Top 10: Sustainability Associations
Sustainability organisations unite groups, companies and individuals, bringing them together for the betterment of the planet and its inhabitants.
Often an organised group of professionals, researchers and leaders who collaborate to advance sustainable practices, share knowledge and address common challenges in sustainability across various sectors, these leading organisations have had an incredible impact on the planet and will continue to.
10. Ceres
CEO and President: Mindy Lubber
Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Founded: 1989
Focus: Sustainable business practices
The transition to a sustainable economy requires the active participation of the business sector and US-based nonprofit organisation Ceres is working with the most influential investors and companies to build leadership and drive solutions throughout the economy.
Ceres’ Company Network members are 70% Fortune 500 firms. Ceres has been at the forefront of corporate sustainability since it was founded in response to the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska in 1989, working to transform capital markets and business practices to create a just and sustainable global economy.
The organisation is known for its Ceres Roadmap for Sustainability, which provides a framework for sustainable business leadership and its Investor Network on Climate Risk, which mobilises investor action on climate change.
Ceres' work in areas such as clean energy investment, sustainable water management and board sustainability oversight has made it a key player in advancing corporate environmental responsibility.
9. Ocean Conservancy
CEO: Janis Searles Jones
Headquarters: Washington DC, USA
Founded: 1972
Focus: Ocean protection and conservation
The health of our oceans is critical to the planet's overall well-being and Ocean Conservancy has worked to protect the health and vitality of the world's oceans since 1972.
The organisation focuses on some of the greatest global challenges facing our oceans, including climate change, ocean acidification and plastic pollution.
Ocean Conservancy is perhaps best known for its International Coastal Cleanup programme, which has removed more than 144 million pounds of waste from the world's beaches over the past 25 years.
The organisation combines science-based advocacy, research and public education to influence policy and engage people in protecting the ocean and its wildlife for future generations.
8. Doctors Without Borders
President: Dr Christos Christou
Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland
Founded: 1971
Focus: Medical humanitarian aid and advocacy
Global health crises often intersect with environmental and social sustainability issues.
Doctors Without Borders, also known as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), is an international humanitarian medical non-governmental organisation that steps in to support.
While primarily focused on providing emergency medical aid to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters or exclusion from healthcare, MSF also addresses the broader context of health, including environmental factors.
The organisation has treated tens of millions of people in over 80 countries since its founding in 1971.
MSF's work often brings attention to the health impacts of environmental degradation and climate change, particularly in vulnerable communities and advocates for sustainable solutions to global health challenges.
7. Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)
CEO and President: Manish Bapna
Headquarters: New York City, USA
Founded: 1970
Focus: Environmental advocacy and litigation
Legal and policy frameworks play a crucial role in environmental protection.
The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) is an international nonprofit environmental organisation that combines the power of law, science and the support of its members to protect the planet's wildlife and wild places and to ensure a safe and healthy environment for all living things.
With a staff of more than 700 lawyers, scientists and policy experts, NRDC works on a wide range of environmental issues.
These include climate change, clean energy, wildlife conservation and sustainable cities.
The organisation is known for its effective use of litigation to enforce environmental laws and hold polluters accountable, as well as its advocacy for strong environmental policies at local, national, and international levels.
6. Conservation International (CI)
CEO: M. Sanjayan
Headquarters: Arlington, Virginia, USA
Founded: 1987
Focus: Biodiversity protection and sustainable human development
The intricate link between human well-being and nature's health is becoming increasingly apparent and nonprofit environmental organisation Conservation International (CI) works to spotlight and secure the critical benefits that nature provides to humanity.
Operating in more than 30 countries on six continents, CI combines fieldwork with innovations in science, policy and finance to protect the nature that people rely on for food, fresh water and livelihoods.
The organisation is known for its development of the biodiversity hotspots concept, which has become a key tool in global conservation efforts.
CI's work in areas such as sustainable landscapes and seascapes, climate change mitigation and ecosystem-based adaptation has positioned it as a leader in integrating conservation with sustainable development.
