INFORM prides itself on more than three decades of identifying innovative technologies, practices and products that provide practical solutions to complex environmental and health-related problems. Through the 1970s and into the dawn of this millennium, INFORM’s work – published in more than 100 extensively-distributed, accessible, and groundbreaking reports – helped focus public, government and industry attention on emerging environmental issues, and identified practical, implementable measures to tackle them. Our reports, and the outreach and advocacy we spearheaded around them earned us widespread recognition and numerous awards. More importantly, our efforts made a difference. INFORM had a national impact on key environmental issues, such as chemical hazard prevention, solid waste prevention/extended producer responsibility, and sustainable transportation. We’re making sure that our work will continue to effect change. We recently completed a strategic planning process, from which we emerged with a revised mission, vision, and approach to informing our stakeholders. The new INFORM will preserve the activist spirit of the original organization, using information on environmental effects to shape corporate practice, public policy and public opinion. In addition, the new INFORM will disseminate this information by making strategic use of video and the web to reach and engage a greatly expanded audience, serve our supporters and facilitate deep interaction among the communities – online and off – to which we connect. INFORM’s work will be centered around three key programs: Cleaning for Health, Extended Producer Responsibility, and Outreach through INFORM Media. We are excited about our new direction – one that retains the best of the organization’s old programs and combines them with the technology of today and tomorrow – and will keep you INFORMed as we build and progress.

INFORM was founded in 1974 by Joanna D. Underwood with the goal of identifying ways of doing business that ensure environmentally sustainable economic growth. Our reports are used by government, industry, and environmental leaders around the world. INFORM tackles the toughest environmental challenges in a serious objective way. We have earned a reputation for thorough, accurate analysis and clear, solution-oriented reporting. INFORM has published research in books, newsletters, articles, and on the Internet. We have published more than 100 reports on how to avoid unsafe uses of toxic chemicals, protect land and water resources, conserve energy, and safeguard public health. We are active advocates for solutions to environmental challenges, but we do not lobby or litigate. Instead, we identify constructive solutions to business problems and work with companies, communities, government agencies, and environmental organizations to translate ideas into action.

Through the decades, INFORM has won numerous awards from federal agencies and other prestigious organizations, including:

1976: National Energy Foundation Award, received for Energy Futures, the first in-depth public report on 200 companies involved in researching and developing new energy sources

1987: US EPA Region 2 Environmental Quality Award

1992: US EPA Administrator’s Award, received for our national leadership in pollution prevention, especially for inspiring the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 and recommending the creation of the Toxic Release Inventory in 1986

1992: US EPA Region 2 Environmental Quality Award

1993: Federal Fleet Conversion Task Force, given for staff service on its working group, which developed a plan to leverage the federal government’s purchasing power to accelerate the production and market acceptance of alternative fuel vehicles

1993: President’s Council of Environmental Quality Award, given for planning the first 100 percent natural gas bus fleet in the US

1994: Consolidated Edison of New York’s Enlightened Energy Award, received for our energy conservation efforts, which included implementing energy efficiency improvements in our office

1994: City Club of New York’s Earth Day Award, received for our leadership in finding solutions to the city’s municipal solid waste problem

1997: American Society for Public Administration, New York Metropolitan Chapter’s Excellence in Public Service-Outstanding Organization Award

“I would like to extend my sincere thanks for your help in establishing the University at Buffalo’s ‘cleaning for health’ program. As a result of your initiative and expertise, the program has become a reality.”

—Erin E. Cala, Environmental Educator, University at Buffalo Green Office 

“INFORM’s representative, Carol Westinghouse, has tirelessly pushed the envelope to build resources for environmental health in Vermont.”

—Karin McNeill, Executive Director, Association of Vermont Recyclers, Cleaning for Health project partner


“INFORM stands out among e-waste authorities by going beyond the theory behind extended producer responsibility to offer pragmatic advice on how to make the mechanics of the system work.” —Jon Hinck, Staff Attorney, Natural Resources Council of Maine