Ceres
Ceres is a U.S. nonprofit sustainability advocacy organization that mobilizes institutional investors, Fortune 500 companies, and policymakers through three membership networks and research initiatives to address climate, water, and nature risks as systemic financial issues.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersBoston, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Ceres does
Ceres is a U.S. nonprofit sustainability advocacy organization founded in 1989 (with the Ceres Principles) and incorporated as Ceres, Inc. in 1995 as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt entity under EIN 223-053747, headquartered in Boston with a second office in San Francisco. The organization mobilizes institutional investors, Fortune 500 corporations, and policymakers to address climate change, water scarcity, and nature loss as systemic financial risks, operating three coordinated membership networks: the Ceres Investor Network, the Ceres Company Network, and the Ceres Policy Network. It also runs the Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets and thematic initiatives such as the Valuing Water Finance Initiative.
The organization produces research reports and strategic frameworks (e.g., the Ceres Roadmap 2030), runs a freemium self-assessment tool (Ceres Roadmap 360°) covering 12 sustainability modules, and convenes working groups on initiatives such as Climate Action 100+, Nature Action 100, Food Emissions 50, and the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative. Its underlying technology stack is modest: the Roadmap 360° web platform for SMB sustainability assessment and Salesforce for constituent engagement and data management, with no disclosed proprietary AI/ML models.
Ceres's business model is a hybrid of recurring network membership dues (Policy Network fees range from $5,000 to $35,000 annually; Company Network fees use a revenue-based sliding scale that favors Fortune 500 anchor members) plus charitable donations, foundation grants, and corporate sponsorships. The go-to-market is community-led and field-driven through direct enterprise engagement with investors and companies, supplemented by content marketing, events, and policy advocacy. Its primary customer segments are institutional investors and large corporations, with policy makers as a secondary stakeholder; small and midsize enterprises are served through the free tier of Roadmap 360°.
Ceres firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Ceres
- Legal name
- Ceres, Inc.
- Website
- https://ceres.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Ceres is a U.S. nonprofit sustainability advocacy organization that mobilizes institutional investors, Fortune 500 companies, and policymakers through three membership networks and research initiatives to address climate, water, and nature risks as systemic financial issues.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where Ceres is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Boston
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Ceres business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Company Network Membership: Annual membership dues from large corporations in the Ceres Company Network. Fees are determined on a sliding scale based on company annual revenue.
- Policy Network Membership: Annual membership dues ranging from $5,000 to $35,000 for companies in the Ceres Policy Network, with discounts offered to Company Network members.
- Donations and Sponsorships: Charitable donations from supporters and sponsorships from annual sponsors to fund organization operations and initiatives.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Policy Network membership dues |
| Subscription | Annual | Company Network membership |
| Freemium | Others | Ceres Roadmap 360° free plan |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Ceres product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Ceres is a nonprofit sustainability advocacy organization that mobilizes institutional investors, large corporations, and policymakers to address climate change, water scarcity, and nature loss as systemic financial risks. It operates three membership-based networks (Investor Network, Company Network, Policy Network), publishes research reports and benchmarks, runs the Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets initiative, and offers the Ceres Roadmap 360° self-assessment tool for small and midsize enterprises.
Product overview
Ceres is a nonprofit sustainability advocacy organization, not a traditional product company. Its offerings consist of research publications, self-assessment tools, and professional networks rather than a unified software product. The primary digital product is the Ceres Roadmap 360°, a self-guided sustainability assessment platform available in free and premium tiers. Supporting offerings include the Ceres Roadmap 2030 strategic framework, the Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets initiative, and three membership networks (Investor Network, Company Network, Policy Network) that provide peer learning, working groups, and advocacy opportunities. The Valuing Water Finance Initiative represents a major investor engagement program with associated benchmarking tools. All offerings are designed to help investors and companies address sustainability risks and opportunities rather than functioning as standalone commercial software products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets: Center for excellence aiming to improve practices and policies governing capital markets by engaging regulators, financial institutions, investors, and corporate boards to act on climate risk as a systemic financial risk.
- Ceres Investor Network
- Ceres Company Network
- Ceres Policy Network
- Ceres Roadmap 360°
Products and services
- Ceres Roadmap 360°
Quantifiable outcome
- Every dollar invested in Maryland's EmPOWER efficiency program returns $2.21 in benefits to Marylanders
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Ceres
Customer profileNamed customers15 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Ceres technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Ceres partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Justice Climate FundcoreCeres and the Justice Climate Fund co-released a report finding that community-based financing institutions could serve as a viable pathway for institutional investors to fund climate and infrastructure projects in underserved communities.
