Director Reflects on the Region’s Energy Future in Industry Magazine Colombia Energía

On a planet of over seven billion people, there is an insatiable demand for energy. Latin America, and developing countries in general, though rich in energy resources, have the least access to energy and experience the most devastating impacts of climate change. They have consequently found themselves in the dilemma of balancing energy security with social equality while mitigating the environmental effects of energy production and global warming.

Read More

Executive Summary: Defining and Addressing Community Opposition to Wind Development in Oaxaca

Since Mexico opened its energy resources to foreign development and investment, wind energy development in the southern state of Oaxaca has boomed, buoyed by the federal government’s goal to triple its wind capacity by 2018.

Read More

Equitable Origin 2015 Assurance Report

Information sharing with all stakeholders is a top priority for EO. Just as we seek to bring greater transparency to the energy industry, we are dedicated to making our own organization’s systems and operations transparent as well. The sharing of such information with stakeholders is generally known as “assurance.”

Read More

Advancing COP21’s Climate Vision with Verified-Responsible Renewable Energy in Mexico and Around the World

Before the COP21 climate summit officially kicked off on November 30th, renewable energy had already received a major boost. The previous day, a group of billionaires led by Bill Gates used the occasion of COP21 to announce the formation of the Breakthrough Energy Coalition, an initiative to “invest early, broadly, boldly, and wisely” in clean energy research and technical innovation to speed the transition to a no-carbon future.

Read More

The Origins of Equitable Origin: Watch the Film, Contribute to the Mission

In many ways, Equitable Origin began in a middle school classroom in Amherst, Massachusetts in 2001. That’s the place and time that, at the age of 14, EO President and Co-Founder David Poritz began to discover his passion for defending the people and nature of the Amazon jungle. You can read a brief version of the rest of the story…or you can experience it in your own home.

Read More

EO President Explains Value of Voluntary Standards for Risk Reduction in New Mexican Energy Sector at PEMEX Conference

Mexico is in the midst of a historic turning point for its energy industry. Over the last three years, major reforms have opened up the Mexican energy landscape to foreign development and investment more completely than at any time in the last seven decades. As a result, an estimated $220 billion in investment opportunities are available in the newly-liberalized private energy sector.

Read More

Groundbreaking EO-Organized Forum in Lima Sparks Dialogue for More Equitable Energy Development on Indigenous Lands in Peru

Last week, EO co-hosted a first-of-its kind event in Lima in what we hope will prove to be the first step on a new path for responsible and inclusive energy development in the indigenous territories of Peru.

Read More

VIDEO: Director of Shale Programs Talks Responsible Natural Gas Development with Viridian Energy

In September, EO earned a valuable source of support for its work on natural gas development in the U.S. in the form of a $25,000 grant from responsible energy retailer Viridian Energy. As a recipient of Viridian’s Simply Right Natural Gas Fund, EO is honored to join a group of organizations dedicated to clear and pragmatic approaches to improving social and environmental practices in natural gas development.

Read More

Startup Innovation, Environmental Economics are Central Themes of EO President’s Swing Through Nebraska

“The world has changed: corporate executives in the energy industry now know that community buy-in is critical to the life and success of development projects,” EO President and Co-Founder explained to an energetic audience at Lincoln Startup Week in Lincoln, Nebraska last week.

Read More

EO Leadership Visits EO-Certified Site in Colombia to Oversee Verification Audit

In September of last year, EO announced a major milestone: the first-ever certification of an energy development site under the EO100 Standard.

Read More

EO and Indigenous Group to Host Historic Forum for Responsible Oil and Gas Development in Peru

Dennis Bodenchuk is the Geology Branch Chief at the Division of Energy and Mineral Development within the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) Office of Indian Energy and Economic development in Denver, Colorado. A trained geologist with over 30 years of experience in energy development in the United States, Mr. Bodenchuk supervises the Division’s work to assist Tribes and Allottees in the responsible development of their energy and mineral resources.

