Acorn International LLC
1740 Massachusetts Avenue
Boxborough, MA 01719
+1-978-263-4334(o)
+1-978-501-2962(c)
info@acornintl.net
www.acornintl.net
NEWS RELEASE
August 20, 2007
On August 14, 2007, Acorn International, LLC (Acorn) hosted an Environmental Issues Web Forum
with its partners to discuss industry trends. The forum was held as part of our commitment to
promoting capacity building with our in-country partners on issues and needs of priority interest to our
international industry and investment clients. The purpose of the forum was to allow Acorn and our
partners to share experiences from around the world on environmental management issues that are
of increasing importance to US industries operating overseas, disseminate useful resources
pertaining to Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and related topics, and to enhance the value of
our partnerships.
The forum focused on four emerging issues: stakeholder engagement and social impact assessment;
biodiversity; health impact assessment; and greenhouse gas and climate change. Participants
discussed the emphasis of these trends within the context of EIA in their countries. Discussion
revealed that stakeholder engagement, social and health impact assessment and biodiversity are
topics of increasing global concern to both clients and governments, and that the industry as a whole
appears to be addressing these as long-term project concerns through EIA. Although climate change
is a popular topic in the US and Europe, it does not appear to be receiving the same level of attention
in developing countries.
Acorn was pleased to share time and information with our global partners, and looks forward to
hosting similar events on an annual basis. After reviewing key findings of the forum discussion,
Acorn provided a survey to its partners to collect more detailed information about these key emerging
issues, to assess the level of preparation of in-country consultants in helping address these issues,
and to identify priorities for capacity building with our in-country partners.
Acorn International, LLC
is a professional consulting services company dedicated to delivering
world-class, affordable Environmental, Health, Safety and Sustainability (EHSS) assurance and
straight-forward results for overseas development projects. The company operates not through a
traditional consulting services model but by providing structured tools and guidance to
qualified host-country teams, maintaining a link with international clients and building
capacity in the host-country team. Acorn delivers:
1. Established teams of local country experts partnered with and directed by an expert in
assuring world-class EHSS assessment and management performance standards are met
2. Advice to international industry needing to build world-class EHSS programs
3. Recruitment and oversight/management of partners and service providers (EHSS and
other) overseas
Working with Acorn will allow international industries to better manage the increasingly delicate
balance between meeting corporate requirements for reliable, simplified service while satisfying host
country demands for maximum local content.
Acorn International
C O N S U L T I N G - P A R T N E R I N G
Acorn International
C O N S U L T I N G - P A R T N E R I N G
