Green Ink: New Leaf

Physician, heal thyself! We advise our clients to send their newsletters out frequently, yet more than a year has gone by since you last received one from us. If we've let our own communications nearly die of neglect, it's only because we're so busy doctoring other people's. But that's a poor excuse and we'll try to do better in future. In the meantime, here's a bumper issue that's packed with news about our services and your products.

Let’s take our services first. We begin by describing our translation service, which enjoys a growing reputation for combining high quality with quick turnaround – thanks to a hand-picked team of professionals who must meet demanding criteria to work for us. Next comes an article on distribution, a need that emerged strongly from the client survey we conducted in 2009. We can‘t help with this ourselves, but we know someone who can: his name is Anthony Polak and he runs a company called SMI, to whom we can organize delivery direct from our nearby printer. Lastly, did you know you can now follow us on Twitter? Find out how we’re using this tool to give a publicity boost to your products.

Among the many new products that have come out since our last issue, we highlight ‘six of the best’ – the ones that, in our opinion, make the most valuable contributions to the knowledge base. The star item is a report on agricultural research, food security and climate change, written and produced in time for the Copenhagen climate conference last December. Aptly, this report was developed entirely through remote working, demonstrating the part this can and must play in curbing carbon emissions. Next is the 2009 Human Development Report, which deals with migration in a superbly researched volume that does much to demolish the myths surrounding this politically sensitive subject. Then there’s a website on one of the few initiatives that made progress at Copenhagen, a report drawing out the lessons from research funded by a leading donor agency, a manual on vegetable production in West Africa that’s both useful and attractive, and a report on activities to support the spread of democracy – a new area for us. Lastly, a most welcome newcomer to our stable of regular clients is the World Economic Forum, whose annual meeting I was privileged to attend earlier this year.

Enjoy your reading. And please don’t hesitate to contact me with comments on our service and, better still, enquiries about how we can contribute to your work.

Translation is a growing part of Green Ink’s business, mainly because of our reputation for high-quality work in this area.

The translators we work with must meet demanding criteria. They should be fully qualified – members of the UK’s Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) or an equivalent body, or possessing a diploma or degree in technical and specialist translation (good speaking ability or literature studies are not enough). They must be able to translate both accurately and elegantly, a balancing act that demands a finely tuned ear. They should know the subject area well, especially the technical terminology involved. And they must understand the publishing process, including the tasks of copy-editing, typesetting and proofreading, since these are essential to a good end-product. Our translators often work directly with our clients’ experts to develop a glossary or discuss problem terms; they must also work with our design and layout specialists to fit copy, check page proofs and ‘see in’ corrections. The translation task is thus integrated with the rest of the publishing process to provide a service that ‘gets to product’ quickly while maintaining the highest quality standard.

More than that, we seek out translators who are used to working on complex assignments where reviewers may question their work and where late changes can be expected in the source language. Our translators need to be able to accept comments and criticism with grace, and willing to do extra rounds of proofreading and text adjustment without grumbling (well all right then, no one’s a saint – grumbling’s allowed, as long as the job still gets done). We also seek out ‘night owls’ – translators prepared to work long hours or weekends to complete a ‘squeezed’ assignment that is running late.

Not everyone meets these exacting requirements! But over the years we’ve built up a corps of ‘regulars’ who work for us willingly because they like the projects we offer them, find us fun to work with, and feel we treat them fairly. We support our translators’ work with dedicated project management and expert design and layout.

The languages we offer regularly include French, Spanish, Portuguese and Arabic. As the global audience for development-related information expands, we’re constantly adding new languages: right now we're having our first crack at Russian and Chinese.

In conclusion, nothing gets ‘lost in translation’ at Green Ink. Our commitment to quality ensures all is present and correct, delivered on time, to budget – and cheerfully with it. For more information about our translation services, please contact our project and team manager Becky Mitchell.