Read More

Viridian Energy Grants $25,000 to EO for Shale Standards Development

Equitable Origin marked an exciting milestone in the organization’s growth today with the announcement that it has received a $25,000 grant from Viridian Energy to expand its work on standards for responsible natural gas development.

Read More

Certified-Responsible Renewable Energy: Good for the World, Good for the Neighborhood

Climate change is the most urgent challenge facing modern civilization. Since the vast majority of climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions come from energy—specifically burning fossil fuels for transportation and electricity generation—shifting to low- and no-carbon renewable energy sources is a crucial strategy to curb climate change and avoid global catastrophe.

Read More

EO is Hiring: Program Coordinator

If you or someone you know are interested in joining our New York City team, now’s your chance!

We are currently hiring a Program Coordinator to support a variety of Equitable Origin systems and activities.

Read More

EO Framework Attracts Attention of International Development Scholars

EO’s model for responsible energy production and our work with communities and companies, particularly in Latin America, has led to increasing recognition from various academics. Our pioneering work in the Amazon Basin during the organization’s early years offers unique insights and lessons for academics and researchers interested in local communities’ experiences with extractive industries in the region.

Read More

Talking Fracking’s Water Risks with the Shareholder Activists of ICCR and an Up-Close View of Fracking Impacts in Texas

Since the release of our draft standards for shale development, we have been focusing a lot of our attention on fracking. As we review and refine the draft standards, we at Equitable Origin want to know: what are the most pressing public health and environmental risks posed by fracking operations, according to the latest scientific research? What are the best practices industry can use to minimize those risks?

Read More

Indigenous Group in Southeastern Ecuador Embraces EO100™ Standard at Community Workshop

In late May of this year, two members of the EO team traveled to Puyo, Ecuador and led a stakeholder engagement workshop with members of the indigenous people’s organization Comuna San Jacinto del Pindo de Pastaza. Senior Advisor, Rene Ortiz and Director of Socio-environmental Affairs, Pablo Yépez represented EO at the workshop, which also included technical staff for the indigenous organization along with the group’s president, Gina Tibi.

Read More

EO Director of Operations Examines Sustainable Value Chains at 2015 SPLC Summit

At the end of May, EO’s Director of Operations Sarah Coulter attended the 2015 Summit of the Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council (SPLC) in Seattle, Washington. Each year the summit provides a networking opportunity for professionals working in the sustainability industry to share ideas and learn best practices from other attendees.

Read More

EO Reps Share Perspectives on the Value, Limitations, and Path Forward for Standards and Certification at ISEAL Conference

Last month, two EO team members, VP of Standards Soledad Mills and Director of Markets Sarah Coulter, spoke at separate sessions at the ISEAL Alliance annual conference in Berlin. Mills and Coulter shared experiences and insights from EO’s six years of experience as the only independent standards and certification system for the oil and gas industry with representatives of other systems from across industries and around the world.

Read More

Deadline to Submit Comments on Fracking Standards EXTENDED to May 31

We have extended the deadline to comment on the draft EO100 for Shale Oil and Gas, the first independent standards for responsible fracking, to May 31st!

Anyone who is interested now has until May 31st to browse and/or download the draft standards, and submit comments to shalestandards@equitableorigin.com.

Read More

Peruvian Indigenous Group AIDESEP Holds Press Conference to Call for Oil and Gas Regulations Based on EO100™ Standard

Following its official request to Peruvian government agencies in December of last year, the indigenous group AIDESEP called a press conference to publicly advocate for the creation of an oil development policy based on the provisions of the EO100 Standard.

Read More

Updates on the Review of Complaint Related to Labor Practices at Certified Sites

In December 2014, EO received a letter of complaint from the U.S.-based labor organization AFL CIO. Submission of the complaint, which alleged improper labor practices by certified site operator Pacific Rubiales Energy (PRE), initiated an internal review, performed in accordance with EO Procedures for Certification System Comments, Complaints, and Appeals.

