Management Response to the 2012 External Review of WRI

WRI management acknowledges the 2012 external review's finding that the institute made important progress on its 2008-2012 Strategic Plan, particularly in establishing in-country presences in China, India, and Brazil. The response outlines achievements in communications, cross-program synergies, and staff diversity, while addressing the need for better integration and visibility for its forest work. Looking forward, WRI aims to balance its role as a 'think tank' and 'do tank,' strengthen its presence in Africa, and more consistently integrate development and poverty concerns into its environmental work.

• WRI successfully established active in-country presences in China, India, and Brazil, which was described as the most significant initiative of the 2008-2012 Strategic Plan. In China, WRI signed a partnership with the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC); in India, it established the India Resources Trust (IRT) with a USD 550,000 grant; and in Brazil, it laid the groundwork for an office in late 2012.
• The institute improved its communications capabilities by updating its website, adopting social media, and requiring all research publications to be accompanied by an influence plan. Each program now has a designated communications liaison to ensure strategic engagement.
• WRI's staffing has become more international and diverse, with over 50% of staff being non-US nationals. Exit interviews indicated a 98% recommendation rate for WRI as a place to work.
• The review found that WRI's work on forests had a lower international profile and lacked a clear identity recognizable to outsiders. In response, WRI recruited a Director of Forests Initiatives to create an institute-wide initiative based on in-country partnerships.
• The Mainstreaming Ecosystem Services Initiative (MESI) achieved success with 23 large companies and industry associations, 4 government bodies, and several development agencies. WRI is now refocusing the MESI strategy toward ecosystem services for food and water security.
• WRI intends to shift its strategic focus toward Africa in the next planning period, using its Equity, Poverty and Environment (EPE) work and a new vulnerability and adaptation objective as foundations. Future work in Africa will prioritize governance, poverty reduction, and critical natural resources like land, water, and forests.
• Management aims to refine the balance between being a 'think tank' (original research) and a 'do tank' (real-world testing and demonstration), arguing that on-the-ground experience increases the credibility of intellectual outputs.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Management Response to the 2012 External Review of WRI. https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/uploads/wri-management_response-to-pss-report.pdf

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Management Response to the 2012 External Review of WRI. n.d. https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/uploads/wri-management_response-to-pss-report.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |author=World Resources Institute |title=Management Response to the 2012 External Review of WRI |url=https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/uploads/wri-management_response-to-pss-report.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{worldresourcesinstitutendmanagement, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Management Response to the 2012 External Review of WRI}}, publisher = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://wriorg.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/uploads/wri-management_response-to-pss-report.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }