Introduction
The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) is a UK-based international charity dedicated to protecting the natural environment and defending human rights linked to environmental security. Founded by Steve Trent and Juliette Williams in 1999 and registered as a charity in 2001, EJF believes that a secure environment is a fundamental human right and that environmental destruction is deeply connected with injustice and human suffering.
Working across multiple continents, EJF combines investigation, advocacy, film production, and grassroots empowerment to catalyze change, influence policy, and support environmental defenders.
History and Background
Founding and Evolution
The Environmental Justice Foundation was conceived out of the recognition that environmental degradation and human rights abuses disproportionately affect impoverished and marginalized communities. After its establishment, EJF embarked on its first campaigns addressing fishing rights abuses in Cambodia, collaborating with local partners to document and expose environmental injustices.
Since then, EJF has evolved into a globally respected environmental justice organization with a presence in over a dozen countries and a focus on challenging systemic drivers of environmental destruction, including unsustainable fishing, habitat loss, climate change, and exploitative practices.
Mission and Purpose
Core Mission
The core mission of the Environmental Justice Foundation is to protect both people and the planet by defending the basic human right to a secure environment. EJF’s work is rooted in the belief that environmental justice — fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people in environmental policy — is essential for sustainable development and human wellbeing.
Strategic Focus Areas
EJF’s campaigns and programs are grouped into five priority areas:
- Ocean protection — defending marine ecosystems and the livelihoods that depend on them
- Climate action — advocating for policies to avert climate breakdown
- Forests and wetlands — protecting critical carbon-rich ecosystems
- Sustainable fashion — reducing the environmental impact of the fashion industry
- Environmental defenders — supporting frontline communities, journalists, and activists exposing abuses
By combining investigation, evidence gathering, storytelling, and advocacy, EJF targets decision-makers and amplifies the voices of those at the frontlines of environmental harm.
Governance and Structure
Legal Status and Oversight
Environmental Justice Foundation is a registered charity in England and Wales (charity number 1088128) and also operates as a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee.
Governance is provided by a UK Board of Trustees alongside founding leadership, ensuring accountability, integrity, and strategic oversight of its global campaigns. EJF maintains a firm stance against accepting funding that could compromise its independence or ethical principles.
Funding Model
EJF’s income primarily comes from private philanthropy (approximately 77%) and government grants (about 20%), with a small portion from individual donations and investment income. Its fundraising strategy emphasizes cost-efficiency, transparent partnerships, and ethical funding sources.
Funding and Grants
Grantmaking and Strategic Support
While EJF itself does not offer broad public grant programs like a traditional foundation, it does make strategic grants and sub-grants to partner civil society and frontline organizations, especially in the Global South. These support grassroots initiatives that document environmental abuses, build local capacity, and strengthen advocacy efforts.
All sub-grants undergo due diligence, formal agreements, and ongoing reporting, ensuring accountability and alignment with EJF’s mission.
Ethical Funding Principles
EJF maintains strict policies on ethical funding, avoiding support from entities tied to fossil fuels, unsustainable industries, or practices that contradict environmental justice values.
Major Programs and Initiatives
Ocean Protection
EJF campaigns to safeguard marine biodiversity and sustainable livelihoods, highlighting destructive practices such as illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and exposing abuses through film, investigation, and policy engagement.
Climate Justice
EJF pushes for comprehensive climate policy and protection of climate-vulnerable communities, emphasizing the rights of climate refugees and the importance of decarbonization.
Forests and Wetlands Conservation
The organization works to protect forests, wetlands, and other ecosystems that are essential for carbon storage, biodiversity, and human livelihoods, particularly in regions like the Pantanal in Brazil.
Sustainable Fashion
EJF’s sustainable fashion campaign targets environmental and social impacts of the fashion supply chain, advocating for systemic change in production and consumption patterns.
Environmental Defenders Support
A hallmark of EJF’s work is training, equipping, and amplifying frontline defenders, Indigenous communities, journalists, and local partners to document environmental harm and advocate for justice.
Impact and Examples
Documenting Abuse and Influencing Policy
EJF’s investigative work has uncovered systemic abuses such as modern-day slavery in the seafood industry, illegal fishing in West Africa, and forced child labor linked to environmental exploitation — influencing policy at national and international levels.
Capacity Building
Through training programs and community support, EJF strengthens local agency, enabling communities to collect evidence, engage in advocacy, and hold powerful actors accountable.
Global Reach
EJF’s impact spans across Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, reflecting its commitment to equity, justice, and sustainable solutions that prioritize the rights of people and the planet.
Conclusion
The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) is a leading global charity that bridges environmental protection and human rights advocacy. By investigating abuses, empowering grassroots partners, and influencing policy, EJF advances environmental justice for vulnerable communities and critical ecosystems around the world.
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