5. The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
CEO: Jennifer Morris
Headquarters: Arlington, Virginia, USA
Founded: 1951
Focus: Land and water conservation
Protecting natural habitats is essential for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services.
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) is a global environmental organisation working to create a world where people and nature can thrive.
Operating in more than 70 countries and territories, TNC uses a collaborative approach with communities, businesses and governments to tackle the most pressing conservation challenges of our time.
The organisation has protected more than 125 million acres of land and thousands of miles of rivers worldwide.
4. Rainforest Alliance
CEO: Santiago Gowland
Headquarters: New York City, USA
Founded: 1987
Focus: Biodiversity conservation and sustainable livelihoods
Known by many as a product certification with its distinguishable logo found on products around the world, the Rainforest Alliance is an international non-profit organisation working at the intersection of business, agriculture and forests.
Deforestation and unsustainable agricultural practices continue to threaten global ecosystems and communities.
By bringing diverse allies together, the Rainforest Alliance aims to create a better future for people and nature by making responsible business practices the new normal in more than 60 countries.
The organisation works to amplify the voices of farmers and forest communities, improve livelihoods, protect biodiversity and help people mitigate and adapt to climate change.
Through its certification programme and partnerships with businesses, the Rainforest Alliance promotes sustainable supply chains and responsible consumption.
3. Greenpeace
Executive Director: Mads Christensen
Headquarters: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Founded: 1971
Focus: Environmental campaigns and non-violent direct action
Greenpeace is the largest nonviolent, direct action environmental organisation in the world, with tens of millions of supporters, volunteers, activists and allies around the world.
Founded in 1971, Greenpeace has become synonymous with eco-protest and environmental advocacy thanks to its focus on critical issues such as climate change, ocean conservation, forest protection, elimination of toxic substances, nuclear energy and sustainable agriculture.
Greenpeace is known for its bold and often controversial campaigns which have successfully brought global attention to environmental issues and pressured governments and corporations to adopt more sustainable practices.
2. World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
CEO: Carter Roberts
Headquarters: Gland, Switzerland
Founded: 1961
Focus: Conservation of nature and reduction of human impact on the environment
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organisations.
With more than five million supporters globally, WWF works in nearly 100 countries to help local communities conserve natural resources, transform markets and policies towards sustainability and protect and restore species and their habitats.
The organisation's efforts ensure that the value of nature is reflected in decision-making from local to global scales, connecting cutting-edge conservation science with the collective power of its supporters to drive innovative solutions to complex environmental challenges.
“People look to WWF and its leadership to bring imagination and perseverance to the important work of conservation and to build bridges between government, civil society and business in devising solutions at the scale of the challenges we face,” says Carter Roberts, President & CEO of WWF.
“The world demands no less of us.”
1. United Nations Global Compact
Assistant Secretary-General, CEO and Executive Director of the United Nations Global Compact: Sanda Ojiambo
Headquarters: New York City, USA
Founded: 2000
Focus: Corporate sustainability and sustainable development
The global economy faces unprecedented challenges in achieving sustainable growth, so the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) encourages businesses worldwide to adopt sustainable and socially responsible policies.
Founded by then Secretary-General Kofi Annan in 2000, the UNGC is a special initiative of the Executive Office of the Secretary-General and the world's largest corporate sustainability initiative.
With more than 15,000 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories across 160 countries, the UNGC provides a principle-based framework for businesses to align their operations and strategies with 10 universally accepted principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anti-corruption.
The organisation works to mobilise a global movement of sustainable companies and stakeholders to create the world we want, driving business awareness and action in support of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
“Sustainability is no longer optional but essential for business resilience, competitiveness and long-term success,” Assistant Secretary-General, CEO and Executive Director of the United Nations Global Compact Sanda Ojiambo said in her 2025 letter.
“This shift is evident in the fact that more companies than ever are committing to sustainable, responsible business practices with the UN Global Compact.”
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