TOF officially registered in Norway in February 2020 as a non-profit organization (Norwegian registration number 924 735 171). Its main activities are research and development (R&D). It is managed by an administrative staff and a Board, with independent accountants and auditors. It has an established Code of Conduct along with guidelines for risk management, procurement of labor, human rights, gender equality as well as detection of sexual harassment and anti-corruption. TOF also screens its projects, where relevant, for potential SDG deliverables. TOF has established its own whistleblowing channel. 

TOF has a core advisory group of international experts, along with national teams in Georgia, Indonesia and Vietnam and R&D research assistants. TOF can also offer trainee positions where possible.

Its three spheres of work include: (I) Sustainable Processes and Sound Practices; (II) Well-being, Livelihoods and Innovation, and (III) Global Change: Coping, Adapting and Encompassing. Core areas covered include environment, social-economy, health and culture, agriculture-forestry and natural resources as well as climate-land use change. Other central areas are stakeholder engagement-management, institutions, and regulatory standards in a range of infrastructure and development intervention projects.

TOF provides professional advice; including on but limited to, risk/impact analysis-assessment and reporting, social and environmental methods and approach, managing and coordinating projects, and risk and project preparedness. TOF understands the importance of nurturing balance among stakeholders in projects. Informed communication and fostering sound-workable processes for clients are central to the core work of the organization.

TOF has wide experience in infrastructure projects, including covering renewable energy, linear and non-linear land take projects, having potential social-economic, cultural, health, environmental, cumulative and strategic impacts. Purely social and health development projects are also an area of work. 

Both empirical and practical ground-based studies are designed and facilitated. TOF has considerable experience in capacity building and training as well as development of knowledge products (e.g., toolkits for communication on a country, sector or project basis; training-of-trainers; guidelines for baselines; methods and approaches; non-technological tip sheets for stakeholders at large). TOF can also develop mechanisms for project off-sets, obtaining board community support (using ICP, FPIC), livelihood restoration and benefit sharing.

TOF’s international advisory team has an accumulated bank of experience when it comes to using sound methodology, information/data collection. Analysis is based on documentable, thoroughness and systematic processes. Affiliated international consultants and local experts are utilized to cover the scope of projects – many speak local languages and are familiar with the cultural settings. 

TOF has solid experience in the requirements of the International Finance Institutions (IFIs; Multilateral Development Institutions), donor organizations, OECD among others (see list below) from Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe. The advisors/consultants involved have published both in scientific journals and in non-technical fora. Several of them have presented their work in international symposia/conferences.

TOF provides services in the following areas, complying with both international and national standards:

Impact Assessment, Planning and Management 

• Environment, Social and Health Impact Assessment, Planning and Management: ESIA, ESMP, ESMS, ESAP, Scoping Reports, PMU
• Climate change adaptation and waste management
• Cumulative impact/effects assessment and strategic environmental and social assessment: CIA, CEA, SEA, SESA)
• Project monitoring, inspection, implementation, and auditing. Due Diligence
• SDG framework and indicators. ESG frameworks
• Gap analysis and Panel of Expert advice. Risk Assessment. Needs Assessments
• Technical evaluations

Results-based methods, Theory of Change and Contribution Analysis, and Results/Logical monitoring frameworks. SDG framework and indicator measurement.

Advice on the formulation of Teams of Reference (ToR), Proposals and Project Power Point presentations. Assessments methods and formulation – needs, capacity building.

Advice on prospective clients including developers and project owners, donors and IFIs. Initial inquiries and discussions are welcome.

Communication and stakeholder engagement advice, practice, analysis and process: Informed Communication and Participation (ICP); Obtaining Board Community Support mechanisms; Free, Prior, and Informed Consent -FPIC;

Some of the inhouse experience includes: 

• Affected People; indigenous people, migrants, immigrants, gender, poverty and vulnerable groups, livelihood assessment & restoration; health; land and water resource use (agriculture (including agro/eco), forestry and freshwater); SMEs and value chain analysis
• Conservation and Biodiversity; traditional knowledge of natural resources, ecological/environmental flows, ecosystem services and offsets, climate change
• Climate change adaptation and waste management
• Methodological approaches for baseline information/data, analysis and interpretation, mitigation hierarchy, mitigation formulation and implementation. SDG and ESG.
• Culture – practice, tradition, heritage
• Resettlement, compensation and entitlement policy advice
• Benefit Sharing and Equity mechanisms. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)
• Renewable Energy; Assessment of regulations and policy assessment; gap analysis
• Capacity Building and Training
• Safeguard Plans/Document development and implementation as required by IFIs/MDIs

TOF welcomes inquires at any stage of project development without obligations.