Danish Refugee Council
Danish Refugee Council, founded in 1956 and headquartered in Copenhagen, is Denmark's largest humanitarian NGO, employing around 6,000 staff across nearly 30 countries and reaching 7.5 million displaced people in 2025 with protection, WASH, shelter, economic recovery, and mine-action services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1956
- HeadquartersCopenhagen, Denmark
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Danish Refugee Council does
Danish Refugee Council, founded in 1956 and headquartered in Copenhagen (Lyngbyvej 100, 2100), is Denmark's largest humanitarian NGO and a leading international organization operating across nearly 30 countries with a dedicated team of approximately 6,000 employees and thousands of volunteers. The organization reached more than 7.5 million people in 2025 amid rising global displacement, and serves refugees, internally displaced persons, asylum seekers, stateless populations, and conflict-affected host communities across the Middle East (Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Lebanon), East Africa and the Great Lakes (Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, DRC, South Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti), West and North Africa (Tunisia, Libya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Senegal, Morocco, Algeria), the Americas (Venezuela, Colombia), Asia (Myanmar, Bangladesh), Europe (Türkiye, Serbia, Denmark), and adjacent humanitarian theatres.
The organization's offering is an integrated portfolio of humanitarian service programs rather than a software platform. Service delivery is organized around six core sectors: Protection Services (gender-based violence prevention and response, legal aid, child protection, psychosocial support), Economic Recovery (business grants, vocational training, market integration), WASH (water, sanitation, hygiene infrastructure), Shelter and Non-Food Items, Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM), and Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (mine action, risk education, victim assistance). These are complemented by sub-brands including the Mixed Migration Centre (research and data on migration), Help Refugees Now (donor fundraising portal), Asylum Counseling, Integration Consultancy, and the DRC Standby Roster for rapid personnel deployment, alongside major funded programs such as Pathways to Protection (P2P), the Cash Consortium of Yemen (CCY), BRIDGES IV (livelihoods for Syrian refugees in Türkiye), and Fair Recycling 2.0.
The business model is that of a non-profit professional-services organization funded exclusively by institutional donors. Sources of funding include Danida (Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs), EU Humanitarian Aid (ECHO), German BMZ/KfW, The Coca-Cola Foundation, UN agencies, and other foundations and governments. Services are delivered free of charge to beneficiaries; revenue flows through multi-year program grants rather than transactional pricing. Programs are executed through consortium partnerships (CCY, YDR Consortium, P2P) and a localization strategy that channels approximately 50% of P2P budgets through 23+ local and national implementing organizations. There is no commercial product revenue, no proprietary technology offering, and no equity or investor ownership.
Danish Refugee Council firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Danish Refugee Council
- Legal name
- DRC Danish Refugee Council
- Website
- https://drc.ngo
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1956
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Danish Refugee Council, founded in 1956 and headquartered in Copenhagen, is Denmark's largest humanitarian NGO, employing around 6,000 staff across nearly 30 countries and reaching 7.5 million displaced people in 2025 with protection, WASH, shelter, economic recovery, and mine-action services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Danish Refugee Council industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Humanitarian Assistance Services
- NAICS
- Individual and Family Services (6241), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423), Child and Youth Services (624110)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI), Refugee Camp Coordination & Management (CCCM) (BPADAHAC), Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Safeguarding) (BPADAHAF), Cash Assistance & Social Safety Net Delivery for Displaced Populations (BPADAHAH)
Keywords
Where Danish Refugee Council is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Copenhagen
- HQ country
- Denmark
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Danish Refugee Council business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Institutional Donor Funding: DRC receives funding from governments, the European Union, UN agencies, foundations, and international institutions to implement humanitarian programs. Major funders include EU Humanitarian Aid, Danida (Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs), BMZ/KfW (German Development Bank), and The Coca-Cola Foundation.
- Foundation Grants: The Danish Refugee Council receives grants from foundations such as The Coca-Cola Foundation for specific programs like Fair Recycling 2.0, which transforms plastic waste management into formal employment opportunities for refugees.
- Government Development Funding: DRC receives substantial funding from Danida (Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs) for development and protection programs, including the 355 million DKK Pathways to Protection (P2P) program over five years.
