I: DENOMINATION

1. ICGdR: The International Consortium on Geo-disaster Reduction, hereinafter referred as “ICGdR” is an international non-governmental and non-profit-making scientific organization.

 

II: OBJECTIVES

2. To contribute for a safe and secured social and natural environment, the principal objectives of ICGdR are to:

(a) Promote geo-disaster reduction for the benefit of human society and the natural environment, and capacity development, including education; 

(b) Combine international expertise and coordinate their efforts in geo-disaster reduction, thereby resulting in an effective international organization, which will act as a partner in various projects; and

(c) Conduct regional and global, multi- disciplinary activity on geo-disaster reduction.

Through the following specified non-profit activities:

(1) Activities to preserve the environment;

(2) International cooperation activities;

(3) Disaster reduction operation.

To achieve the objectives of the consortium, the legal corporation undertakes the following specified non-profit activities.

(1) Promote the international research on geo-disaster for the benefit of society and environment;

(2) Capacity development and education and publicity related to geo-disasters;

(3) Editing and publication of an academic journal related to geo-disasters;

(4) Planning and operation of international meetings, including symposia and field trips, lectures, short courses, and training courses;

(5) Coordination and cooperation with related international organizations;

(6) Other necessary activities to achieve the objective of the consortium.

 

III: BACKGROUND AND DOMICILE

3. The ICGdR was established in 2013 as a result of the ten-year long activities of the core members through the annual symposiums on the mitigation of geo-disaster in Asia. The domicile of the ICGdR is Fukui City, Japan, where the Secretariat is located. The official language of the consortium is English.

 

IV: BOARD MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS

4. Board Member Organizations (BMO) of the consortium are those organizations who support the objectives of the ICGdR intellectually, practically and financially, and has capacity to hold major activities, such as symposia, field trips, etc. Members will be invited from one of four categories: 

(a) Intergovernmental organizations;

(b) Non-governmental organizations;

(c) Governmental organizations and public organizations;

(d) Other organizations and entities.

 

V: ADVISERS

5. Relevant UN entities and the leaders of the board member organization may wish to attend the Steering Committee and the Board of Representatives, and give suggestions and advices to the ICGdR management. 

 

VI: INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS

6. Individual members (IM) of the consortium are those  individuals who work as experts in the related fields for the purpose to reduce geo-disaster.

 

VII: SUPPORTERS

7. Supporters are the organizations and individuals who support the objectives of ICGdR and provide funds for activities without being the member of the consortium. 

 

VIII: BOARD OF REPRESENTATIVES

8. Full power for the management of the consortium is vested in the Board of Representatives, which will meet at least annually. The quorum and internal regulations are defined by the Bylaws. 

9. The Board of Representatives shall be composed of representatives of the board member organizations and individual members. Each board member organization shall designate one representative to the board. 

10. In the absence of a member's representative from any meeting of the Board of Representatives, alternative representative should attend the meeting and execute all the rights, powers and privileges of the absent representative. Alternatively, the representative may delegate his/her rights, powers and privileges to another member of the ICGdR for that particular meeting, or authorize him/her to act and vote on his/her behalf. 

11. The Board of Representatives shall:

(a) Determine general policy;

(b) Decide future priorities for the activities of ICGdR;

(c) Approve or change, if necessary, the budget and accounts;

(d) Nominate, accept or reject adviser;

(e) Examine and decide on each application submitted for member or supporter status;

(f) Elect the Officers of the ICGdR in accordance with the Bylaws;

(g)Terminate the status of any member or supporter of ICGdR that has failed to fulfill any of its obligations or when the association is no longer considered appropriate, in accordance with the Bylaws;

(h) Change the statutes and Bylaws;

(i) Deal with other items, to which may be referred.

12. Voting decisions will be decided on a simple majority of the attending members and at least one half of all members. Each Member shall have one vote. Normally the president of ICGdR will not vote but in the event of a tie, the president may have the final vote. 

 

IX: STEERING COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD

13. The Steering Committee of the Board shall consist of: 

(a) A president, vice presidents, director-general, management directors, secretary-general, financial director and the immediate past president;

(b) Committee leaders;

(c) Active members; and 

(d) Advisers. 

14. The Steering Committee, which duly reflects the international character of the consortium, reports to the Board of Representatives. It oversees the operations of the ICGdR and recommends the direction and priorities of the ICGdR to the Board of Representatives. 

