The Future in our hands (FIOH) is Norway's largest movement for comprehensive social change. The same inspiration that brought it to life has also produced FIOH groups in Sweden, Great Britain, Sri Lankaand several other countries.

We are committed to the global environment and a globally fair distribution of wealth. We believe the two are inseparably linked, in a way that requires us to work on both subjects in an integrated way. The movement has about 23.000 members in Norway, and currently focus it's work around three pillars:

1. Consumption and quality of life
Create support for the need for a reduced consumption of natural resources in Norway, to protect the environment and the world's poor Create a longing in the population for a less commercialised society, and a lifestyle with a reduced focus on materialism.

2. Fair distribution
Create support for global redistribution, where the poor improve their living conditions, and the rich reduce their consumption of natural resources. Work to reverse the flow of capital, which currently runs from the South to the North.

3. Business ethics
Norwegian business and investments in poor countries shall contibute to levelling global inequalities, and improve environmental conditions. Environment and human rights shall not be sacrificed for the sake of business- and investment profit.

Some of the following links lead to Norwegian pages. These are marked with an (N). We still hope they will be useful in getting an impression of our work.

Methods of work

• The Norwatch project: Monitoring ethical standards on Norwegian foreign investments and Norwegian businesses' conduct in developing countries. It has a special focus on human rights impacts end environmental standards. Articles and comments to Norwegian media.
• Resarch reports (N): Environment and development issues together with recommended solutions. 
• Folkevett magazine (N): 6 issues/year distributed to members and prescribers, with articles on development issues, Norwegian business- and investment ethics abroad, environment, peace, values, new activities for social change, etc.
• Speeches for schools and other audiences.
• Debate - in the media and at local meetings.
• Wide range of activities at local FIOH chapters throughout the country.

For further information, please contact the coordination office (N) in Oslo on this adress:

Framtiden i våre hender
Fredensborgveien 24 G
0177 Oslo, NORWAY
Phone: +47 22 03 31 50
E-mail: post@framtiden.no

Links:

• BACKGROUND: The origins of the Future in our hands
• The FIOH International Network (UK)
• FIVH Sweden (in Swedish)

"Offspring"
FIOH gave birth to The Development Fund in 1978. The Development Fund is an independent development cooperation organization which believes the fight against poverty must be based on sustainable management of natural resources. It has more than 30 partner organizations in 17 countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America.

During the early 1980's FIOH worked worked together with a broad range of NGOs to establish the "Alternative future" - project, to work for "social goals and environmental- and resource responsibility". The work progressed with funding from the government in 1984.

Today two entities constitute the legacy of this project:

• The Ideas bank-foundation (N) which has collected and distributed good examples of sustainability projects since 1987, mainly towards the local governmental level, but also towards local communities and individuals.
• Program for Research and Documentation for a Sustainable Society (ProSUS), funded by the Research Council of Norway, and located at the University of Oslo.