Read More

EO Becomes Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council Member

The growing trend of heightened consciousness of the social and sustainability implications of purchasing decisions along companies’ entire supply chains provides numerous opportunities for EO to engage with consumer stakeholders. EO supports this trend by raising awareness and encouraging ethical purchasing decisions by energy consumers (people and companies) of all types and sizes.

Read More

Faculty Panelists Share Insights on Responsible Oil and Gas at EO-Organized Columbia University Event

Executive Director Steve Cohen of Columbia University’s Earth Institute welcomes attendees to Paying the True Price of Oil: Energy, Environment, Community, and Corporate Responsibility. On March 4, Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) hosted EO and guests for a screening of “Oil & Water,” panel discussion, and Q&A session. The event, Paying…

Read More

At Oakland Event, EO and Expert Panelists Weigh How to Curb Irresponsible Oil and Gas Development

Promotional image for the EO-hosted film and discussion event at Impact Hub Oakland on February 26, featuring Hugo Lucitante’s grandfather studying an open pit of crude oil in the Amazon rainforest. There are many different approaches that can be taken to reduce the negative social and environmental impacts of irresponsible oil and gas development in…

Read More

VIDEO: David Poritz Tells the Story Behind Equitable Origin at GreenBiz Forum

Last month, EO President David Poritz, and Director of Communications Josh Garrett traveled to Phoenix Arizona to attend the 2015 GreenBizForum. The three-day annual conference serves as a platform for various stakeholders within a wide array of industries to explore progress and developments in corporate sustainability and responsibility. GreenBiz, conference sustainable business media company, describes…

Read More

EO Gains Recognition With Colombia’s National Brand Label

EO has gained recognition as a positive influence on business in Colombia, in the form of certification under the country’s national brand, Marca Pais. Given that Colombia’s oil productions now exceeds 1 million barrels per day, an amount that has steadily increased since 2008, it is vital that steps be taken to ensure industry-wide social…

Read More

EO Joins Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility as Affiliate Member

Earlier this month, EO officially joined the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility (ICCR) as an affiliate member. ICCR is an alliance of faith-based and social value-driven groups that use investment management as a means of influencing positive change. As a member, EO will join a network of socially responsible businesses and investors who share the…

Read More

Seeking Qualified Consultants to Assist Oil and Gas Companies in Implementing EO100™ Standard

As more oil and gas companies seek to certify their sites under the EO100™ Standard, they will require increasing guidance to implement the operational changes necessary to achieve certification. To facilitate this consultation assistance, EO maintains a roster of Qualified Implementation Consultants. Today, we are launching a call for Qualified Consultants to join us in…

Read More

EO VP Talks Human Rights in Oil and Gas Sector at Houston Workshop

On February 5th, The Institute for Human Rights and Business (IHRB) held a workshop on human rights due diligence in the oil and gas sector. The IHRB is a self-described “think and do tank” that strives to provide expertise in relationship building between international human rights standards and businesses. IHRB prioritizes initiatives “that can have…

Read More

EO Review of Complaint Regarding Labor Practices at Certified Site Moving Forward

In December, EO received a letter of complaint from the U.S.-based labor organization AFL CIO. Submission of the complaint, which alleged improper labor practices by certified site operator Pacific Rubiales Energy (PRE), initiated an internal review, performed in accordance with EO Procedures for Certification System Comments, Complaints, and Appeals. To begin the review process, EO…

Read More

EO Hosts EO100™ Standard Consultation with Amazon Indigenous Organization CONFENIAE

From January 13th to 15th, Equitable Origin convened a meeting in Ecuador’s coastal province of Esmeraldas with leaders and representatives of a number of indigenous groups in the Ecuadorian Amazon. The purpose of the meeting was to consult with indigenous groups of the region on the EO100™ Standard, collect input on the impacts of oil…

Read More

As Oil Prices Fall, Increased Production Could Mean Greater Risk for Communities and the Environment

