We believe
in healthy seas
for all.

Common Seas is on a mission to quickly and significantly reduce the amount of plastic produced and stop it polluting our rivers and seas.

We fund our work through philanthropic investment and consultancy work for governments and brands. We also reinvest any returns from our investment into circular economy solutions.

Mission

To quickly and significantly reduce the amount of plastic produced and stop it entering our ocean

Mission To quickly andsignificantly reducethe amount ofplastic producedand stop it enteringour ocean DrivingGovernmentPolicy DrivingGovernmentPolicy ShiftingCulturalNorms ShiftingCulturalNorms Investing inthe circulareconomy Investing inthe circulareconomy

Our Approach

  1. We need government policy that propels a change in how we make, use and dispose of the plastic that ends up in our ocean

    Shifting Cultural Norms

  2. We need a cultural shift that generates support for plastic alternatives, bolsters new markets and accelerates the adoption of a plastic waste-free economy.

    Investing in the circular economy

  3. We need self-sustaining circular solutions that remove problem plastics from our economy and prevent plastic from becoming waste.

    Driving Government Policy

Our Programmes

Government Partnerships

Common Seas partners with governments around the world to help them quickly and significantly reduce their plastic pollution.

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Clean Blue Alliance

Our vision is a global network of plastic waste-free islands. We are working with governments, councils, businesses and local changemakers to identify and accelerate solutions.

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Plastic and Health

Common Seas identifies, investigates and communicates the emerging human health risks of plastic.

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Business Partnerships

PlasTICK is a digital tool from Common Seas that empowers the tourism industry (and countries that depend on tourism) to radically reduce their plastic use and protect the world’s most beautiful places from plastic pollution.

View Programme


Why plastic?

Plastic kills and harms many millions of sea creatures. But it’s not just marine life: humans are more exposed to plastic than any other species, and there’s strong evidence this affects our health. A polluted ocean also harms our economy, our global food supply and our climate.

Despite this, if the petrochemical industry has its way we’ll be making twice as much plastic by 2040. If they can’t sell their oil and gas as energy, they’ll sell it as plastic.

Meanwhile, 11 of the world’s 20 most plastic-polluting countries lack a robust reduction strategy. And fulfilling every existing commitment on plastic will only reduce pollution by 8% in the next 20 years.

© Julia Neeson

We're hands on

Common Seas is an international team of scientists, researchers, policy experts, communicators and behaviour change professionals. Together, we test our ideas in the field, learn from our own and others’ mistakes and all share a deep love of the sea.

See our hands on approach in Paros, Greece

We are catalysts

Our research and work on-the-ground harnesses the collective expertise of people, governments and businesses. Through a participatory co-design approach, we build capacity, infrastructure and momentum to catalyse change at a community, national and international level.

See an example of our community-focused approach in the Maldives

Plastic Free Workshop Soneva Fushi by Alicia Warner 19 2

We are collaborative

Plastic pollution is too big and too complex a problem to solve alone. Our work harnesses the collective experience of community, academic, government and business experts. Together, we solve problems and make things happen - in the community, across a country and around the world.

See an example of our collaborative approach in East Java

Our Story

Our mission and approach have been shaped by two forces. First, our founders’ lifelong professional and spiritual connection to the ocean. And second, over a decade of ground-breaking work safeguarding resilient and productive seas.

Learn more about our story

Meet the team

Headquarters

Greece

Indonesia

Executive Committee

Advisors

Work with us

We’re a smart, dynamic, pragmatic, professional and supportive team. Our small (but quickly growing) international crew brings together a wide range of skills and expertise, an adventurous spirit and a hands-on-can-do attitude.

We’re proud to be part of an incredible network of thinkers and doers, and we’re always on the lookout for new ideas, connections and opportunities to better deliver our projects.

We love people who take the initiative and learn by doing, who punch above their weight and make things happen. We hire for the long-term and will give you as much responsibility as you can handle.

Head of Fundraising

Senior Campaigner


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