Catalysing Environmental Action for a Sustainable Future
In this ‘Decisive Decade’ for climate action, EarthShare CEO and EHF Fellow Brad Leibov is passionate about the organisation achieving its goal - mobilising action for the environment and health of people and planet.
Brad says:
“Climate change and biodiversity loss now stands as one of humanity’s most pressing challenges, but it also offers us an opportunity for positive change. We have a choice in how we face today’s environmental issues - they can be met with fear and despair, or we can choose to embrace them with ambition, audacity, and optimism. We may see these challenges as an impediment to progress or as a force that accelerates our journey toward responsible environmental stewardship and greater prosperity. Together, with all our stakeholders, we choose optimism.”
Brad in Wanaka, NZ
Inspiring Leadership in Climate Action
As CEO of EarthShare, Brad is leading the efforts to build a more inclusive global community of environmental advocates, demonstrating that collaborative efforts can drive progress. His commitment to integrating social impact with environmental sustainability is evident through his extensive career, which includes roles as a founder, co-founder, and chief executive in several pioneering organisations and social enterprises.
Under Brad’s leadership, EarthShare has become a catalyst for change, mobilising millions of dollars in funding and numerous initiatives to protect and restore the environment. His strategic vision is to expand EarthShare’s influence by growing its network of donors and activists dedicated to environmental guardianship to combat climate change and address its most urgent challenges.
He says:
"The planet can't wait for us to catch up with the crises we've created. Our planet’s issues are becoming increasingly urgent and complex. We need a movement of support that is accessible, inclusive, and built for scale. Now more than ever, positive impact is at the fingertips of anyone who wants to be part of a growing community of like-minded environmental advocates, activists, and those just starting to get involved. We’re making it possible for everyone to do good for the planet, regardless of age, income, geography, knowledge, background, or experience."
Brad led the EarthShare team to leverage technology to make environmental giving quicker and easier. In the early 2020s, EarthShare launched an innovative giving platform to empower individuals, families, and business donors to engage in philanthropy more effectively. The online platform has scaled the level of high-impact giving, enabling the EarthShare network of nonprofit organisations to extend their reach and increase donations.
Mobilising Action for a Sustainable Future
For over three decades, EarthShare has been connecting individuals, businesses, and nonprofits to collectively create a better Earth for all. The organisation’s vision is clear: a world where everyone takes action for a healthy planet. Through innovative workplace giving campaigns and comprehensive employee engagement programmes, EarthShare has catalysed collective action, raising over USD$400 million to support environmental initiatives and drive meaningful progress.
This past year, EarthShare had the opportunity to work alongside one of its long-time business partners to create custom Earth Month programming to educate staff on the topic of 30x30 (‘thirty by thirty’) via EarthShare's 30x30 Project microsite. This project walks viewers through a library of solutions that are helping to conserve lands, waters, and biodiversity by 2030.
Feedback and engagement from participants has been positive, and EarthShare was able to support the business in raising donations for indigenous-led environmental organisations across the United States.
Strategic Engagement for Lasting Environmental Impact
EarthShare’s approach encompasses a range of strategies designed to engage and inspire. Their workplace giving campaigns involve partnerships with over 500 nonprofits, allowing employees to easily contribute to environmental causes through payroll deductions. This generates vital funding and cultivates a culture of corporate social responsibility.
EarthShare directs grants and funding to various environmental nonprofits and projects that tackle the pressing issues such as climate change, conservation, and pollution prevention. These financial resources support efforts that address both local and global environmental challenges, amplifying the impact of each donation.
EarthShare also prioritises educational resources and advocacy, providing tools to help individuals and organisations understand their environmental impact and take effective action. This includes educational materials, advocacy campaigns, and collaborations with grassroots organisations to enhance their reach and influence.
By focusing on inclusivity and community building, EarthShare engages with a diverse array of people from all backgrounds to contribute to solving the environmental crisis, making their efforts more impactful and far-reaching.
Explaining why he believes that prioritising tribal nations’ sovereignty and indigenous wisdom is key to effective and sustainable solutions, Brad says:
“Sustainability and conservation practices are not new ideas. They've been around for thousands of years, practised by indigenous communities around the world. To approach these solutions as new initiatives is to blatantly ignore thousands of years of history, experience, and culture.
In order to implement restorative solutions in the most impactful and effective ways possible, we need to turn to the experts. Tribal sovereignty is critical for indigenous communities to be able to share and act on this knowledge.
In the environmental space, we often hear the phrase, ‘everyone needs a seat at the table’. And there is absolutely truth to that. But when we're talking about the global environment, it's a really big table. The better question is, ‘who is being given the microphone’? And the answer needs to include indigenous leaders and communities.”
Innovation Through Philanthropy
In addition to his work with EarthShare, Brad is the Chair of One Earth, a philanthropic organisation working to accelerate collective action to solve the climate crisis. One Earth operates on the belief that the solutions to the climate crisis already exist and can be implemented through three pillars of action: a just transition to 100% renewable energy, the protection and restoration of half of the world’s lands and oceans, and a shift to net-zero food and fibre systems.
One Earth’s innovative approach to climate philanthropy involves groundbreaking science, inspiring media, and strategic resource mobilisation. The organisation’s climate model, ‘Achieving the Paris Climate Agreement Goals’, provides a roadmap for limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C, offering a clear path for decarbonising the global energy system. One Earth’s work has been recognised for its impact and innovation, influencing climate policy and conservation efforts worldwide.
Brad’s leadership at EarthShare and One Earth exemplifies the power of strategic, committed and innovative approaches to climate action. By mobilising resources, engaging diverse communities, and championing groundbreaking solutions, Brad is making a lasting impact in the fight against climate change. His work serves as an inspiring example of how individuals and organisations can come together to create a more sustainable and just future for our planet.
Achieving More Together
Reflecting on the ability to go further together, Brad points out the strengths of the Edmund Hillary Fellowship:
“The collective wealth and knowledge of the Fellowship has been extraordinary. We are surrounded by creative and strategic thinkers who are envisioning and driving solutions to Aotearoa NZ’s and the world’s biggest challenges. As social impact leaders, we have the responsibility to also pay it forward by supporting more than just our own visions for positive change. We are very skilled at achieving a lot with very little, and through the support and community of the Fellowship we are achieving much more together than we could individually.”
Brad is part of the Fellow group Ngā Manu Titi Rere Ao, which had its EHF Welcome Experience in August 2022. Learn more about Brad via the Fellow Directory.
Learn more about EarthShare: https://www.earthshare.org/
Learn more about One Earth: https://www.oneearth.org/