Anyone who drives a car has noticed by now that gas prices have dropped dramatically in the last several months, a result of falling global oil prices. But, while that is good for our wallets, it may not be good for the communities and ecosystems surrounding oil developments worldwide. After several years of mostly stable…

Read More

EO100™ Standard to Guide Mexico-Canada Discussions on Energy Development

Equitable Origin’s EO100™ Standard for responsible oil and gas development will be a touchstone for discussions on energy development practices between Mexican and Canadian trade representatives this year, according to an official document. The two nations’ shared energy interests was an area of focus at the September 2014 meeting of the Canada-Mexico Partnership’s Trade Investment…

Read More

EO President Tells GreenBiz.com How EO is Raising the Bar for Oil and Gas

EO landed on the front page of the leading sustainable business media outlet GreenBiz.com this week. GreenBiz Chairman and Executive Editor Joel Makower interviewed EO President and Co-Founder David Poritz about EO’s mission, the EO100™ Standard, and what needs to happen for the Equitable Origin System to successfully improve social and environmental practices in the…

Read More

EO President’s In-Depth Interview for What Now Podcast

The independent podcast series What Now examines the world’s most pressing social and environmental problems through interviews with the innovative people trying to solve them. EO’s President and Co-Founder David Poritz talked with What Now’s host Ken Rose last week, and the product is the December 30th episode of the podcast, available for streaming on…

Read More

EO VP Speaks at Aboriginal Oil and Gas Forum in Canada

Equitable Origin’s VP of Standers & Stakeholder Engagement, Soledad Mills, was a guest speaker at the 13th annual Aboriginal Oil and Gas Forum in Edmonton, Alberta in late November. The conference brought diverse groups of stakeholders together to discuss new opportunities and platforms for indigenous communities to participate in oil and gas development in northern…

Read More

EO Receives Complaint Regarding Certification of Labor Practices at Colombia Oil Site

Equitable Origin has received its first official complaint, from the U.S. labor organization AFL-CIO. Submitted in the form of a letter addressed to EO’s former Chief Executive Officer Stephen Newton (now a member of EO’s Board of Directors), the complaint included claims of practices at the certified Quifa and Rubiales oil fields operated by Pacific…

Read More

Indigenous Group Formally Requests Adoption of EO100™ Standard by Peruvian Government

The section of the Amazon Jungle in the Peruvian state of Madre de Dios has come to be a focus of international attention as sizable oil and natural gas reserves have made the region the site of likely development activity in the near future. On top of what could be the largest oil and gas…

Read More

EO100™ Standard Public Comment Period Extended by a Week!

Great news: we’ve extended the public comment period for the EO100™ Standard! We’ve received hundreds of comments on the standard since the public comment period opened in October, but wanted to give all those who intended to make comments but didn’t quite make the December 5th deadline a second chance. The period will now close…

Read More

EO Brings Drive Toward Responsible Oil, Info on EO Certificates to University of South Carolina

EO representatives traveled to the University of South Carolina (USC) on November 21st to meet with students, faculty and administrators about the EO system and how schools like USC could participate in improving oil and gas production practices. Along with certifying responsible oil and gas production sites under the EO100™ Standard, a main goal of…

Read More

EO Hosts EO100™ Consultation Workshop in Washington, D.C.

Equitable Origin brought together a diverse group of stakeholders for a consultation on the EO100™ Standard in Washington, D.C. last week. EO hosted a lunchtime event at the offices of RESOLVE, a nonprofit conflict resolution organization that works on environmental, social, and public health issues, on November 20th. The event included a screening of “Oil…

Read More

EO President Interviewed by E&E TV

EO President and Co-Founder David Poritz in the E&E Publishing studio for a video interview with journalist Monica Trauzzi While in Washington, D.C. last week, EO President and Co-Founder David Poritz stopped in at the studios of E&E TV (the tv arm of energy news outlet Energy & Environment Publishing) for an interview. Reporter Monica…

Read More

As Potential Oil and Gas Development Moves Forward Near Peru’s Protected Natural Areas, EO Brings Stakeholders Together

