Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program (Beahrs ELP)
University of California, Berkeley

“Participating in the Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program at UC Berkeley has been a transformative experience in my career. The program's mission to empower the next generation of environmental leaders worldwide has provided me with early access to cutting-edge knowledge, and opportunities for peer learning, networking, and ongoing collaboration. The program's impact on its alumni is profound, and it is no surprise that three of my fellow alumni are Goldman Environmental Prize Winners. We are proud to support Beahrs ELP by sponsoring individuals from our stakeholder network or activities that support the beneficiaries of our projects..” — Ahmed H Al-Okelly, OHK

We sponsor the Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program (Beahrs ELP) at the University of California, Berkeley. This program is a unique and intensive learning experience that transforms mid-career environmental professionals into exceptional leaders by exposing them to innovative approaches and case studies. Through this rigorous training, ELP participants develop the necessary skills to tackle complex and dynamic environmental issues effectively.

Since its inception in 2000, the three-week interdisciplinary training program has been taught by award-winning Berkeley faculty members from the Rausser College of Natural Resources, Haas School of Business, School of Environmental Design, and the departments of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, and Agricultural and Resource Economics. The program's instructor team also comprises prominent experts in the areas of green finance, systems leadership, communications, project management, conflict resolution, and consensus building. Upon completion of the program, participants receive UC Berkeley's certificate in Sustainable Environmental Management and become lifetime members of an alumni network that includes 757 members from over 114 countries.

Our sponsorship of the Beahrs ELP is an investment in the future of environmental sustainability, and we are proud to support this program's continued success. The knowledge and skills acquired by program participants will undoubtedly contribute to creating a more sustainable future.

We are committed to promoting environmental sustainability and creating a better future for the communities we engage with, particularly in the MENA region. Our sponsorship takes three forms: individual sponsorships, collaborative projects, and leadership matching.

First, we sponsor individuals from our stakeholder network to attend the Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program (Beahrs ELP) at UC Berkeley, providing them with access to three weeks of learning on the UC Berkeley campus. We focus on nurturing sustainability leaders who can benefit their communities in areas where such knowledge can make a difference, and where such learning opportunities are scarce, regardless of their pre-existing resources.

OHK's sponsorship of future alumni of the Beahrs ELP at UC Berkeley is intended for individuals from local communities who have previously engaged with us on projects in the MENA region. We regret to inform stakeholders from ongoing projects that they are not eligible for this opportunity. Additionally, to be considered for sponsorship, you must provide a reference from an OHK alumni and complete the application process on the Beahrs ELP website.

Secondly, we co-sponsor collaborative projects between OHK represented through our ELP alumni and UC Berkeley faculty members to support follow-up activities from our projects or ideas that we envisaged but were outside the scope of assignments. They exclusively focus on local communities, climate change, and nature conservation. We believe that investing in emerging environmental leaders and providing them with opportunities for collaboration and state-of-the-art learning should not be limited to the first world, and that driving meaningful change in the environmental sector should not be limited by resources. Our collaboration with UC Berkeley through the Buck Kingman Initiative also provides a platform for the implementation of sustainable development projects that may not have been feasible without this support. The Buck Kingman Initiative has facilitated forty-three projects, demonstrating the success of this approach in promoting environmental sustainability. To discuss an opportunity for collaboration, please contact us.

Thirdly, we can connect our counterparts and stakeholders from our roster of projects and network who do not have the resources to build on previously funded projects with ELP alumni who are environmental leaders from across the globe, representing every sector and discipline. These alumni can provide support and mentorship to help continue initiatives or offer valuable advice for new projects. Since its creation, the Beahrs ELP has graduated 755 leaders from over 114 countries, including three Goldman Environmental Prize winners. To discuss how we can help match you with ELP alumni, please contact us.

We are proud to support the Beahrs ELP and its Buck Kingman Initiative and are excited about the positive impact that our sponsored individuals and co-sponsored projects will make in promoting environmental sustainability and creating a more sustainable future for the communities we engage with in the MENA region and beyond.

OHK has previously collaborated with donors such as the Ford Foundation to co-fund candidates to attend the Beahrs Environmental Leadership Program (Beahrs ELP) at UC Berkeley, and we continue to explore opportunities for collaboration with our donor clients.

Photos courtesy of the Beahrs ELP, UC Berkeley. Logos are the copyright of their respective organizations.