Global Witness

By the end of 2022, we want Global Witness: to be the go-to organisation on our issues with our key audiences in key countries, and globally; to be a more adaptable, diverse and innovative organisation that prioritizes learning, evaluation, and personal sustainability, and demonstrates best practice on safety, transparency, inclusiveness, and the environment; to be financially sustainable and has developed governing bodies and related philanthropic trusts that are working in harmony and contributing substantially to the growth of our impact while ensuring we are transparent and accountable for the responsibilities of our mandate; to have helped advance human rights, equality and peace by tackling vested interests and corruption, and ensuring the fair and sustainable use of natural resources; and to have helped ensure the planet is on track to stay within a 1.5 degree Celsius temperature rise, by ensuring the fair and sustainable use of natural resources.

Global Witness is unique in its ability to combine rigorous research in affected communities with the expertise and influence needed to link these abuses to global supply chains and then to propose solutions. We focus on three key areas of activity: Investigations, Exposure, and Advocacy.

Investigate the problem; gathering detailed, first-hand evidence to compile compelling case studies of corruption in the natural resources sector and global financial system, and show how this threatens development, human rights and the environment.

Expose and inform through hard-hitting and authoritative reports, briefings and other media that offer solutions and practical recommendations for reform.

Advocate for systemic change at both national and international levels and act as a watchdog to ensure that the problems that we have identified are either rectified or prevented from happening again.

Global Witness is comprised of experienced campaigners, some of who are world experts in their field. Our methodology is based on the belief that in order to ensure that revenue from natural resources drives peaceful and sustainable social and economic development in the world's poorest countries, there must be systemic change across the global legal and regulatory frameworks, the policies of governments and multilateral bodies, and the behavior of private companies and financial institutions. In our work to deliver systems change, we focus on three key areas of activity: Investigations, Exposure, and Advocacy. We have been instrumental in establishing and building coalitions over the past 20 years which provide platforms through which to share learning and experience and increase campaign reach. Our joint advocacy increases pressure on national and international political agendas, increasing the likelihood of success.

At Global Witness, we protect human rights and the environment by fearlessly confronting corruption and challenging the systems that enable it.

When founded in 1993, we were pioneers in seeing the link between natural resources, conflict and corruption. Since our very first campaign to shut down the Khmer Rouge’s illegal logging industry we’ve uncovered the truth about blood diamonds and helped bring trillions of oil, gas and mining revenues into the open.

We’ve shone a spotlight on the brutal killings of those defending their land from forced seizure by corporations and governments alike, campaigned for an end to the use of anonymous companies, and much more.