Full Memberships Applying for Full Membership Contacting the secretariat at secretariat@globalecolabelling.net with all the necessary supported documents Then the board of directors will discuss the application – recommended to submit applications in advance of spring and autumn due to board meetings only occurring twice annually. A GENICES audit is required for full membership All decision or information request made by board of directors will be sent back to applicants If application is granted, a representative of applicants is invited and requested to attended GEN next annual general meeting. The final decision on Full Membership is made at the AGM through a vote by the existing membership in attendance at the AGM. An affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the membership in attendance at the AGM is required for Full Membership to be granted. Organizations which are successfully granted full membership in GEN must begin to pay membership dues when the invoice is issued to them, usually in the next calendar year. Benefits of Full Membership Members are invited to attend the GEN Annual General Meeting (AGM), which is an international conference that provides opportunity for a variety of workshops dedicated to trends in ecolabelling, green procurement and other topics pertinent to GEN. The GEN AGM week also provides for an exceptional networking opportunity to engage standards practitioners from a variety of different countries and regions. Full members are listed on the GEN website; they can submit articles for inclusion in the GEN News magazine which is published bi-annually and GENews email newsletters. Full members have access to the members-only section of the GEN website, have voting rights at the Annual General Meeting and are eligible to undertake the GENICES process. Full members also have access to the GEN badge and logo. Membership Eligibility Requirements Full membership in the Global Ecolabelling Network is open to Type I ecolabelling programs that are fully operational and that actively pursue GEN’s mission. Applicants must fulfill all of the following requirements: Operate a Type I ecolabelling program as defined by the ISO 14024 standard; Have processes in place to continually improve the program; Have standards which address the most significant environmental impacts of the product or service; Have standards that are set at a performance level which result in measurable progress towards the program objectives; Engage a balanced and representative group of stakeholders in standards development; Identify and mitigate conflicts of interest throughout all operations; Exhibit independence from undue commercial influence; Make relevant information freely available about the development and content of the standards and how the program is governed; Claims and communications made by the program about its benefits or impacts are verifiable and not misleading; Have open access to potential licensees from all countries; Are based solely on voluntary participation for potential licensees; Have certified products and licensees; and Have well-documented policies and procedures that can demonstrate compliance with all of the above requirements. Have completed GENICES, the Corporation’s International Coordinated Ecolabelling System (determination at the GEN Board of Director’s discretion) Associate Memberships Applying for Associate Membership Contacting the secretariat at secretariat@globalecolabelling.net with all the necessary supported documents Then the board of directors will discuss the application – recommended to submit applications in advance of spring and autumn due to board meetings only occurring twice annually. All decision or information request made by board of directors will be sent back to applicants If application is granted, a representative of applicants is invited and requested to attended GEN next annual general meeting. The final decision on Associate Membership is made at the AGM through a vote by the existing membership in attendance at the AGM. An affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the membership in attendance at the AGM is required for Associate Membership to be granted. Organizations which are successfully granted Associate Membership in GEN must begin to pay membership dues when the invoice is issued to them, usually in the next calendar year. Associate members are expected to undergo the audit for GENICES by 1 September of the first year so that the Board can review the auditors’ report and determine whether full membership will be recommended to the members at the AGM. Benefits of GEN Associate Membership Associates are invited to attend the GEN Annual General Meeting (AGM), which is an international conference that provides an opportunity to join in a variety of workshops dedicated to trends in ecolabelling, green procurement and other topics pertinent to GEN. The GEN AGM week also provides for an exceptional networking opportunity to engage standards practitioners from a variety of different countries and regions. Associates are also listed on the GEN website, and they can submit articles for inclusion in the GEN News magazine which is published bi-annually and GENews email newsletters. Associate members also have access to the GEN badge and logo. Associate members have access to the members-only section of the GEN website. Associates are only eligible to undertake the GENCIES process as part of a transition to full membership. Affiliate Memberships Affiliate Membership Application and Review Process Contacting the secretariat at secretariat@globalecolabelling.net with all the necessary supported documents Then the board of directors will discuss the application – recommended to submit applications in advance of spring and autumn due to board meetings only occurring twice annually. All decision or information request made by board of directors will be sent back to applicants If application is granted, a representative of applicants is invited and requested to attended GEN next annual general meeting. The final decision on Affiliate Membership is made at the AGM through a vote by the existing membership in attendance at the AGM. An affirmative vote of at least two-thirds of the membership in attendance at the AGM is required for Affiliate Membership to be granted. If you have any questions, please contact secretariat@globalecolabelling.net Benefits of Affiliate Membership The Affiliate members are our supporting and partner organisations. They are a critical part of our ecosystem and together we really can create real change. GEN provides knowledge and information sharing with our Affiliate members in order to support their own sustainability change making. GEN supports affiliate organizations to gather regional insights regarding ecolabelling and green procurement from experts from around the globe and provides a strong platform for collaboration and support for engaging in activities of mutual benefit. Additional benefits: Complimentary admission to the GEN Annual General Meeting which often includes an international conference and a variety of workshops dedicated to trends in ecolabelling, green procurement and other topics pertinent to sustainability and ecolabelling. Updates and alerts on initiatives, events and research on ecolabelling Listing on the GEN website and subscription to monthly GENews and email newsletters Access to the GEN Affiliate Member badge Affiliate Membership Eligibility Requirements Per GEN Bylaws Article V, Section 2a To be eligible for Affiliate status an organization must actively support the [GEN] Corporation’s mission and fulfill all of the following requirements: Exhibit independence from undue commercial influence. Have a source of funding that does not compromise the Corporation’s credibility. Have no links with illegal or unethical practices. Have a reputation as a credible and respectable organization that does not compromise the Corporation’s credibility. Member fee will also be required annually.