Volunteer principles
Guiding principles for the Greenpeace USA volunteer community
We believe the power of community is at the root of change, and that our biggest strength is in growing our numbers through genuine solidarity and true investment with each other. We work to create spaces of growth and learning and utilize our own voices to bring our people along. Part of this means we draw a line in the sand within our own communities, where we offer a choice: joining us in fighting for a people’s future and planet, or being silent and complicit to harm being done to us.
We understand that the U.S. is a unique actor among a stage of international actors, and that global solidarity is a powerful tool that can be used to communicate injustices committed by the U.S. at home and abroad. Similarly, we know that our targets have influence globally, so we work across borders to build the world we need by uplifting the work of our local and international Greenpeace friends and allies.
We can’t talk the talk without walking the walk. We know that as Greenpeace, we have to actively work on dismantling systems of oppression internally, within our organization, and externally, with our public facing work. We are active in learning to dismantle systems of oppression that are ongoing. Learning is critical to our movements, and we learn through relationship building, education, and examining our own culture.
We fight for all that are affected by the climate crisis, but understand that marginalized communities face the most harm. We work to ensure that the voices of those on the frontlines of injustice are centered in the fight for our future and are foundational to our organizing.
We’ve adopted the Jemez principles and an Indigenous Peoples policy to guide our organizational commitment to change.
In order to win, we need a diverse set of skills, tools, and personalities. Our power comes from mass mobilization, disruption, and coordination. Flexibility and rapid response is necessary for us to stay relevant and win, which is why we open our campaign strategies to all who care to help us. This is a movement led by ordinary people. Share and connect the issues happening in your community to our collective work.
Having financial freedom is core to our identity. We never party with political parties, candidates, big corporations, or CEOs. We are united for the people, and that is central to our fight for systematic change. For us, that means no permanent alliances with those who possess political or corporate power.
You come for one, you come for all. We know that an injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere — this mentality is central to our fight. Self-care, community care, and structural care are critical to liberating our communities from that injustice, which is why cross-movement solidarity is key to our success.
Our battles for the future are as critical as they are difficult. We will lose some battles, but together we can win many more. The necessary bravery and resilience to continue fighting is at the core of who we are as movement. With radiant hope and courage, there will always be victories.