Overall GiG Score: 21 based on 19 data points
Finance: -1
Governance: 9
Support: 13
Low unrestricted reserves: -2, Multiple Deficits: -2, Fundraising costs low: +3,
Good trustee age range: +3, Dynamic board: +3, Gender balanced board: +3,
Supporters: +13

GLOBAL CANOPY 

Overview

Global Canopy conduct research to understand the complex dynamics of deforestation, supply chains, and land use, providing valuable insights and data. This allows them to engage with governments, businesses, and financial institutions to promote responsible practices and policies, aiming to halt deforestation and its associated impacts.

They have traditionally relied on government funding to grow programmes but are exploring commercial funding options and overseas funders to give more stability. They hope to grow unrestricted funding overall to help back innovation projects like their smartphone app ‘do Pasto ao Prato’ (‘From Pasture to Plate’) that informs supermarket customers in Brazil about the environmental and social performance of the meat products that they purchase.

Serving as both a convener and advisor places them in a powerful position to influence systemic change and though data transparency challenges persist, the combine advantages of a dramatically improved funding environment over the last few decades and access to new technology like Google Earth Engine to enhance their data processing capabilities puts them in a strong position to continue making impact on a global scale.

Source: Giving is Great

Analysis by Giving is Great

Positives:

  • Fundraising costs are unusually low relative to funds raised
  • A significant proportion of recent income was derived from major grant makers including the Government
  • The Board appears to be well diversified in terms of age and gender and dynamic in terms of composition

Regulatory & Governance issues to consider:

  • Over half the Board have joined recently

Financial issues to consider:

  • Unrestricted reserves appear to be dangerously low at the latest year end
  • On several occasions in recent years income has been less than spending
Established: 22 years

www.globalcanopy.org

accounts@globalcanopy.org

01865724333

Charity Commission for England and WalesCompanies HouseTwitterFacebook
UN SDGs
?

Financial Data ?

Income & Spending ?
Sources of Income ?
Y/E Income
£k		 Spending
£k		 Surplus/
Deficit		 Fundraising
Cost £k		 Total
Funds £k		 Unrestricted
Funds £k		 Mths
Rsrvs		 Staff Volun-
teers
31/03/22£4,490£3,390£1,100£117£1,906£7542.7370
31/03/21£2,359£2,530£-171£111£806£5952.8300
31/03/20£2,240£2,165£75£114£977£4912.7270
31/03/19£2,709£3,095£-386£120£902£4081.6300
31/03/18£3,519£2,853£665£85£1,288£4621.9280
31/03/17£2,968£2,914£54£70£623£3601.5170
31/03/16£2,854£2,729£125£27£569£2731.2190
31/03/15£2,595£2,897£-302£144£444£2391220
31/03/14£2,260£2,262£-2£61£746£2501.3230
31/03/13£2,259£2,089£170£42£748£2501.4190
31/03/12?£1,520£1,783£-263£84£578£2501.7120
30/09/10£1,163£999£164£54£841£4695.6100
30/09/09£903£718£185£61£677£67711.370
30/09/08£704£465£239£65£492£49212.760
30/09/07£549£402£146£37£252£2527.540
30/09/06£359£285£74n/an/an/an/an/a0
30/09/05£259£273£-14n/an/an/an/an/a0
30/09/04£202£208£-6n/an/an/an/an/a0
Show more rows -->

Download accounts
Financial Ratios
Fundraising Costs/Relevant Income: 2.6%
Fundraising Costs/Total Spending: 3.5%
Senior Staff Costs/Total Spending: 5%
Highest pay band: £70,000-£80,000
Liabilities/Assets: 17%
Liabilities/Income: 9%
Unrestricted Funds/Total Funds: 52%
Reserves/Spending: 2.7 months
Net Current Assets/Spending: 7 months
Quick Ratio: 4.5
Asset Split ?
What it does
  • Animals
  • Education/Training
  • Environment/Conservation/Heritage
  • General Charitable Purposes
Global Canopy is an innovative environmental organisation that targets the market forces destroying tropical forests. Since 2001, they have been testing new approaches to tackling deforestation, and guiding companies, investors, and governments worldwide to think differently about our planet's forests
Who works here?
  • 37 employees
Who it helps
  • Other Defined Groups
  • The General Public/Mankind
How it operates
  • Acts as an umbrella or resource body
  • Makes Grants to Organisations
  • Other charitable activities
  • Provides advocacy/advice/information
  • Provides services
  • Sponsors or undertakes research
Where it operates
  • Austria, Brazil, China, Colombia, France, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Paraguay, Peru, Scotland, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Throughout England And Wales,

Who's supporting them? ?

Donations from Grant Makers ?

We have details on the following significant donations. Multi-year donations are allocated to the years for which they are earmarked.

