ISET is an innovative organization composed of innovative people and involved in the development of innovative approaches to the issues we address.

Our international membership is linked by electronic communication systems rather than a physical facility. Because of this, the Institute does not require the high overhead or bureaucracy that constrain many organizations. This enables the Institute to respond flexibly to the challenges inherent in developing solutions to environment and development problems within the rapidly evolving global context. The institutional structure is designed in response to the following changes defining the modern work environment:

• Improvements in global communications and, with that, the ability of an organization to function from highly dispersed locations.
• The ever-increasing value of collaborative efforts to address environment and development problems. Insights from activities in low-income countries have as much relevance for high-income countries as vice versa.
• The large number of highly trained and experienced individuals that now choose to work on their own rather than within the confines of large, mission-oriented organizations.

We're members rather than employees. Members are not employees in the traditional sense. Each member is expected to develop her or his own practice within the Institute's overall mission but to tailor that practice to address the needs and issues of relevance to the region in which she or he lives and works. As with joint practices of architects, doctors and many other professionals, the Institute is designed as a mechanism enabling common themes and needs to be addressed while emphasizing the primary responsibility of individual members to their own practices. The Institute serves as an international framework supporting and linking the efforts of these individuals, disseminating the results of their work, and providing a global institutional memory to ensure the results are not lost.

We're an international organization. While the primary registered office of the Institute is in the US, members represent their own countries and regions. The location where the Institute is registered has been selected primarily to ensure that accounting, administration and communication systems are transparent and accountable.

We're non-hierarchical. The governance structure of the Institute is designed to give all members regardless of gender, ethnicity or country of origin an equal voice in Institute activities.

We believe innovation, strategic planning and research are key activities giving us a comparative advantage in all arenas. Time for strategic thinking is critical to innovation. Without innovation, few of the massive environment and development challenges facing the world will be effectively addressed.