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In 2007, Adessium Foundation hired Peter Stemerding as its first managing director. In 2009, Adessium Foundation hired Rogier van der Weerd and steered grants towards projects related to nature and the environment. The Adessium Foundation provides around €18 million in grants each year to left-leaning organizations, including environmentalists and nonprofit journalism outfits. 1
Journalism Initiatives
In 2008, the Adessium Foundation began supporting the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. The consortium investigates projects like the Panama Papers, China Cables, Mauritius Leaks, Paradise Papers, and the Swiss Leaks. The Panama Papers disclosure, according to ICIJ, help recover $1.2 billion in back-taxes to governments around the world. 2
In 2012, the Adessium Foundation funded a report to study the efforts of businesses that lobbied on environmentalist policy. Eight journalists from the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists studied “special interests” to “influence negotiations on a global climate treaty. 3
In 2013, the Adessium Foundation funded a report by the Committee to Protect Journalists on alleged violence against the press across the world. The report found increased violence against journalists in Somalia, Pakistan, and Brazil. 4
In 2014, the Adessium Foundation funded the study Overview: The Tobacco Lobby Goes Global. The project studied tobacco industry lobbying efforts in emerging markets like Mexico, Russia, and India. 5
Environmentalist Projects
Adessium Foundation supports Rewilding Europe. The organization seeks to set aside large portions of lands for use as wildlife corridors. The Foundation has supported the project since its founding to “secure space for wildlife, wild nature, and flourishing natural processes across Europe.” 6
In 2014, Adessium Foundation, in association with Pew Charitable Trusts, the University of Oxford, and Oceans 5, financed a report by the Global Ocean Commission to furnish a report to the United Nations on climate change. The Global Ocean Commission proposed transferring more oversight power to the UN to counteract alleged overfishing. The report also demanded additional regulations on plastics and offshore oil and gas development. 7
In 2016, Leonardo DiCaprio highlighted the launch of a new website to monitor ocean-fishing vessels. Funding, in part, for the new website was provided by the Adessium Foundation. 8
In 2018, the Adessium Foundation, along with the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Wyss Foundation, and the Waterloo Foundation funded a fishing study by Global Fishing Watch. The report focused on illegal fishing by Chinese trawlers using ship transponders to detail fishing locations of Chinese trawlers across the ocean. 9
Grants
The Adessium Foundation has provided grants for Global Voices,10, the Digital Freedom Fund,11 the Center for Public Integrity,12 the Marilles Foundation,13 the Circle Economy,14 DOEN Foundation,15 Times of Migration,16 Open Knowledge Foundation,17 Global Fishing Watch,18 Islands First,19, African Parks,20 Environmental Justice Foundation,21 Ocean Conservancy,22 and Wildlife Justice. 23