From the 3rd to 5th of November 2014, Equitable Origin held a workshop on the EO100 Standard and its ability to reduce the negative social and environmental impacts of oil and gas development in Peru. The workshop was hosted by FENAMAD, the Native Federation of the River and Tributaries of Madre de Dios, at their headquarters in the city of Puerto Maldonado. The meeting was called to discuss the applicability of the EO100 Standard in the Madre de Dios region, where proposals for oil and gas development of Lot 76 have come under increasing scrutiny and caused considerable controversy between indigenous groups, NGOs, government ministries and private oil companies. Located deep in the Peruvian Amazon, Lot 76 straddles three provinces and overlaps four protected natural areas, covering nearly all of the Amarakaeri Community Reserve, an area designated for its rich biodiversity and the historic cultural patrimony of several indigenous communities.

Read More

EO President Talks Indigenous Rights, Legal Theory with “Oil and Water” Co-Subject at University of Arizona Film Event

“Oil and Water” was once again the central topic of an interesting academic discussion on Wednesday night in Tuscon, Arizona. EO President and Co-Founder David Poritz and Hugo Lucitante, co-subject of the documentary film and representative of the Amazonian Cofán community attended the screening at the Loft Cinema and participated in a discussion that ranged from Lucitante’s experiences in his native Cofán village to the effectiveness of EO’s model of improving oil and gas development practice with voluntary standards.

Read More

EO’s Soledad Mills at BSR Conference 2014

Equitable Origin’s VP of Standards and Stakeholder Engagement Soledad Mills attended the BSR ’14 Conference last week to present on the panel “Changing the Conversation: Addressing Tough Issues through Proactive Transparency” along with Libby Annat, Ethical Trade and Sustainability Controller at Primark, and Daniel T. Bross, Senior Director of Global Citizenship at Microsoft. BSR is a global nonprofit dedicated working with companies through research, consulting and collaboration to develop sustainable business solutions for the future. BSR holds a yearly conference to bring together thought leaders at the intersections of business and sustainability to discuss their work and collaborate across a variety of issues.

Read More

Equitable Origin Vice President Meets with Government, Business Leaders from Mexico and Canada to Discuss EO Standards and Site Certification

EO Vice President of Standards and Stakeholder Engagement Soledad Mills (right) with NAFTA Office Representative in the Ministry of Economy of the Mexican Embassy in Canada Mario Rodríguez at the meeting in Ottawa. EO VP of Standards and Stakeholder Engagement Soledad Mills joined business and government stakeholders in Ottawa, Canada last month to discuss social…

Read More

EO Goes to London for ISEAL Effectiveness Days Workshops

EO’s Director of Certificate Markets, Sarah Coulter, attended ISEAL’s Effectiveness Days workshop in London this week. The series of workshops was an opportunity for the ISEAL community and ISEAL member organizations to come together and share experiences in best practices in social and environmental standards. The ISEAL Alliance is a global membership association to strengthen social and environmental standards like Equitable Origin’s, which joined ISEAL in 2013 as an associate member, the first member in the oil and gas sector, and later became a full member in May 2014 after a rigorous review process.

Read More

EO Offers Advice on “Challenges of Hydrocarbon Development in the Amazon” at Government Meeting in Colombia

On October 23rd and 24th Colombia’s National Agency for Hydrocarbons (ANH – Agencia Nacional de Hidrocarburos) co-hosted an event on the social and environmental challenges of hydrocarbon development in the Amazon. The event was part of the Initiative for Conservation in the Andean Amazon (ICAA) and was co-organized by Colombia’s Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, National Natural Parks of Colombia, the US Department of the Interior, and the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and was held at the ANH offices in Bogotá.

Read More

EO CEO Offers Advice on Community Engagement at Oil and Gas Industry Conference

Equitable Origin Chief Executive Officer Stephen Newton touted the virtues of transparent and good-faith engagement with communities as part of responsible oil and gas development at the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) technical conference in Amsterdam on Wednesday.

