About us: We’re in it for the long run!

Many environmental projects take a lot of passion and perseverance. Greenpeace e.V. has been active in Germany since 1981, exposing and tackling environmental abuses with spectacular and creative campaigns and actions. However, non-profit organizations such as Greenpeace are legally mandated to spend all donations within two years. This is one of the reasons Greenpeace Germany decided in 1999 to set up a separate foundation.

As part of the international Greenpeace network, Umweltstiftung Greenpeace is committed to Greenpeace goals and values. We are dedicated to the protection of the environment and nature and promote international understanding through peace work and research. We aim to preserve and protect our planet’s unique natural wealth and ensure Earth’s capacity to nurture life in all its diversity. We work internationally, as environmental destruction knows no borders.

Our investments follow ethical, social, and ecological standards in a globalized economy. Umweltstiftung Greenpeace is non-partisan and politically and financially independent.

Picture © Johannes Rother / Species conservation in Franken

For today, tomorrow, and the day after

An endowment fund exists in perpetuity. Its purpose cannot be changed, and the amounts originally gifted are held forever, making them perpetual gifts. We use capital income and donations to pursue the goals of Umweltstiftung Greenpeace. Some foundations have been honoring the wishes of their donors for more than 1,000 years!

Endowment gifts, therefore, are the right choice for those who want their money to have a meaningful and long-term impact. The 21st century must be a century focused on protecting our environment and, most importantly, our climate. Let’s work together to ensure a secure existence for future generations and preserve our planet’s remarkable biodiversity and natural wealth!

Articles of Association

“The purpose of the Foundation is to protect the environment and nature. The Foundation aims to raise awareness of global environmental problems and preserve the habitats and natural processes that support all human, animal, and plant life. Moreover, the Foundation is committed to the protection and conservation of species, open space, and habitats as well as to promoting peace research.” Excerpt from Article 2 of the Articles of Association

Articles of Association Umweltstiftung Greenpeace (in german)

Organizational structure

The Articles of Association provide for three governing bodies:

The Board of Directors

The Board of Directors comprises one or two persons who manage the Foundation and represent it publicly full-time. In addition, the Board defines the specific goals and priorities in keeping with the stated purpose of Umweltstiftung Greenpeace. It ensures that the resolutions of the Board of Trustees are implemented and decides on the ethical, social, and ecological investment of the endowment fund’s assets.

Donor meeting

Every three years, the Board of Trustees holds a meeting and invites all those who have donated to the endowment fund managed by Umweltstiftung Greenpeace. The donors elect two members of the Board of Trustees from their ranks. In addition, developments and current projects funded by the endowment are presented.

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees appoints the members of the Board of Directors, monitors it regularly, and ensures compliance with the Articles of Association. This involves, among other things, auditing the annual financial statements and approving the budget. The Board of Trustees meets twice a year, usually in Hamburg.

The Board of Trustees comprises the following:

Three members appointed by Greenpeace Germany, Hamburg.
Up to two members appointed at the Donor Meeting.

Members of the Board of Trustees as of 2024:

Virág Kaufer, Sigrun Kölle, Marie Kuhn, Alexander von Dercks (Chair)

Virág Kaufer

Sigrun Kölle

Marie Kuhn

Alexander von Dercks, Chair of the Board of Trustees