- SalesforceminorCeres participates in Salesforce's Accelerator – Agents for Impact program, focused on nature-based solutions using the Agentforce AI platform. Ceres is working on initiatives related to clean energy access.
- The Climate CenterminorCo-sponsors legislation (SB 913 and AB 1975) with Environment California and The Climate Center to address California's Demand Side Grid Support program.
- Environment CaliforniaminorCo-sponsors legislation with The Climate Center to address California's Demand Side Grid Support program and clean energy integration.
- EcolabminorCeres partnered with Ecolab on research examining the balance between AI's water demands and sustainable water management practices.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Ceres competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BSR (Business for Social Responsibility): BSR is a nonprofit sustainability advisory network that works with major global companies on ESG strategy, similar to Ceres' Company Network. Comparable membership-based model, Fortune 500 client base, and focus on sustainable business practices.
- CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project): CDP runs a global environmental disclosure system used by thousands of companies and investors, directly comparable to Ceres' disclosure and investor engagement work. Ceres co-founded CDSB (a CDP affiliate) per source history timeline.
- World Resources Institute (WRI): WRI is a global research nonprofit that produces sustainability tools (e.g., GHG Protocol) and corporate sustainability guidance, closely paralleling Ceres' research, benchmarking, and standards-development work.
- As You Sow: As You Sow is a nonprofit that uses shareholder advocacy and corporate engagement to advance ESG issues, mirroring Ceres' investor-corporate engagement model with comparable mission and tactics.
Broad incumbents
- Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC): NRDC is a much larger environmental advocacy nonprofit with a broader scope including litigation, lobbying, and direct environmental programs. Comparable on the advocacy and policy-advancement dimensions but operates at significantly greater scale and breadth than Ceres.
- World Wildlife Fund (WWF): WWF is a global environmental nonprofit whose corporate engagement and sustainable finance work overlaps with Ceres' nature, water, and capital-markets programs, though WWF's scope is much broader across conservation.
- MSCI ESG Research: MSCI ESG Research provides commercial sustainability ratings, data, and analytics to investors—overlapping with Ceres' benchmarking and investor tools (e.g., Valuing Water Finance Initiative) but as a for-profit data vendor.
Emerging players
- Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Foundation: Now consolidated under the IFRS Foundation, SASB developed industry-specific sustainability accounting standards—the same standards-development space Ceres helped pioneer through its Investor Listing Standards Proposal.
- ISS ESG: ISS ESG provides sustainability ratings and advisory services to investors and corporates, comparable to Ceres' sustainability analytics and investor engagement offerings but delivered via commercial subscription products.
Regional players
- Accountancy for Sustainability (A4S): A4S is a UK-based nonprofit that mobilizes the accounting and finance community on sustainability, paralleling Ceres' Investor Network and sustainable finance work but primarily serving UK/European financial professionals.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Ceres social profiles
Digital presenceCeres financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Ceres leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
Ceres funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Ceres M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Ceres
What does Ceres do?
Ceres is a nonprofit sustainability advocacy organization that mobilizes institutional investors, large corporations, and policymakers to address climate change, water scarcity, and nature loss as systemic financial risks. It operates three membership-based networks (Investor Network, Company Network, Policy Network), publishes research reports and benchmarks, runs the Ceres Accelerator for Sustainable Capital Markets initiative, and offers the Ceres Roadmap 360° self-assessment tool for small and midsize enterprises.
Is Ceres a public or private company?
Ceres is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Ceres founded?
Ceres was founded in 1995. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Ceres based?
Ceres is headquartered in Boston, United States, in the North America region.
How does Ceres make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Company Network Membership is the primary driver. The others are policy Network Membership and donations and Sponsorships.
Who are Ceres's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BSR (Business for Social Responsibility), CDP (Carbon Disclosure Project), World Resources Institute (WRI) and As You Sow. Broad incumbents are Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and MSCI ESG Research. Emerging players are Sustainability Accounting Standards Board (SASB) Foundation and ISS ESG. Accountancy for Sustainability (A4S) is listed as a regional player.
Does Ceres have an API?
No public API is recorded for Ceres.