Read More

EO President Joins Other Social Enterprise Innovators at UK’s Emerge Conference

Equitable Origin President and co-founder David Poritz headed across the pond to Oxford, U.K. for the Emerge Conference last weekend, where he mingled with other “young professionals aspiring to drive transformational change.” He spoke on Sunday morning at the Developing and Enforcing Standards of Sustainable Business Practice track session, which explored certification as a means of promoting fair and responsible social and environmental practices and as a response to the growing movement of conscious consumption.

Read More

EO President Talks Responsible Development, Fossil Fuel Divestment at UMass Amherst

At the invitation of the school’s Eco-Reps program, EO President and co-founder David Poritz visited the University of Massachusetts, Amherst last week as part of Campus Sustainability Day last week. Following a screening of “Oil and Water” at the campus center, Poritz participated in a panel discussion on the university’s fossil fuel use, the Equitable Origin model for linking conscientious consumers to responsible producers, and the fossil fuel divestment movement on campus.

Read More

Crowdsourcing Higher Social and Environmental Standards

As part of the revision process of the EO100™ Standard, Equitable Origin has launched a new online public consultation tool to solicit feedback and hear what you have to say. This crowdsourcing effort is an extension of Equitable Origin’s core commitment to multistakeholder engagement, a cornerstone of Equitable Origin’s approach to credible standard setting. Equitable…

Read More

Oil and Water” Wins Top Doc Honors at Northampton Film Fest

“Oil and Water” continued to impress at the Northampton International Film Festival last weekend. The film’s co-directors Laurel Spellman Smith and Francine Strickwerda took home both the jury prize and audience prize for Best Documentary from the festival. EO President David Poritz was on hand for the Saturday screening of of the film, and offered…

Read More

David Poritz Gives Talks at Brown’s Watson Institute and the Yale School of Management

After the series of First Readings events, David Poritz continued his visit at Brown with a talk and discussion with students visiting the university as part of the Botín Scholars program hosted by the Watson Institute for International Studies. For the past five years, the Fundación Botín has sponsored forty students from Latin America with…

Read More

Oil & Water” Comes to Brown University

David Poritz returned to his alma mater Brown University last week as part of a weeklong series of events and discussions on the film “Oil and Water,” the documentary directed by Laurel Spellman Smith and Francine Strickwerda that traces the founding of Equitable Origin. The film was assigned to new students to watch over the…

Read More

How Can We Make Oil and Gas More Responsible? We Need Your Input

We need your feedback on the EO100™ Standard to help us ensure it reflects current industry best practices and stakeholder expectations on social, environmental, and ethical performance of oil and gas operations. Our online consultation tool is available for anyone to submit comments for a period of 60 days from October 6 to December 5,…

Read More

EO’s VP of Standards and Stakeholder Engagement Soledad Mills Speaks at the UN World Conference on Indigenous Peoples

Though intervention in Syria and climate change demonstrations dominated headlines last week during the UN General Assembly, another significant event was also underway, the first UN World Conference on Indigenous Peoples, inaugurated by Evo Morales and Ban Ki-moon. Soledad Mills, Equitable Origin’s Vice-President of Standards & Stakeholder Engagement, was invited to speak at the conference…

Read More

Perspectives on Certified-Responsible Oil: Pacific Rubiales Sustainability Lead Valeria Santos

As part of our ongoing series of perspectives on the world’s first certified-responsible oil production site, we asked Valeria Santos, Sustainability Lead for Pacific Rubiales Energy, to share her thoughts on what the certification means for her company and the oil industry at large, and her response follows. Pacific Rubiales is the owner of the…

Read More

Watch “Oil and Water” for Free Online Until October 22

The documentary film “Oil and Water” tells the fascinating story of Equitable Origin’s evolution out of company co-founder and President David Poritz’s experiences with oil development in the Ecuadorian Amazon. You can now watch the film online for free util October 22nd! Click here to watch the film on the PBS Global Voices website. Please…

