Press release: Zac Goldsmith joins Global Returns Project’s Advisory Board.
London 8 April – The Global Returns Project (GRP), a UK-registered charity making it easy to donate to the world’s highest impact climate charities, today announces the appointment of Lord Zac Goldsmith to its Advisory Board.
As a member of the Advisory Board, Zac will help shape the Global Returns Project’s strategy for growing high-impact climate and nature philanthropy within the financial services industry. Zac will also help expand GRP’s relationships with wealth managers, investment managers and private donors.
GRP has seen a period of significant growth over the past year, doubling its amount raised for climate charities from full-year 2023 to full-year 2024. Since the project was founded, donations have snowballed from just under £40,000 in the 2019/2020 financial year, to over £362,000 for the 2023/2024 financial year. To-date, it has raised over £800,000 for its charities, in total.
Zac has a long history of philanthropic endeavours, including recognition of his work in winning the Beacon Prize as Young Philanthropist of the Year in 2003. He is well-known for his life-long and unstinting commitment to environmental causes. As a Government Minister, his responsibilities included forests, oceans, biodiversity, climate change and the illegal wildlife trade as well as the Pacific region and UK Overseas Territories. Zac was also extensively involved in the delivery of the Glasgow Leaders’ Declaration at COP26, the adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework at the Convention on Biological Diversity COP15, and the formation of Global Ocean Alliance that grouped 30 countries to sign a pledge to improve the protection of the ocean.
Jack Chellman, Chief Project Officer of the Global Returns Project, said: “We have seen some exciting momentum demonstrating our model’s potential for huge growth. This year we partnered with our first two large financial planning firms and initiated the UK’s first tool for financial advisers to facilitate charitable donations via an investment platform. We are very excited to welcome Zac to our Advisory Board and know that his experience and expertise will play a huge role in opening further avenues for growth through partnerships and future donations.
Zac Goldsmith, member of the Advisory Board, said: “There can be no doubt that to turn the tide on climate change and biodiversity loss, we must scale up our investment in nature. We know we cannot rely on public sector finance alone; it is crucial that we involve philanthropy and mobilise the private sector to help protect and restore our precious natural environment. I’m excited to be supporting the Global Returns Project to leverage donations from individuals, financial institutions, and other businesses, so that high-impact charities can continue their fantastic work to mitigate the worst effects of our impact on the climate and environment.”
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NOTES TO EDITORS
Lord Zac Goldsmith’s role on the Global Returns Project’s Advisory Board is unpaid and carries no decision-making authority.
About the Global Returns Project
The Global Returns Project is a UK-registered charity (no. 1186683) making it easy to donate to the world’s highest impact climate charities.
GRP directs 100% of donations to its recommended climate and biodiversity charities, with no deductions. The Trustees and a number of charitable trusts, foundations and individual donors fund its operating costs.
GRP’s donors receive detailed six-monthly impact reports, along with their advisers and participating fund managers. Advisers who partner with the Global Returns Project decide which of their clients to approach about GRP. Clients decide how much to donate – many donate a proportion of net wealth on a monthly or annual basis. Contributions by UK taxpayers may be eligible for Gift Aid and tax deductibility.
Website: https://globalreturnsproject.earth
LinkedIn: Global Returns Project