Global Witness is a worldwide non-government organisation that draws attention to a variety of sustainability-related issues. Its approach is to find the facts, expose the story and use these to help change the system in favour of people and the planet.

Global Witness’ broad focus is on improving the planet and lives of people, particularly with regards to climate change and the priorities of corporations. It has exposed issues in the oil, gas, mining, and timber industries, as well as corruption and influence within financial and political systems.

Global Witness’ campaigns include:

• targeting the financing behind climate-critical deforestation
• challenging industry efforts to present fossil gas as climate-friendly
• ending corporate complicity in environmental and human rights abuses
• protecting land and environmental defenders
• tackling division, hate and disinformation
• ending corporate corruption

Based out of offices in London, Brussels and Washington DC, Global Witness’ nearly 100 staff have a worldwide focus with a broad network of partners and allies. Direction is set by a board of directors which includes the original co-founders, and a leadership team headed by the CEO provides day-to-day management. An advisory council provides further advice. Global Witness is supported by a related trust in the United Kingdom and a foundation in the United States.

Global Witness’ first campaign exposed the illegal timber trade between Cambodia and Thailand, and the role this played in funding the Khmer Rouge. Since 2010 it has published an annual report on the killings and threats made against environmental defenders. In 2014 Global Witness won the TED Prize for the work it does challenging global corruption.

Objectives:

Our goal is a more sustainable, just and equal planet. We want forests and biodiversity to thrive, fossil fuels to stay in the ground and corporations to prioritise the interests of people and the planet.

We want justice for those disproportionately affected by the climate crisis: people in the global south, indigenous communities and communities of colour, women and younger generations. We want corporations to respect the planet and human rights, governments to protect and listen to their citizens, and the online world to be free from misinformation and hate.

Almost all of Global Witness’ funding comes from donations. The majority of this is donations from trusts and foundations (70% in 2020), followed by governments (15%) and individuals (12%). Small amounts of funding were provided by other NGOs (2% in 2020) and donated services and facilities (1%).

This is outlined in the 2020 annual report, and detailed financial statements can be found here.