Quality and speed: A rare combination

Here are some examples of recent assignments:

Risk and Poverty in a Changing Climate. We began our work on this inaugural publication of the United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction (UNISDR) by editing and designing the English report and its associated products – a CD, press pack, poster and flier. We then translated all the materials into Arabic, French and Spanish in time for launch meetings across the world. Our simultaneous commitment to deadlines and quality earned us a letter of appreciation from the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Disaster Reduction, as well as enthusiastic endorsement from the UNISDR team. The full set of language versions can be seen at http://www.preventionweb.net/english/hyogo/gar/report/index.php?id=1130
Climate Risk Management in Africa: Learning from Practice. This first report in a new series published by the International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) was co-written and produced by Green Ink in English before being translated and produced in French. We then wrote a brief for policy makers in English and translated this into French, Portuguese and Arabic. This project went so well that we were immediately invited to participate in developing the second volume in the series, which we translated into Spanish. Find these reports at http://portal.iri.columbia.edu/portal/server.pt
Annual Report of the Technical Centre for Agriculture and Rural Cooperation (CTA). We edited, translated and produced this report in English and French for 4 consecutive years (2006 to 2009). The final report (for the year 2008) was developed on-line, going live simultaneously in the two languages. The simple, clutter-free design has been much applauded (http://annualreport2008.cta.int/fr/)

We're currently working on the Forest Resource Assessment 2010, a substantial five-yearly update on the world’s forests published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). This has to be out in all six UN languages by late October, an exciting challenge for our whole team.

Besides these large and complex assignments, we undertake a multitude of smaller projects involving the translation of annual reports, brochures and leaflets into one or two other languages. And we have an ongoing relationship with the United Nations Childrens’ Fund (UNICEF) for the translation of short documents into Arabic.

We think Twitter’s great – we love the haiku-esque discipline imposed by the form. We’re using it as a free add-on service to our clients, to plug the contributions you make to international debate through the products we work on together. We also hope to use it to source new associates in specialist areas such as translation. And we're tweeting or re-tweeting other relevant items that take our fancy. Sign up to follow us on http://twitter.com/greeninkcom

Agricultural research has had a curiously low profile in the debate on climate change thus far. Here’s a report that changes that.

Climate, Agriculture and Food Security: A Strategy for Change is a comprehensive account of the technologies, policies and other approaches that could, if widely deployed, enable agriculture and other sectors to rise to the challenges of climate change, at least in the short to medium term. Written by Green Ink’s Anne Moorhead with contributions from all of the centres and challenge programmes of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), the report was key in the CGIAR’s efforts to place agriculture and food security firmly on the agenda at the climate change conference in Copenhagen last December. It was launched at a media session during the conference and promptly labelled a ‘masterplan’ by SciDevNet (Agricultural research ‘masterplan’ unveiled).

This complex, multi-contributor report was developed entirely through distance working, making savings in carbon emissions as well as time and cash costs. “Many of our clients worry about remote working,” says Anne, who is based in Fiji. “But they really don‘t need to. Clear e-mail and Skype interactions can almost always replace face-to-face meetings. This was a great example of how we can manage complex interactions remotely, and produce a clear and coherent final product for our clients.”

Green Ink also designed and produced the report, and again remote working proved no barrier. “We share proofs by e-mail or, if files are large, via our FTP site,” says designer Christel Chater, who works from her home in the UK. There are many new tools that are making life easier for remote working. “Besides Skype, which is great for discussing a design with a client, there are tools such as GoToMeeting, which enable you to share screens at a distance and move elements around on the screen to show the difference specific changes would make.”

The CGIAR centres and challenge programmes were very happy with the report: “Very nice job of pulling it all together”, “Putting that paper together is a huge job and [Anne’s] done fantastically well”, and “You‘ve done a great job” were some of the comments we received. “We were very pleased with the content,” added Thomas Rosswall, Director of the Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security Challenge Program (CCAFS), who oversaw development of the report.

