FULL COMPANY PROFILE ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INERNATIONAL (EQI) 18 El Mansour Mohamed St., Zamalek, Cairo 11211, Egypt Tel: (202) 2735 1924 Fax: (202) 2735 5489 Email: [email protected] 2020 Environmental Quality International (EQI) TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................. 3 MISSION ................................................................................................................................................................ 3 APPROACH ........................................................................................................................................................... 3 HUMAN RESOURCES AND TECHNICAL EXPERTISE .............................................................................. 3 ACHIEVEMENTS AND AWARDS .................................................................................................................... 4 CLIENTS ................................................................................................................................................................ 5 AREAS OF EXPERTISE AND ACTIVITIES ................................................................................................... 6 I. POLICY, GOVERNANCE AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT .......................................................................... 7 Policy Development ........................................................................................................................................ 8 Institutional Strengthening ........................................................................................................................... 11 Integrated Community Development ............................................................................................................ 14 II. ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT AND DESIGN ......................................................................................... 18 Solid Waste Management ............................................................................................................................. 19 Water Supply and Sanitation ........................................................................................................................ 24 Environmental Impact Assessment, Research and Planning ....................................................................... 29 Urban Planning and Architectural Design .................................................................................................. 36 Natural and Cultural Resource Management .............................................................................................. 42 Agricultural Resource Management ............................................................................................................ 49 III. MICROFINANCE .......................................................................................................................................... 51 Program Design ........................................................................................................................................... 52 SME Sector Development ............................................................................................................................. 58 Fund Management ........................................................................................................................................ 64 IV. COMMUNICATIONS AND OUTREACH ......................................................................................................... 66 Campaign Design and Implementation ........................................................................................................ 67 Marketing Tools ........................................................................................................................................... 71 Conference Organization and Training ....................................................................................................... 74 V. PROGRAM MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT ................................................................................................... 75 Program Management .................................................................................................................................. 76 Social and Market Research ........................................................................................................................ 79 Monitoring and Evaluation .......................................................................................................................... 85 Management Information Systems ............................................................................................................... 88 2 Environmental Quality International (EQI) INTRODUCTION Environmental Quality International (EQI) is a prominent Egyptian development consultancy firm with an international reputation for quality and innovation. Founded in 1981 to help meet an urgent need for environmental protection measures, the company has evolved and grown into a multidisciplinary economic, environmental and social development consultancy with major local, regional and international projects and presence. The EQI Group is comprised of International Consultancies EQI Ltd. in the UK (1989) and EQI Inc. in the U.S. (1995); EQI Investments in Real Estate, Tourism, Agriculture and Consulting (1996), a joint stock company engaged in direct in development initiatives; Community Finance Incorporated (1998) an international microfinance firm working in Latin America and the Caribbean and Quality Finance International (QFI) a microfinance firm working in the MENA region. MISSION Our mission is to participate in the growth and development of the Middle East and North Africa region and contribute to the sustainable improvement of the living conditions of its peoples. We aim to help stakeholders identify and set priorities, formulate progressive and valuable policies, and implement effective, sustainable solutions for development challenges both unique and universal. APPROACH For over 30 years, EQI has pioneered a holistic development approach in which capacity building, not project deployment, is pivotal to program design, management and implementation. We partner with governments, community service organizations, private enterprises and beneficiaries; to promote economic and social progress that optimizes and respects the region’s rich natural and human resources and cultural heritage. EQI is a leader in training and knowledge transfer, creating enabling environments, market-led development approaches, participatory methods of problem and solution identification and other refined development tools that build individual, local and organizational capacity. Stakeholder participation and capacity building may require more investment in the short-term, but maximize program impact and assure sustainable results for clients and beneficiaries in the long-run. At EQI, gender blind approaches to development are a thing of the past. We look at gender division unique to every context, and integrate these roles in the design, development and implementation of every initiative to achieve development outcomes. EQI helps its clients understand gender issues and integrate gender-sensitive approaches through research, strategic project design, grant management, training, and dissemination of best practices. We believe the development partnership begins at the most basic level, men and women working together towards shared goals. HUMAN RESOURCES AND TECHNICAL EXPERTISE EQI is structured to derive maximum benefits from the combined expertise of its in-house professionals and external consultants. This arrangement allows the company to respond swiftly and with sustained commitment to the interdisciplinary needs of development projects. At present, EQI has about 80 full-time employees. Over 60% of the firm’s employees are women, most of whom hold professional positions. Staff is carefully recruited based on talent, motivation, and communication skills. EQI's core team of professionals offers complementary backgrounds and skills that contribute to, and benefit from, the experience and institutional memory of the organization. EQI maintains the commitment of its in-house staff by offering professional development and growth opportunities within the organization. Approximately 40 percent of EQI’s staff has been in the company between five and ten years. This figure reaches 90 percent among top management. The 3 Environmental Quality International (EQI) relationship between EQI and its members often transcends their tenure with the organization. Collaboration has continued with many of EQI's former members. To complement our in-house capabilities, EQI maintains a large database of consultants covering a broad range of development expertise. Professional staff and external consultants work under the guidance of a management team experienced in the operating requirements of international lending agencies and the culture of Egyptian governmental organizations. Our management team combines extensive experience in development, an in-depth understanding of local conditions and sensitivity to local needs and priorities. ACHIEVEMENTS AND AWARDS EQI is internationally recognized as one of the regions leading development consulting firms. Our commitment to quality and emphasis on innovation has resulted in some of our projects being internationally