Read More

“Oil and Water” TV Premiere Sunday Sep. 21

Remember to set your DVR because “Oil and Water” premieres on the PBS World Channel on Sunday September 21st at 10 pm (click the link to find your local World Channel station and airtime). The documentary film chronicles EO founder and President David Poritz’s experiences with irresponsible oil development in the Ecuadorian Amazon that led…

Read More

EO Founder David Poritz at Hometown Showing of “Oil and Water”

Equitable Origin President David Poritz takes the stage for a Q&A session as the “Oil and Water” credits roll at Amherst Cinema on Monday September 15. Equitable Origin founder and President David Poritz was on hand for the screening of the film “Oil and Water” in his home town of Amherst, Massachusetts on Monday. Following…

Read More

Perpsectives on Certified-Responsible Oil: ISEAL Alliance Executive Director Karin Kreider

Equitable Origin is the only standards and certification system for the oil and gas industry, but it has many counterparts in different industries around the world. Independent certification systems help identify and support more socially and environmentally responsible practices in agriculture, forestry, and water use, just to name a few. Besides raising the bar for…

Read More

Report on the World’s First Certified-Responsible Oil Development Site

Earlier this week, Equitable Origin issued the world’s first certification for socially and environmentally responsible practices by an oil production operation. The certified site, located in Colombia and operated by Pacific Rubiales Energy, achieved certification by demonstrating adherence to the EO100™ Standard for best industry practices across several categories, like Fair Labor and Working Conditions…

Read More

Certified Responsible Oil Production: From Crazy Idea to Reality

It only took a few visits to the oil-producing region of the Ecuadorian Amazon before I realized that I wanted to do something drastic to help improve the lives of the people there. I was only 15 at the time, but it was painfully obvious that what these communities needed in order to achieve a…

Read More

EO Certifies first Site for Responsible Oil Production!

We are extremely pleased to announce that EO certified the world’s first oil production site under the EO100™ Standard! The site, which consists of two oil fields in Colombia, is operated by the country’s largest private operator, Pacific Rubiales Energy. The site is one of the largest in Colombia, producing 250,000 barrels of oil per…

Read More

What is #ResponsibleOil?

As with wood products, diamonds, and coffee, there are responsible and irresponsible ways to explore for and produce oil and natural gas. Responsible oil is produced using practices that respect the rights and wishes of local communities, provide an equitable share of the economic benefits with those communities, and minimize environmental impacts. Some oil and…

Read More

EO Founder and President David Poritz Interviewed on NPR’s “Radio Boston”

Co-founder and President of Equitable Origin David Poritz appeared on National Public Radio Station WBUR Boston on Friday to discuss the film “Oil and Water” and EO’s work and mission. David and “Oil and Water” co-director Laurel Spellman Smith were interviewed by reporter Sacha Pfieffer for the “Radio Boston” program. In the interview, David recounts…

Read More

EO Leads Workshop on EO100™ Standard with Indigenous Peoples’ Group in Peru

Beginning on September 1, 2014, Equitable Origin held a three-day workshop in Iquitos, Peru at the headquarters of the Organization of the Indigenous Peoples of the East (ORPIO) the regional subsidiary of the Interethnic Association for the Development of the Peruvian Jungle (AIDESEP) for the Loreto region of Peru. AIDESEP is a non-profit organization that…

Read More

EO travels to Belize to meet with Maya leaders

On the 22 and 23 of August, Equitable Origin President David Poritz and VP of Standards and Stakeholder Engagement Soledad Mills traveled to Belize with James Anaya, former UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, to meet with the Maya Leaders Alliance and the Toledo Alcaldes Association. Meetings took place in the town…

Read More

EO’s Director of Socio-Environmental Affairs Meets with Amazon Indigenous Peoples’ Group on Strategies for Responsible Oil Development