Migration is good for human development and governments should allow more of it. That’s the basic message of last year’s Human Development Report from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The report is full of surprises on this much misunderstood topic. In most people’s minds the word ‘migrant’ evokes images of people at their most vulnerable and marginalized – think displaced Tamils trapped on a coastal spit in Sri Lanka or Chinese cockle gatherers drowning on an English beach. The truth is very different: the vast majority of migrants, far from being victims, are relatively successful, both before they leave their original home and on arrival in their new one. Outcomes in all aspects of human development – not just income but also education, health and that most intangible of goods, human happiness – are for the most part positive. Communities and countries of origin also do well out of migration, gaining by cash remittances, new business ideas and changing cultural norms, including the better treatment of women. Perhaps the biggest surprise of all concerns outcomes for the broader community in destination places: far from taking the jobs or lowering the wages of local people, immigration has little or no effect in these areas.

This superbly researched report is especially welcome at a time of recession, when attitudes and policies towards migrants tend to harden. The report argues compellingly that governments should adopt a more liberal approach to migration, notably by lowering the barriers to movement for low-skilled workers.

Green Ink’s Simon Chater, Erin O’Connell and Becky Mitchell worked alongside HDR director Jeni Klugman to edit the report critically, then copy-edit and proofread – all in record time. And when the production schedule ran into difficulties because of another supplier’s holidays, our graphic design team stepped into the breach to complete the layout. View the full report at http://hdr.undp.org.

While pretty much all else failed at Copenhagen, one initiative did make progress: REDD, a funding instrument that lies outside the formal UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, received strong support from donors.

Standing for ‘Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation’, REDD offers incentives to developing countries to cut the carbon dioxide emissions associated with forest loss and poor forest management. Scientists estimate that deforestation and forest degradation account for 12 to 20 per cent of annual greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, the world’s forests are estimated to absorb five billion tonnes of carbon dioxide every year – over 15 per cent of global emissions from human activities. Preventing deforestation and forest degradation helps keep this service functioning. REDD proposes that forest owners or managers should receive credits for ‘avoided deforestation’, based on the amount of carbon that has not been emitted. These credits would be tradable in international carbon markets or through other mechanisms that effectively convert credits to cash. The result: people who manage forest resources well are rewarded for their reduced carbon emissions.

To support the REDD scheme, the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) has developed the Forests and Climate Change website, with help from Sophie Higman, a Green Ink writer who is also a qualified forestry scientist. The website, which went live just before Copenhagen, explains the often complex concepts behind REDD simply and clearly. It also provides links to a comprehensive range of background materials, pilot studies and toolkits.

In March 2010, around 60 country representatives met in Paris to push the multi-billion dollar scheme forward. With resources like this website to hand, and determination from developed and developing countries alike, it’s clear that progress can be made in climate negotiations.

“I have heard the REDD/CC website was a huge success in Copenhagen, with CIFOR attendees handing out cards right and left with the address of the site.”

“A strong evidence base is essential for the provision of more effective development and humanitarian assistance to the poorest. It helps us improve the ways in which we currently work, cease doing things that are ineffective, and make sound decisions between competing priorities.”

Thus the opening sentences of a new report published by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID). DFID Research 2009–2010 describes the research projects that DFID currently funds, together with the findings and impact of past research. The report’s value lies in drawing together the lessons learned, to inform the future activities of DFID and its partners. Its publication is part of a broader shift towards evidence-based policy making across the organization.

That’s a shift we at Green Ink welcome. And we were delighted to be involved in editing and producing this first issue of the report, which should be available soon on DFID's website.

Integrated pest management (IPM) – the science, or rather art, of protecting crops without poisoning entire ecosystems – has been around since the early 1980s. Yet there are still gaps in the literature needed to support its application. Practical guidance on IPM in vegetables has been particularly lacking in West Africa, despite this region’s growing market for these crops.

Integrated Pest Management in Vegetable Production: A Guide for Extension Workers in West Africa, fills this gap. Authored by Braima James and colleagues at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), this manual provides development workers, technicians and farmers with a comprehensive inventory of pests and a complete menu of options for controlling them. It’s well edited, beautifully designed and illustrated (with over 100 photos) and spiral bound for ease of use in the field.

