What We Fund
Our mission is to help protect the world from climate change, keep global temperatures to 1.5 degrees and restore our relationship with the natural world.
We want to make this difference by using our grants and investments to safeguard our forests, repair damaged soils, connect people with nature, support universal access to clean energy and help make financial investments better benefit nature and our society.
Landmark Judgment on Trustee Investment Duties
Butler-Sloss vs Charity Commission
The Ashden Trust welcomes the landmark Butler-Sloss v Charity Commission judgment (link to the judgment) which provides much needed clarity on the law on trustee investment duties.
Butler-Sloss was brought by trustees of the Ashden and Mark Leonard Trusts (another Sainsbury Family Charitable Trust) because they wanted to adopt new investment policies which align investments with the Paris Agreement. It was unclear whether they could adopt such policies under the previous legal context; particularly where adopting such policies could result in significant financial detriment to the charities.
The High Court has blessed the Trusts’ decision to adopt the investment policy and provided definitive guidance on the nature and scope of investment duties for all charity trustees. You can find out what this means for trustees here.
Our Programme Areas
Since the Trust was founded, tackling climate change has and continues to be the Trust’s primary focus. Trustees chose these distinct and inter-connected programmes as they are key in the fight against climate change and transitioning us towards a fair and just low-carbon society.
The Climate Change Collaboration
The Climate Change Collaboration is an initiative comprised of the Ashden Trust and two other Sainsbury Family Charitable Trusts, the Mark Leonard Trust and JJ Charitable Trust. It funds efforts which help move private and public capital away from polluting corporations to companies that will help achieve the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping temperature rises well below 2 degrees and preferably 1.5 degrees.
Stopping Deforestation
We have funded efforts to stop deforestation across the world since the Trust was set up in 1989; it remains a key target area for the Trust. Our efforts are currently focused on the Amazon and forests within Indonesia and West Papua.
Connecting People with Nature
There is a wealth of evidence which shows that spending time outside in nature has lasting positive effects on our physical and mental health as well as our general well-being. The Trust wants to bring these positive benefits to different types of people and demographics.
Sustainable Farming
With the UK exiting the European Union, there are huge opportunities for the UK to rethink its agricultural processes and land management. Looking forward, we believe our agriculture could provide healthy, affordable food produced in ways that protect soil health, restore biodiversity, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, mitigate climate change and support thriving communities.
Ashden – climate solutions in action
Each year, we provide unrestricted funding to Ashden – climate solutions in action. This charity was set up by Sarah Butler-Sloss to reward, support and promote sustainable energy innovations to combat climate change and energy poverty.