From tree planting initiatives to ocean conservation projects. Charities and other for-good organisations are working hard to protect the planet. For businesses looking to make a greater impact, check out a few of these great organisations.
Why your business should take part in Earth Day
Earth Day is an annual global event held on April 22 to promote environmental awareness and encourage people to take action to protect the planet. Started over 50 years ago, it is a day when over 1 billion people across the world will take part in sustainable activities including cycling to work, planting trees, and turning off lights and heating (temperatures permitting of course).
This is also an excellent opportunity for businesses and organisations to make a positive impact. By supporting a charity, businesses can help address some of the environmental issues facing us today including climate change, air pollution, and habitat destruction. Earth Day is one of many sustainability-focused Awareness Days throughout the year.
How to get started?
There are many ways to make your business more sustainable, but not every organisation can do everything in-house. That is why working with impact partners (like charities) as part of your CSR plan is a great way for a business to improve its environmental impact.
Here are a few categories for impact partners:
Tree Planting
Eden Reforestation
At Virtue, we partner with a number of carbon offsetting initiatives including Eden Reforestation. Founded in 2004, Eden Reforestation is on a mission to restore healthy forests while reducing poverty by working with local villagers.
To date, Eden Reforestation (with the support of tech partners like Virtue) has planted over 600 million trees, provided over 4 million workdays for local villagers, and restored over 400,000 acres of forests.
Carbon Positive Australia
Carbon Positive Australia is a registered charity helping individuals, businesses, and communities take action for climate change. They work by planting trees and restoring ecosystems, and providing educational content.
Founded in 2001 - they have planted over 10 million trees in projects all across Australia from Queensland to New South Wales.
Plastic Offsetting
Plastics for Change
At Virtue, we partner with a number of plastic offsetting organisations including Plastics for Change. Plastics for Change (Social Enterprise) works to both reduce plastic waste and poverty in developing countries. The organisation was created with a focus on supporting marginalized communities.
Plastics for Change provides training, equipment, and a fair wage to help local pickers collect and sort the plastic. The plastic is then recycled and sold to companies as part of a closed-loop system.
Animal Habitat Conservation
BOS (Borneo Orangutan Survival)
Borneo Orangutan Survival is a charity focused on rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing orangutans. Working with communities in local areas they also promote sustainable practices including educational programmes as well as raising awareness for issues including deforestation.
WWF (World Wildlife Fund)
WWF has been dedicated to protecting the world's wildlife and its habitat since its inception in 1966. They focus on a broad range of issues including climate change, wildlife trafficking, and habitat loss. Working in more than 100 countries across the world, they make an impact through a combination of scientific research, policy advocacy, and on-the-ground conservation efforts.
Forest Conservation Charities
World Land Trust
World Land Trust is an international charity focused on the conservation and protection of threatened habitats. Working with partner organisations in key areas, they have protected over 700,000 acres of land in over 20 countries actor the world.
Rainforest Foundation
Rainforest Foundation works to protect important rainforests across the globe by working with and empowering indigenous communities to protect their homes. This organisation helps to secure land rights and promotes sustainable developmental well as helping to raise awareness for the importance of rainforests for the planet and its people.
Cool Earth
Cool Earth works to protect the world's rainforests and the communities that depend on them. Founded in 2007, Cool Earth partners with indigenous communities in South America, Africa, and Oceania and empowers them to protect their homes from destructive activities including logging and mining.
To date, they have helped over 120 communities to protect and conserve over 900,000 acres of rainforest.
Ocean Conservation Charities
Ocean Generation
Ocean Generation is a non-profit organisation working to raise awareness and promote positive action to protect the world's oceans. Founded in 2008, Ocean Generation works to address the important issues impacting our oceans including; plastic pollution, overfishing, and climate change.
The organisation works with partners to support policy changes, and conservation efforts, as well as promote education and awareness programs to help empower the future leaders of tomorrow.
Oceana
Founded in 2001, Oceana is a non-profit that is working hard to protect and restore the world's oceans. They focus on promoting policies that help to reduce overfishing, reduce pollution, and ultimately protect marine habitats. They advocate for stronger laws and work to raise awareness for governments, businesses, and people across the planet.
Sea Shepherd
Sea Shepherd focuses on marine conservation and the protection of ocean wildlife. Their goal is to expose and stop the illegal fishing activities threatening our oceans.
Best known for their direct action approach, Sea Shepherd will directly confront illegal fishing vessels, interfere with whale hunts, and will disrupt shark finning operations. While the organisation remains controversial, they are an effective player in raising awareness and directly protecting the world's oceans.