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Danish Refugee Council product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Danish Refugee Council (DRC) delivers humanitarian assistance to refugees, internally displaced persons, migrants, and host communities across nearly 30 countries through six core service sectors: Protection Services (GBV response, legal aid, child protection, psychosocial support), Economic Recovery (livelihoods, vocational training, business grants), WASH (water, sanitation, hygiene), Shelter & Non-Food Items, Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM), and Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (HDP/mine action). Services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries and funded through grants from governments, the EU, UN agencies, and foundations.
Product overview
The Danish Refugee Council is Denmark's largest humanitarian NGO and a leading international organization operating in nearly 30 countries. Rather than a software platform, DRC offers an integrated portfolio of humanitarian service programs organized around six core sectors: Protection Services, Economic Recovery, WASH, Shelter & Non-Food Items, Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM), and Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (HDP). These core services are delivered alongside branded sub-sites (Help Refugees Now fundraising portal, Asylum Counseling, Integration Consultancy, Mixed Migration Centre) and major initiatives including Fair Recycling 2.0, BRIDGES IV, Pathways to Protection (P2P), and the Cash Consortium of Yemen. The organization employs approximately 6,000 staff and reached more than 7.5 million people in 2025.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Mixed Migration Centre: Knowledge centre engaged in data collection, research, and analysis on mixed migration.
- Help Refugees Now
- Asylum Counseling
- Integration Consultancy
- DRC Standby Roster
- BRIDGES
- Cash Consortium of Yemen (CCY)
- Pathways to Protection (P2P)
Products and services
- Protection Services
Quantifiable outcome
- Reached 7.5 million people in 2025
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use Danish Refugee Council
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Danish Refugee Council technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Danish Refugee Council partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Mercy CorpscoreMercy Corps is one of four major aid groups working alongside DRC in Congo's Ebola response. Following US funding cuts, both organizations scaled back or dropped US-funded WASH projects in Ebola-affected provinces. Mercy Corps and DRC also partner in the Cash Consortium of Yemen.
- CARE InternationalcoreCARE International is one of four major aid groups working alongside DRC in Congo's Ebola response. Both organizations scaled back or dropped US-funded WASH projects following funding cuts.
- OxfamcoreOxfam is one of four major aid groups working alongside DRC in Congo's Ebola response. Both organizations scaled back or dropped US-funded WASH projects following funding cuts to WASH services.
- AleominorAleo, a blockchain project, launched a privacy-first crypto aid pilot in Colombia using zero-knowledge cryptography. DRC is included in the program alongside Mercy Corps, GSR, Foundation GSR, and Humanity Link, designed to scale globally as a model for privacy-preserving humanitarian assistance.
- Danish Red CrosscoreDanish Red Cross is one of three main consortium partners in the Pathways to Protection (P2P) five-year initiative (2024-2029) funded by Danida. Combining humanitarian expertise, experience in mixed migration programming, and extensive Red Cross Red Crescent network.
- International Detention Coalition (IDC)coreIDC is one of three main consortium partners in the Pathways to Protection (P2P) five-year initiative. IDC brings advocacy expertise for people impacted by immigration detention across 75+ countries.
- Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)coreNRC is a key partner in the Cash Consortium of Yemen, implementing multi-purpose cash assistance programs. NRC provides vulnerability assessments and cash assistance to displaced households in Yemen.
- 23 Local Partners (P2P)core23 local and national organizations including Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies, local CSOs, and community-based organizations implement 50% of P2P project budgets across 10 countries. Partners include Arab Institute for Human Rights, Libyan Red Crescent, Refugee Rights Türkiye, Sudanese Red Crescent, CARITAS Senegal, Mali Red Cross, and others.
- Yemen Displacement Response (YDR) ConsortiumcoreDRC is lead member of the Yemen Displacement Response Consortium, implementing shelter, WASH, protection, and livelihoods programs across Yemen with EU funding through Humanitarian Aid Operations.