Equitable Origin’s Sebastián Pérez presents the EO system to representatives of OPIAC Equitable Origin’s Pablo Yépez and Sebastián Pérez met with representatives from OPIAC, the Organization of the Indigenous Peoples of the Colombian Amazon, in August 2014 to discuss the working relationship between the two organizations, share news and success stories, and to plan next…

Read More

Jhon Wajai: The EO100™ Standard as a Tool for Empowering Indigenous Communities

Jhon Wajai is a member of the Shuar Indigenous People of Ecuador and Peru. He provides technical and political support to Indigenous Peoples’ organizations in the Amazon region, including CONFENIAE, Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities of the Ecuadorian Amazon, and COICA, Coordinator of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon River Basin. After participating in the Indigenous Community…

Read More

Indigenous Community Workshop: San Pablo, Ecuador

On July 31 and August 1, 2014, Equitable Origin was invited to participate in a workshop with COICA and CONFENIAE, indigenous organizations of the Ecuadorian Amazon, to discuss best practices in the oil & gas industry and potential uses of the EO100™ Standard. The workshop took place in the Siekopai community called San Pablo de…

Read More

Oil & Water screens at Rhode Island International Film Festival

An enthusiastic audience collected in Providence, RI at 2:30pm on August 7, 2014 to watch the screening of Oil & Water at the Rhode Island International Film Festival. EO’s President and Co-Founder David Poritz participated in a Q&A session after the film with director Laurel Spellman Smith, answering questions that ranged from updates on the…

Read More

Indigenous Community Workshop: Applying the EO100™ Standard in Orito, Colombia

On April 9th and 10th of 2014, in the Colombian municipality of Orito, Putumayo, with the participation of representatives from chapters and councils of the Indigenous Zone Organization of Putumayo (OZIP), Equitable Origin inaugurated the Awareness and Empowerment Workshop for the use and application of the EO100™ Standard as a useful tool for indigenous organizations…

Read More

Meeting Colombia’s Mayors

On May 21, 2014, Fernando Benalcazar, EO’s VP of Global Implementation and VP Latin America, gave a presentation to mayors of the Colombian municipalities most affected by oil and gas exploration and production. He was invited to give this presentation by Dr. Gilberto Toro, Executive Director of the Colombian Federation of Municipalities. In the presentation,…

Read More

Equitable Origin Achieves Full Membership in the ISEAL Alliance

The ISEAL Alliance has approved Equitable Origin’s application to progress from associate to full membership, the highest membership status in ISEAL, following a review of its standard-setting systems and monitoring and evaluation program.

Read More

Building trust: Social license to operate in the oil and gas industry

Jhon Wajai, representative of COICA, sits down with Soledad Mills, our VP of Stakeholder Engagement, at the SPE conference. The oil and gas industry faces a serious deficit of public trust. A recent study by the Reputation Institute asked 55,000 consumers to rank the world’s 100 most reputable companies among multinational businesses with a global…

Read More

Equitable Origin Forms Partnership with Colombia’s Country Brand to Bring Social and Environmental Standards to the South American nation’s Oil and Gas Industry

Contact: Amy Blumenthal Blumenthal & Associates 617-879-1511 amyb@blumenthalpr.com New York, NY/Bogota, Colombia, August 26, 2013 – Equitable Origin (EO), the first stakeholder-based, independent social and environmental certification for the oil and gas industry, has formed a landmark partnership with Colombia’s Country Brand, to promote certification of Colombia’s oil and gas production under the EO100™ Standard….

Read More

Creating Shared Value in the Extractive Industries

It is broadly accepted that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a necessary part of a company’s approach to business and contributes to long-term value for companies that continue to treat their employees well and “give back” to their neighbors. Yet, critics complain that, despite strongly voiced arguments to look through a “CSR lens,” the CSR…

Read More

Why Latin America?

At Equitable Origin, our goal is to positively transform the global oil and gas industry, to ensure that biodiversity is protected and local communities benefit both economically and socially from oil and gas development. While our sights are set on the world, we are starting with Latin America, where a significant amount of new oil…

Read More