Major supporters in last 5 years
ARCADIA£1,725,000
John Ellerman Foundation£150,000
CHK Foundation£115,000
Tedworth Charitable Trust£80,000
Specific Donations
Amount When
Months		 To be used for
CHK Foundation
£40,000 01/02/2023
to support specified work
Garfield Weston Foundation
£30,000 01/04/2022
Core support to improve the data, metrics and rules needed for global markets to stop nature-related impacts and highlight opportunities for positive action.
ARCADIA
£1,725,000 01/04/2022
60
To provide Global Canopy with core support to target the market forces destroying nature.
Tedworth Charitable Trust
£40,000 21/06/2021
Towards core costs
John Ellerman Foundation
£150,000 26/03/2020
36
Core costs and investments in research, engagement and communications, e.g. Finance Sector Lead, Senior Research Analyst & CEO Salary Costs.
CHK Foundation
£75,000 17/03/2020
to support ongoing work
Tedworth Charitable Trust
£40,000 19/03/2019
Towards core costs.
Tedworth Charitable Trust
£40,000 15/06/2016
Towards core costs.
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
£150,000 30/09/2010
36
Towards Core costs Towards the costs of surveys of forest footprint disclosure, helping companies understand their exposure to tropical deforestation.
Esmée Fairbairn Foundation
£43,880 01/10/2008
12
Towards Project costs Towards costs of a global project to encourage companies to identify and disclose the commercial drivers of deforestation in their supply chains.
Show more rows

Data sourced from Donors via 360 Giving

How do they operate?

Supply Chain Transparency

Objectives: To increase transparency of supply chains, understand the risks, and identify opportunities for more sustainable production

Description: The Supply Chain Transparency programme is based on the Trase platform - a science-based transparency initiative that seeks to transform understanding and sustainability of commodity supply chains. Trase is a joint initiative between Global Canopy, the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), and many other global partners, mapping global supply chains of the trade and financing of commodities driving tropical deforestation worldwide. It connects consumer markets to deforestation by combining self-disclosed data from companies with customs, shipping, tax, logistics and other data. This allows Trase to map in detail the supply chains linking consumer countries and traders with places of production, as well as the patterns of ownership and

....more
Corporate Performance

Objectives: To assess the policies and performance of the companies and financial institutions most at risk of driving deforestation and provide data, frameworks and guidance to reduce risks

Description: Global Canopy's tracking and assessment work, primarily through their Forest 500 project, holds companies and financial institutions to account for the commitments they have made on deforestation, conversion and related human rights abuses. They gather key data on deforestation and corporate performance to inform governments and policy makers on the deforestation footprints linked to company sourcing and financial investments, including working through the UK All Party Parliamentary Group on Deforestation

Nature Related Finance

Objectives: To develop high-quality data that enables financial institutions and companies to tackle nature related risks

Description: Global Canopy enable investors, lenders, insurers, financial regulators and others in the sector to identify and mitigate their impacts and dependencies on nature, and seize the opportunity of investing in nature-positive solutions. Their work is based on three collaborative flagship projects, the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), ENCORE and The Little Book of Investing in Nature

How effective are they?
Commentary: Their impact is framed around removing deforestation from commodity supply chains. Measures in uptake of data by key audiences are strong indicators of impact including their ability to raise awareness and build capacity e.g., how many training sessions are being run for financial institutions and governments in the use of their data and how to embed in systems. Their major impact is also measured through how they’re informing decisions and changing agendas. The work being done by their Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) and Trase initiatives played a huge role behind the scenes in laying the groundwork for recent deforestation regulations introduced. Inevitably it’s hard to assess their ultimate impact but the increasing usage of their systems and data is a highly positive sign.

Who works here?

