Our Projects

Environment and Sustainability

We live in a precious and beautiful world. We are all increasingly aware, though, that is also an incredibly fragile one. Comparatively small changes in human behaviour can have huge impact on ecosystems and environments. Industrialisation has provided prosperity and comfort to communities the world over, but sometimes its cost has been significant in terms of its impact upon the world around us and the animals we share the planet with as well as the lives of individual human beings.

Biodiversity loss has deprived some of our rarest and most previous animals of their habitats and pushed them into direct conflict with humans. The climate crisis has made some parts of our planet increasingly challenging to live in already and could make millions homeless as rising sea levels wipe out whole districts of low-lying land. So many of our business and engineering processes result in waste or harmful outputs or deplete precious natural resources in unsustainable ways.

IFF works to help organisations address some of these challenges, helping them devise effective strategies for sustainable growth and to minimise their environmental impact. We work with communities to help them develop realistic and deliverable innovations to preserve the best of their environment and restore our natural world to its fullest beauty.

Women and Children

Research tells us that on every single measure of wellbeing or wealth, women consistently (and often significantly) underperform men. In other words – structural disadvantages in society make women’s lives harder. Every issue that the world faces, therefore, needs to be considered with an eye on gender and the dynamics of women’s experiences. Addressing the needs of women and children is not only a moral imperative but also a strategic approach to creating lasting positive change in society.

All the evidence suggests that empowering women leads to stronger communities. Educating girls, for instance, has far-reaching benefits. It reduces child marriage rates, promotes healthier families, improves women’s wages, and empowers them to become leaders at community and government levels, improving the lives of the whole family at the same time.

By focusing on gender equality, IFF seeks to address systemic discrimination. Working to end violence against girls helps ensure they can access education without fear of prejudice or harm.

Women and children are disproportionately affected by poverty. IFF understands that investing in their well-being and education breaks the cycle of poverty. When women thrive, entire communities benefit.

Culture and Heritage

Our cultures, histories and heritage together comprise a large part of what makes our experience as nations both cohesive and distinctive. Our shared stories shape our self-understanding whilst also helping us understand why things are the way they are. Our experiences (and also the places, artefacts and rituals that we value) have immense significance for helping us appreciate and interpret our place in the world.

It’s therefore crucially important that we work to preserve this precious inheritance. We need to tell the stories of our founding mothers and fathers, remember the tragedies and the triumphs of our past (and of the ancient histories described in our sacred texts, whatever the tradition). We need to work to preserve the ancient monuments where generations have gathered to celebrate, worship, protest and mourn – where the formative experiences of our lives and national identities occurred.

IFF seeks to promote the remembering of these great epic stories and their contextualisation into the contemporary world, helping us remember too that music, dance, theatre, poetry and song encapsulate so much of who we are and help hold our communities together in times of joy and adversity. Even the darkest moments in world history can teach us important lessons about who we are and help us guard against future global disasters.

Health and Wellbeing

Poverty is one of the single biggest indicators, if not causes, of ill health. One recent survey suggests that the poorest 40% of the world’s population are more than twice as likely as the wealthiest 20% to suffer from poor health (The Health Foundation, 2020), and they are far less equipped to manage the medical bills and the time away from work that inevitably follow chronic illnesses.

Physical ill health, however, isn’t the only problem we face. Mental wellbeing worldwide has plummeted since the COVID pandemic, with millions worldwide suffering from anxiety, fear and stress or confronted by loneliness and isolation. These are big challenges for our world, but they are not insurmountable. Meditation and mindfulness can have hugely positive impact upon both mental and physical wellness, and learning effective coping strategies can help sufferers manage their anxieties, build their resilience and learn to thrive even in the midst of adversity.

IFF’s work in the health and wellbeing space seeks to help people worldwide ensure that they will have a happy, healthy and safe future, by raising awareness of health issues and promoting strategies for better and healthier living.

Education and Training

Education is a fundamental human right and a powerful driver of development. It contributes to poverty reduction, improved health, gender equality, peace, and stability and serves as the engine of the economy, equipping individuals with essential skills, knowledge, and adaptability needed for joining the workforce, giving individuals the opportunity for improving their lot in life and building a ladder out of poverty. A well-educated population drives economic growth and innovation.

All too often, though, education and training are not freely available to all. Costs can be prohibitive, but even where funding is available, the practicalities of access to educational opportunities can be very challenging indeed. Yet where these obstacles can be addressed, education can have a massively positive impact, breaking down barriers and fostering inclusion, allowing people from diverse backgrounds to access quality learning.

Education and vocational training both ensure equity by providing equal opportunities for all. It In our work in this area, IFF seeks to draw upon education and training as resources to empower individuals, strengthen societies, and pave the way for a better future.