- Cash Consortium of Yemen PartnerscoreCCY is hosted by DRC and includes ACTED, NRC, Mercy Corps, Solidarités International, and IOM. The consortium delivers multi-purpose cash assistance across 13 Yemeni governorates, having reduced child labor among beneficiaries from 46% to 27%.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Danish Refugee Council competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Norwegian Refugee Council: Largest direct peer: another large European-headquartered humanitarian NGO focused on refugee and IDP assistance, comparable in scale (~6,000 staff), sector mix (protection, WASH, shelter, livelihoods), and donor base. NRC is also a documented DRC consortium partner.
- International Rescue Committee (IRC): Major international humanitarian NGO delivering multi-sector refugee response (health, protection, WASH, economic recovery) across conflict-affected countries; directly comparable in programming breadth, geographic footprint, and institutional donor mix.
- Mercy Corps: Global humanitarian and development organization active in similar fragile-state contexts; directly comparable in cash assistance, WASH, and protection programming and explicitly partnered with DRC in the Cash Consortium of Yemen and the DRC Ebola response.
- CARE International: Large humanitarian NGO with overlapping refugee and IDP programming across protection, food security, WASH, and economic recovery; comparable in scale and co-implemented DRC Ebola WASH response in Congo.
- Oxfam: Major global humanitarian confederation delivering refugee response, WASH, protection, and livelihoods in many of the same geographies as DRC; co-implemented DRC Ebola WASH response and competes for similar institutional donor funding.
- ACTED: France-based humanitarian NGO with similar multi-sector refugee programming (cash, shelter, WASH, livelihoods); a documented DRC consortium partner in the Cash Consortium of Yemen.
- Solidarités International: Humanitarian NGO specialized in WASH and food security in conflict and disaster settings; documented DRC partner in Cash Consortium of Yemen and operates with similar donor base (EU, ECHO, institutional funders).
- Danish Red Cross: Core P2P consortium partner of DRC and closely aligned Danish humanitarian actor delivering protection, health, and tracing services for refugees; comparable programmatic focus and co-funding from Danida.
Broad incumbents
- Save the Children: Large international humanitarian and development organization with significant child-protection and education programming for displaced populations; broader portfolio than DRC but competes for similar institutional funding and serves overlapping refugee populations.
- International Organization for Migration (IOM): UN agency leading global migration response, including camp coordination and displacement tracking; documented DRC partner in the Cash Consortium of Yemen and broader migration programming along DRC's P2P corridors.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Danish Refugee Council social profiles
Digital presenceDanish Refugee Council compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
Danish Refugee Council financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Danish Refugee Council leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Danish Refugee Council funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Danish Refugee Council 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 Danish Refugee Council
What does Danish Refugee Council do?
Danish Refugee Council (DRC) delivers humanitarian assistance to refugees, internally displaced persons, migrants, and host communities across nearly 30 countries through six core service sectors: Protection Services (GBV response, legal aid, child protection, psychosocial support), Economic Recovery (livelihoods, vocational training, business grants), WASH (water, sanitation, hygiene), Shelter & Non-Food Items, Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM), and Humanitarian Disarmament and Peacebuilding (HDP/mine action). Services are provided free of charge to beneficiaries and funded through grants from governments, the EU, UN agencies, and foundations.
Is Danish Refugee Council a public or private company?
Danish Refugee Council is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Danish Refugee Council founded?
Danish Refugee Council was founded in 1956. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Danish Refugee Council based?
Danish Refugee Council is headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, in the Europe region.
How does Danish Refugee Council make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Institutional Donor Funding is the primary driver. The others are foundation Grants and government Development Funding.
Who are Danish Refugee Council's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Norwegian Refugee Council, International Rescue Committee (IRC), Mercy Corps, CARE International, Oxfam, ACTED, Solidarités International and Danish Red Cross. Broad incumbents are Save the Children and International Organization for Migration (IOM).
Does Danish Refugee Council have an API?
No public API is recorded for Danish Refugee Council.
What industry is Danish Refugee Council in?
Danish Refugee Council's product category is Humanitarian Assistance Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAAAH, Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance, with a secondary code of BPAGAEAI, Refugee & Immigrant Support Services. Its NAICS code is 6241 and its SIC code is 8300.