Istituto Oikos is a non-profit organisation that operates in Europe and in the South of the world to safeguard biodiversity. It promotes a responsible management of natural resources and the widespread adoption of more-sustainable lifestyles as tools for social and economic development and for fighting poverty.
Oikos is an independent, non-religious organisation. It was founded in 1996 in Milan. Since then, we have devised and developed over 350 projects in Italy and in seventeen countries across Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America.
Istituto Oikos is an organisation founded on one guarantee:
We work to protect key areas for biodiversity, preserving and enhancing natural environments, key resources for the well-being of present and future generations.
In collaboration with institutions, universities and local communities we are involved in soil and sustainable agriculture conservation programmes, the management of water, forests and protected areas; we promote sources of renewable energy and the development of small income generating activities linked to the sustainable use of resources.
We create programmes to monitor fauna and safeguard the most endangered species, we develop environmental assessment models, databases and territorial information systems, interventions for land redevelopment, the development of plans for the management and enhancement of protected areas. All of our initiatives are accompanied by training and awareness campaigns: the importance of the sustainability of interventions must be understood by and shared with citizens, rural communities and institutions.
We promote educational and awareness-raising programmes with the aim of encouraging students, teachers, citizens and local entities to adopt more sustainable lifestyles.
Read the Code of Ethics and Conduct
Istituto Oikos is governed by the Assembly of its members, which approves the financial statements and determines the strategic guidelines of the organization, inspired by the Vision and Mission and defined in the 2019-2023 Strategic Plan, and by a Board of Directors, which guides and oversees the ordinary management. It is composed of a President (guarantor), a Vice-President, a Secretary and two advisors. The Board of Directors is assisted by a Scientific Committee, by a Supervisory Body and by a Legal Auditor.
Board of Directors
Rossella Rossi (President)
Adriano Martinoli (Vice President)
Alessandra Gagliardi (Member)
Francesca Lucchi (Member)
Sergio Vismara (Member)
Vittorio Rinaldi (Member)
Legal Auditor
Maria Clotilde Cermisoni
Supervisory Body
Rossella Rossi
Giorgio Cancelliere
Eugenio Carlini
> Associazione di protezione ambientale riconosciuta ai sensi dell’art.13 della L.349/86 con DM n 385 del 24/09/2021
> Accredited NPO (Varese Prefecture)
> Enrolled in the public register of Civil Society Organisations (OSC) and other not-for profit entities, pursuant to art. 26 of Law no. 125/2014 of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (Decree no. 2016/337/000241/0 dated 04/04/2016)
> Socially useful NPO pursuant to Decree 760/97
> CoLomba (Lombard NGO association)
> International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
> Italian Association for Responsible Tourism (AITR)
> Italian Coalition to Fight Poverty
> Italian NGO Association