15. The Steering Committee shall meet as often as necessary and at least annually. Its duties are to:

(a) Prepare the agenda for the meetings of the Board of Representatives; 

(b) Present to each annual meeting of the Board of Representatives a report of the administrative activities of the ICGdR since the previous ordinary meeting; 

(c) Propose a draft budgetary outline for consideration by the meeting of the Board of Representatives and recommend the amount of annual membership fees to be paid by members and supporters for the ensuing 2-year period; and 

(d) Review the activities of the ICGdR and make appropriate recommendations to the meeting of the Board of Representatives.

 

X: SECRETARIAT

16.  The Secretariat is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the ICGdR. It consists of the director-general, the secretary-general, the financial director and other secretarial members. The number of secretarial members may vary and will depend on the extent of the activities of the ICGdR. 

17. The secretariat prepares for and reports to the meetings of the Steering Committee including: 

(a) preparation of an annual work plan for the administrative activities of the ICGdR;

(b) preparation of an annual budget and financial report of the ICGdR;

(c) preparation of an annual report of the administrative activities of the ICGdR; and

(d) dissemination of information.

 

XI: ANNUAL SYMPOSIA AND TRAINING COURSES

18. Symposia and training courses shall be organized annually by board member organizations, in order to present the scientific and technological progresses achieved through the ICGdR activities, as well as to train young scientists and engineers for capacity development. 

 

XII: OFFICERS

19. The Officers of the ICGdR shall consist of the president, the vice presidents, the director-general, the management directors, the secretary-general, the financial director and the immediate past president. They shall meet and communicate as often as is deemed necessary. 

(a)The president of the ICGdR shall preside all meetings of the Board of Representatives and the Steering Committee, and shall perform other duties and execute other powers as shall be assigned by the Board of Representatives. 

(b) The vice presidents shall assist the president and in his/her absence preside meetings and execute the powers of the president in his/her place. 

(c) The director-general, except as otherwise provided by the Board of Representatives, shall be the chief executive officer of the consortium and executes contracts and agreements with external parties on behalf of the ICGdR. Upon the approval of the Steering Committee, the director-general, may appoint secretaries, working groups or committees to assist in carrying out the task of the consortium. 

(d) The management directors shall assist the director-general for the management of the consortium.

(e) The financial director, in accordance with the financial regulations to be developed, approved by the Board of Representatives and set out in the Bylaws, shall collect, receive and have charge and custody of the funds and securities of the consortium. The accounts of the consortium shall be updated at the end of each financial year and submitted by the financial director to the Board of Representatives after having been audited by two authorized auditors appointed by the Board of Representatives. 

(f) The president shall be elected by the Board of Representatives, in accordance with the Bylaws, and hold office for a term of three years, beginning from January 1st of the year following the ordinary meeting of the Board of Representatives at which he or she has been elected. The president may be re-elected but may not hold the same office for more than two consecutive terms.

The vice-presidents and the director-general shall each be recommended by the president and approved by the Board of Representatives. The management directors, the secretary-general and the financial director shall each be recommended by the director-general and approved by the Board of Representatives. They shall hold office for three calendar years beginning from January 1st of the year following the meeting of the Board of Representatives at which they have been approved.

 

XIII: FINANCE

20. The funds of ICGdR are obtained from: 

(a) Membership fees from Members;

(b) Funds from Supporters;

(c) Other subventions, donations and financial support; and

(d) Funds for research and investigation projects on geo-disaster reduction which are requested by third parties and accepted by ICGdR.

 

XIV: MEMBERSHIP FEES

21. Annual and life membership fees for members and supporters are decided by the Board of Representatives. 

 

XV: TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP

22. Notification of termination of the membership must be given to the financial director at least one year in advance. If the payment of the membership fee is overdue for three years, it will be deemed to be automatically withdrawn, and the membership is terminated.

 

XVI: MODIFICATION OF THE STATUTES

23. Changes to the statutes require approval by a quorum of the Board of Representatives with a minimum of two-thirds majority of the casted votes. 

24. Changes in the Bylaws require approval by a quorum of the Board of Representatives with a simple majority of casted votes.

XVII: HONORARY FELLOWS

25. Honorary Fellows of the ICGdR may be proposed and elected by the Steering Committee of the Board of ICGdR at the Annual Meeting of the Committee.

26. Those proposed shall be those who have:

(a) given extensive and exemplary service to the ICGdR, and/or

(b) given extensive and exemplary service to the ICGdR Management Board, and/or

(c) demonstrated world class capability in the field of Geo-disaster Reduction.

27. Election of Honorary Fellows shall be in accordance with the normal voting procedures of the Steering Committee of the Board as defined by the current ICGdR Statutes and Bylaws.