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.
To quickly and significantly reduce the amount of plastic produced and stop it entering our ocean
We need government policy that propels a change in how we make, use and dispose of the plastic that ends up in our ocean
We need a cultural shift that generates support for plastic alternatives, bolsters new markets and accelerates the adoption of a plastic waste-free economy.
We need self-sustaining circular solutions that remove problem plastics from our economy and prevent plastic from becoming waste.
Common Seas partners with governments around the world to help them quickly and significantly reduce their plastic pollution.
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.
Common Seas identifies, investigates and communicates the emerging human health risks of plastic.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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
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