This is a sister volume to the highly successful Practical Plant Nematology, A Field and Laboratory Guide, also published by IITA and now available in three languages.

Democracy, like Western civilization, would be a good idea if ever it were truly practised. Well, now there’s an institute specifically dedicated to the pursuit of this noble goal – by peaceful means! Fittingly, it’s called International IDEA – the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.

An intergovernmental organization, IDEA promotes democratic change by providing comparative knowledge, assisting in democratic reform and influencing policy. It’s based in Sweden with offices in Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Green Ink was asked to write A Record of Actions 2009, an approximately 50-page annual report, based on information provided from the regions followed up by telephone or email interviews. Although it’s not our usual subject area, this job came to us from James Lenahan, formerly with the Global Water Partnership (GWP) and now Head of Communications at International IDEA, because he likes our informal writing style and wanted a similar approach.

The resulting report is a mine of information on topics ranging from the management of electoral audits, through coping with the violence that can be associated with elections or their outcomes, to the building of skills among election administrators. Don’t miss the eloquent front cover depicting a poster held aloft by a Canadian protester during a demonstration against the Iraq war.

No, it wasn’t a skiing holiday. When Green Ink’s director Simon Chater donned his snowboots and headed for Davos, Switzerland in January 2010, it was at the invitation of the World Economic Forum, who’d asked him to attend their prestigious annual meeting.

Simon sat in on the private sessions of the Forum’s Consumer Community, taking notes as the CEOs of leading multinationals talked collaboration with the public sector on such issues as sustainable business models, water sector reform, agricultural development and health in the workplace. On return to the UK he worked with Forum staff to write up the outcomes, then with Green Ink’s graphic designer Christel Chater to lay out the final report, which was released just over a month later.

The report is for restricted distribution, so sadly we’re unable to share it with you. But you can take it from us that it that it contains some exciting new thinking on the role of the private sector in sustainable development. We’re honoured to have been involved.

“You have worked incredibly hard. Thank you for caring as much about this as we do
and for making the document so good. I really appreciate all you‘ve done.”

– Helena Leurent, Director, Agriculture, Food and Beverage Community, World Economic Forum

When we carried out a survey of clients’ needs in 2009, we were surprised to discover that dissemination – of information, reports and results – was a major concern. Part of this related to the challenges of physically distributing hard copies of publications to a diverse audience worldwide.

In response, Green Ink has formed a strategic alliance with SMI, the leading hard-copy distributor of reports and books in our field. The parent company of Earthprint – the official on-line bookshop of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) – SMI is based in Stevenage, UK. The company already distributes publications for many international organizations, including several in the UN and CGIAR systems, along with CTA and others. As well as storage and despatch, SMI offers promotion and sales through its on-line bookshop (http://www.smidistributionservices.com).

SMI caters to a similar clientele as Green Ink and thus understands the needs of our clients well. We’re pleased to recommend SMI to our clients for their hard-copy storage, marketing and distribution needs and will provide an introduction to the company’s director, Anthony Polak, on request.

In early 2010, under our carbon offsetting scheme, Green Ink once again made a donation to the UK company Climate Care. Our donation of £387.75 was based on an estimate of 44 tonnes of CO2 emitted as a result of the flights we took and the air freighting of publications we organized in 2009.

Our donation will support some valuable alternative energy projects, including wind farm development in China and the introduction of efficient wood burning stoves in Uganda. Find out more at http://www.jpmorganclimatecare.com/.

When writing drafts in Word that will subsequently be set in a dedicated layout programme such as InDesign, keep formatting to a minimum.

The fewer the automated commands you use the better, since all the formatting you introduce will have to be stripped out again before the layout specialist can begin work. It’s a fallacy to think you are saving time by imitating in Word the final layout you would like to see when your report is published.


Taking note: Green Ink’s director Simon Chater types while CEOs eat and talk at the Consumer Community Governors’ Welcome Lunch, Davos 2010.