  • NIKI MARDAS
    Executive Director
    Appointed: January 2016
Niki has overseen a period of rapid expansion as the organisation has sharpened its strategic focus on the market forces destroying nature and developed new partnerships around the world. This has included the development of major data-driven initiatives – including Forest 500, Trase, ENCORE and the nascent Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD)
  • RACHEL RANK
    Chief Operating Officer
    Appointed: December 2021
Rachel was the founder CEO of 360Giving, an award-winning open data initiative. Prior to joining 360Giving she was Deputy Director of Publish What You Fund, where she led the organisation’s research and monitoring work, including the development of an annual Aid Transparency Index. She is a trustee of mySociety and a member of the Technical Advisory Committee of the Commission on Civil Society. She holds a BA in East European Studies and an MA ....more
  • HELEN BELLFIELD
    Policy Director and Trase Lead
    Appointed: June 2022
Helen is a long-standing member of the Global Canopy team and has been instrumental in the development of many of their current initiatives and partnerships. Trase has grown significantly to cover almost 70% of the global trade in forest risk commodities and is recognised as a unique tool for understanding and informing action by demand side markets. Helen holds a BA in natural sciences from the University of Cambridge and a MSc in Finance from ....more
  • MARIE HOUNSLOW
    Director of Development
Marie joins Global Canopy from Renewable World where she was successful in significantly growing and diversifying its income over eight years. She also worked for 16 years at WWF-UK in fundraising, campaigns and adviser roles before leaving to freelance and a Team Leader role for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games
  • EMMA GOLLUB
    Strategic Engagement Director
    Appointed: January 2021
Emma has a background in corporate sustainability, multi-stakeholder collaboration and the role technology plays in sharing knowledge. She has worked with major retailers, household brands and their suppliers in food and drink, consumer products, pharmaceuticals, textiles, logistics and finance
  • AMY FAIRBAIRN
    Strategic Communications Director
    Appointed: August 2021
Amy is a communications specialist with two decades experience on purpose-led communications for the INGO, public and private sectors. Having spent many years in the international development and humanitarian fields, she now dedicates her skills to raising awareness of how we can live in greater harmony with the natural world around us. Originally from South Africa, Amy has lived and worked in multiple countries in Africa. She has an MA in ....more
  • RONALD BWANIKA KANSERE
    Finance Director
    Appointed: July 2022
Ronald has over 20 years of comprehensive work experience, 15 of which are at senior management level in UK and overseas. He has held various roles in INGOs and the UK government (DFID – Department for International Development) and held trustee positions with two international charities. He is a qualified Accountant and holds an MBA from Manchester Business School. He is passionate about setting up and developing systems for project delivery ....more

How is it governed?

Trustees (10)
Current Trustees appointed
Gender Split

Age Range of Trustees: 29-64
  • ROSE DALE Appointed: 2020, Occupation: Farmer
  • SARA BECK Appointed: 2020, Occupation: Chief Operating Officer, Said Bus School, Oxford
Legal constitution
  • Charity registered in England & Wales on 29/10/2001, number: 1089110
  • Registered at Companies House on 25/09/2001, number: 04293417
  • Registered with HMRC for Gift Aid
Policies in force
  • Conflicting interests
  • Paying staff
  • Risk management
Main office

3 Frewin Chambers
Frewin Court
OXFORD
OX1 3HZ

Objectives

2.1 TO PROMOTE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC BY: 2.1.1 THE PRESERVATION, CONSERVATION AND THE PROTECTION OF THE ENVIRONMENT, BIODIVERSITY, AND THE PRUDENT USE OF NATURAL RESOURCES; 2.1.2 THE RELIEF OF POVERTY AND THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE CONDITIONS OF LIFE IN SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES; 2.1.3 THE PROMOTION OF SUSTAINABLE MEANS OF ACHIEVING ECONOMIC GROWTH AND REGENERATION.2.2 TO PROMOTE EDUCATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC IN ALL AND ANY MATTERS RELATING TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND THE PROTECTION, ENHANCEMENT AND REHABILITATION OF THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, INCLUDING IN PARTICULAR (BUT WITHOUT LIMITATION) THE TROPICAL AND TEMPERATE FORESTS OF THE WORLD, AND TO PROMOTE STUDY AND RESEARCH IN SUCH SUBJECTS PROVIDED THAT THE USEFUL RESULTS OF SUCH STUDY ARE DISSEMINATED TO THE PUBLIC AT LARGE. 2.3 TO PROMOTE FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE PUBLIC THE CONSERVATION, PROTECTION AND IMPROVEMENT OF THE PHYSICAL AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT, AND IN PARTICULAR (BUT WITHOUT LIMITATION) THE TROPICAL AND TEMPERATE FORESTS OF THE WORLD. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT MEANS “DEVELOPMENT WHICH MEETS THE NEEDS OF THE PRESENT WITHOUT COMPROMISING THE ABILITY OF FUTURE GENERATIONS TO MEET THEIR OWN NEEDS.”

Defined Area of Benefit: IN PARTICULAR (BUT WITHOUT LIMITATION) THE TROPICAL AND TEMPERATE FORESTS OF THE WORLD.

Data Sources

Charity Commission for England and Wales
360 Giving
CharityBase

Tips for Selecting Charities

Which areas of philanthropy are most effective?
 The text of this post is taken from an article on the Effective Altruism forum. It suggests that you can achieve the most impact by supporting causes that fight extreme poverty, improving animal welfare....more
Our Top Tips for Philanthropy
 Here are some ideas to help you gain more satisfaction from your philanthropy and confidence that the causes you have selected are impactful. Engage your brain, as well as your heart You....more
How to become a Philanthropist
 In this Blog we outline a strategy to help people who are new to philanthropy and for those who feel dissatisfied with the impact they are having. Effective philanthropy is immensely rewarding for donors,....more
Giving is Great