Governance Structure

Greenpeace's global governance structure reflects our fundamental respect for global democratic principles and our need to maintain a high level of internationalism and coordination. The governance structure is laid out in clear procedures and policies, which are jointly agreed by representatives of the National / Regional Greenpeace offices, and provides the mechanism by which organisational policy is decided and adopted.

Greenpeace International (formal registered entity name: Stichting Greenpeace Council), the body that coordinates global Greenpeace policy and strategy, is an organisation of about 175 staff, largely based in Amsterdam. Its role within the global Greenpeace network is the following:

• Facilitating the overall decision making processes as laid out in the Governance procedures
• Facilitating the international planning and decision making processes on global Greenpeace campaigns
• Coordinating and carrying out global Greenpeace campaigns
• Monitoring Greenpeace's global strategic and financial performance
• Developing Greenpeace presences in priority regions for the organisation
• Providing fundraising support and protecting the Greenpeace trademark
• Providing cost-effective IT/web support to national and regional offices.

Greenpeace International Board of Directors

The Board of Directors of Greenpeace International (Stichting Greenpeace Council) consists of seven members. Its role is to approve the annual budget of Greenpeace International and the audited accounts, and to appoint and supervise the Greenpeace International Executive Director.

The International Board is also responsible for monitoring the operations and activities of the wider organisation; deciding organisational policy; approving the start of new campaigns and new national offices; ratifying the Greenpeace International Annual General Meeting (AGM) decisions; granting the right to use the Greenpeace trademark; and for determining the voting status of national and regional offices in the AGM.

International Board members are elected for a three-year period by representatives from the National / Regional Offices at the AGM, and may be re-elected for a subsequent term. The International Board reports annually to the Greenpeace International AGM. 

Greenpeace International Annual General Meeting

Each National / Regional Office is also governed by a board of directors. These are usually elected by a voting membership of volunteers and activists, who are firmly rooted within the local environmental communities and are well positioned to represent the wider public in influencing Greenpeace decisions and policy.

Each National / Regional Office Board appoints a representative to the Greenpeace International Annual General Meeting, called a Trustee. In this way, the AGM is effectively the supervisory body for the organisation as a whole. The Trustees elect the International Board, the legally responsible entity.

Key responsibilities of the AGM include:

• To establish and uphold the core principles of the organisation
• To elect or remove the International Board
• To approve the opening of new Greenpeace offices
• To approve the annual Greenpeace International budget ceiling
• To identify issues of strategic significance to be addressed by the organisation

These issues are annually debated and voted on by the International Board and the National/Regional Office Trustees at the AGM. The Greenpeace International Board determines the voting status of National / Regional offices at the AGM based upon offices meeting a set of detailed criteria on financial solvency and independence, and adherence to internationally accepted good governance and financial management standards.

International Meetings

In addition to the Greenpeace International AGM the following annual international meetings are convened to decide on international operational and campaign management issues:

Executive Directors Meeting

This is the forum that takes decisions on global Greenpeace operational management directions. The Executive Directors of each National/Regional office meet twice every year with the Greenpeace International Executive Director and Senior Management team. At these meetings, they decide on issues to do with Greenpeace's role in society; campaign priorities, framework and planning process; the International Executive Director's annual objectives; the organisational development plan; and organisational policies and procedures regarding the practical operating relationship between Greenpeace International and the national offices.

Programme Meeting

The Campaigns Directors of all national/regional offices meet annually with the Greenpeace International Programme and Issue Directors. In this meeting they identify priorities within issue areas; determine the campaign calendar for the coming year; refine strategy, determine "critical paths" and set policies for the campaign programme; as well as set indicative budgets for each issue area for the coming year.

Other Meetings

At the direction of the Board or the Executive Directors Meeting, international working groups made up of representatives from national offices, Greenpeace International and external experts may convene throughout the year to work on specific issues such as developing new campaigning and fundraising strategies and policies, or opening new offices. There are also permanent advisory groups on Programme, Finance and Fundraising that advise the international Senior Management Team (SMT) on an ongoing basis. Programme units convene meetings during the year to decide detailed campaign plans and strategy.