Mission
Driven by the imperative of climate justice, The Sunrise Project’s mission is to scale social movements to drive the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy as fast as possible.
About Stichting Sunrise International
Stichting Sunrise International (“Sunrise International” or “the Stichting”) was established in 2023 with a mission to protect the environment from the impacts of large-scale fossil fuel expansion and to hasten the transition to clean energy.
The objectives of Sunrise International are:
- to protect, preserve and enhance the natural environment, more specifically protecting the natural environment from pollution and over exploitation;
- to support and empower individuals, communities, governments and corporations to make changes required to prevent dangerous climate change and drive the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy;
- to advance climate justice;
- to organize and support a global network of Sunrise Project charities collaborating to these purposes
- receiving and granting funds for the achievement of the above purposes.
The Stichting works closely together with The Sunrise Project Australia Ltd (established in 2012) and The Sunrise Project Inc (established in 2022) to scale social movements to drive the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy as fast as possible. The three entities are legally independent organisations, and are bound together by a shared vision, mission and values.
You can review our Policy plan here:
About the Governance of Sunrise International
Stichting Sunrise International has a two-tier governance, with a management board and a supervisory board. Whilst the management board is responsible for the day-to-day operations and is exclusively entitled to represent the foundation, the management board members may be dismissed and appointed by the Supervisory Board. The Supervisory Board also has important approval rights with a list of important decisions, including the amendment of this policy plan or major financial transactions.
The initial members of the supervisory and management boards represent a wealth of international experience in climate change campaigning and movement building.
Stichting Sunrise International Supervisory Board
Claire Mallinson
Claire Mallinson
Claire is passionate about the Sunrise Project’s mission and purpose and brings strategic expertise, business acumen and leadership experience. Claire has a deep understanding of campaigning and the power of activism across international boundaries with over 30 years of senior leadership experience with environmental, human rights, disability and cancer research INGOs/NGO’s in Australia and around the world.
Claire was the National Director (CEO) of Amnesty International Australia (AIA) for twelve years and part of Amnesty International’s Global Leadership Team for a decade. Whilst National Director of AIA Claire oversaw the growth of AIA’s supporters by 400% and the delivery of significant human rights wins in Australia, Asia Pacific and globally. She built, led and developed key partnerships including business leaders, major funders, Indigenous communities and elders and civil society leaders and activist groups and was part of the Board team that developed and implemented major governance reform. Claire is an advisor, coach and mentor to CEO’s, senior executives and Boards and is a Member of AICD, Chief Executive Women, and Women on Boards.
Areeba Hamid
Areeba Hamid
Areeba worked at senior levels in Greenpeace offices around the world from 2006-2020, campaigning on issues like marine conservation, coal expansion in India, rainforest destruction in Indonesia, and tar sands in Canada and North America. Areeba re-joined Greenpeace from The Sunrise Project, where she led their global finance program. Born in India, she is the first woman and first person of colour to lead Greenpeace in the UK.
Danny Kennedy
Danny Kennedy
Danny Kennedy is an entrepreneur and investor known for work in the solar industry including helping to launch companies like Sungevity, Mosaic, SolarPhilippines and Powerhouse. He was until recently the CEO of New Energy Nexus for nearly a decade, an international organization supporting clean energy entrepreneurs with funds, accelerators and networks in China, India, Southeast Asia, Africa, Australia and the USA. He remains a Venture Partner with NEX Catalyst Fund and is an Adviser to Wollemi Capital and several startup businesses. In the 1990s and naughties he worked at Greenpeace and other NGOs on climate and energy issues. Danny is based in California.
Sudha Nandagopal
Sudha Nandagopal
Sudha recently served as Chief Executive Officer of Social Venture Partners International (SVPI), where she cultivated and expanded a philanthropic network to catalyze more resources to communities around the globe, demonstrated ways for philanthropy to share power and wealth, and built stronger relationships between philanthropists and communities. Previously, Sudha co-created and led the City of Seattle’s Equity & Environment Initiative a first of its kind effort to center communities of color in city environmental policy and programs. She co authored Seattle’s Equity & Environment Agenda, established the Environmental Justice Fund, and laid the groundwork for the city’s Climate Justice program.
Stichting Sunrise International Management Board
John Hepburn
Read John's bio
John Hepburn
John is an activist and social entrepreneur with over twenty-five years experience running environmental campaigns. In 2017 he was an inaugural recipient of the Climate Breakthrough Award which was the catalyst for Sunrise scale its work globally. Prior to founding The Sunrise Project in 2012, John spent a decade leading campaigns with Greenpeace and previously worked on a wide variety of environmental campaigns at a grassroots level. He is the founder of several non-profit recycling businesses which led to him being awarded a Churchill Fellowship in 2002. John holds degrees in Manufacturing Systems Engineering and Business Management and before becoming an activist, worked for several years as an engineer making components for the oil, gas and coal industries.
Sam La Rocca
Sam La Rocca
Sam is the Executive Director of The Sunrise Project Inc. He brings over twenty-five years experience building people powered movements for a socially just and ecologically sane world. Sam holds a multidisciplinary degree in environmental science, and while completing his first class honours thesis on grassroots mobilisation, he co-founded activist education outfit The Change Agency to deliver social movement education, campaign strategy and organising training programs to community groups around Australia and internationally. He’s worked as a senior political advisor in federal parliament and led highly successful electoral campaigns. He has facilitated movement-wide processes for the Climate Action Network Australia and Friends of the Earth International’s Asia Pacific Region; and he has a strong interest in building powerful networks to catalyse system change.
Marijke van Liemt
Read Marijke's bio Marijke van Liemt
Marijke van Liemt joins the Sunrise project as the Chief of Operations for Europe. She brings a broad range of international experience: she started her career at ABN AMRO Bank in the Netherlands, in corporate finance. After leaving ABN AMRO, she worked for 13 years internationally as a coach and trainer in intercultural communications & leadership. She lived and worked in Brazil, the USA, Austria and Egypt, before moving back to the Netherlands in 2016. She worked as manager operations at KidsRights, an NGO advocating children’s rights before joining NLinBusiness as Manager Operations and Partners in October 2017, where she was responsible for setting up the operations.
Marijke holds a MA in Economics (Groningen University), and a MA in Intercultural Competencies (Donua University Austria). She is a certified leadership and organizational systems coach.
Reecha Upadhyay
Reecha Upadhyay
Reecha is the Director of The Sunrise Project. Corporate Clean Energy Program. She has built and led campaigns on air quality, climate, gender equality, peace and security, and labour rights. She was the Head of India Program and Global Campaigns at the Clean Air Fund and the Director of Campaigns at Purpose. Prior to Sunrise, she was the Director of International Campaigns at Climate Catalyst where she designed and delivered steel decarbonisation efforts in India, Japan and South Korea. She also has a strong background in building campaigns strategies, programme development and management across Asia as part of the Asia Foundation and globally with the United Nations. Reecha is based in New Delhi, India
About the Governance of The Sunrise Project
The Sunrise Project is now a global network of independent organisations that share a common mission and common values. The Sunrise Project currently comprises:
- The Sunrise Project Australia Limited (Sunrise Australia), incorporated in Australia > read more here
- The Sunrise Project Inc. (Sunrise Inc.), incorporated in the United States > read more here
- Stichting Sunrise International (Sunrise International), incorporated in the Netherlands in early 2023
Each organisation is a fully independent legal entity with its own board of experienced Directors, who bring deep expertise across climate change, social movements, law, finance, organisational leadership and governance.