The Sphere Project [to 19 December 2015]
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Sphere Board sets future course of action, elects new leadership
14 December 2015 | Sphere Project
Meeting in Geneva in mid-November, the Sphere Project Board of directors welcomed a new member to the Sphere companion standards family and endorsed moving ahead with the Global Humanitarian Standards Partnership. They also elected new officers and gave the green light for the full integration of the Core Humanitarian Standard with its indicators and guidance notes into the Sphere Handbook…

…Global Humanitarian Standards Partnership moves ahead
The Sphere Board also endorsed the creation of a Global Humanitarian Standards Partnership.

The purpose of the partnership is to strengthen the promotion of principled, evidence-based humanitarian response. By better coordinating their action and through enhanced mutual learning and joint advocacy, the humanitarian-setting initiatives involved will be able to build greater ownership by individuals, communities and organisations.

The partnership also intends to improve and further develop consistent standards models and approaches in order to continue building greater coherence and compatibility amongst humanitarian standards.

The decision to move ahead was based on the recommendation made by the current Sphere companion standards and the support of other partners, as well as the findings of a scoping study that showed widespread support for the proposed partnership among humanitarian practitioners…

New Board officers and members
RedR UK CEO Martin McCann was elected Chair of the Sphere Project Board. McCann has over three decades of experience in both international development and humanitarian work. He joined the Sphere Board in June 2012.

The Board elected Julien Schopp as Vice Chair. Schopp is the Director of Humanitarian Practice at InterAction. He has worked in the humanitarian sector for nearly 20 years and joined the Sphere Board in 2012.

The Board expressed its gratitude to Unni Krishnan from Plan International, who concluded his term as Chair at this meeting as well as to Carsten Völz, who stepped down as Vice Chair earlier this year as he ended his work relationship with Oxfam International.

Barbara Mineo, Humanitarian Director of Oxfam Intermon was welcomed as a new Board member. She replaces Carsten Völz…