The SUN Institute for Environment & Sustainability

What The SUN Institute for Environment & Sustainability does

The SUN Institute for Environment & Sustainability is a non-profit foundation established in September 2014 in Bonn, Germany by the SGN Foundation for Global Sustainability (formerly Deutsche Post Foundation). Legally registered as Stiftungsfonds für Umweltökonomie und Nachhaltigkeit GmbH, it employs no research staff of its own and instead functions as a funder and coordinator, initiating and supporting external activities by partner institutions that share its sustainability objectives. SUN shares its office at Schaumburg-Lippe-Straße 5 in Bonn with the IZA Institute of Labor Economics and is supported in all administrative matters by the IZA service unit.

SUN's portfolio spans roughly a dozen named initiatives across two broad themes: circular economy and climate/natural capital. Circular economy work includes the Circular Economy Initiative Deutschland (CEID), the Growth Within and Completing the Picture reports with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, the XaaS report, and Project LAUNCH, which advances 'producer ownership' for plastic packaging, textiles and electronics. Climate and natural capital work includes the International Resource Panel (IRP) partnership with UN Environment, the EU Soil Restoration project, the Biodiversity Coalition, the Silowana Landscape project in Zambia with Peace Parks Foundation, and a Global Campaign to Integrate Natural Capital that works with the IMF and V20 to embed natural capital into sovereign debt sustainability analyses. Key strategic partners include SYSTEMIQ, Ellen MacArthur Foundation, DGAP, Club of Rome, Wuppertal Institute, acatech, and the Blended Finance Taskforce.

SUN does not sell products or services commercially and has no disclosed revenue, pricing, or funding-round data. Its leadership team consists of Managing Director Martin T. Clemens (also CFO of IZA) and Head of Communications Mark Fallak; Klaus Zumwinkel serves as President. SUN communicates primarily through its website (sun-institute.org), publications, and presentations at international forums including the World Economic Forum in Davos, the World Circular Economy Forum in Helsinki, and the World Food Summit in Munich.

Name

The SUN Institute for Environment & Sustainability

Legal name

Stiftungsfonds für Umweltökonomie und Nachhaltigkeit GmbH (SUN)

Website

https://sun-institute.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The SUN Institute for Environment & Sustainability is a Bonn-based non-profit foundation that funds and coordinates external research and policy initiatives on circular economy, climate adaptation, biodiversity and natural capital, serving international organizations, policymakers and emerging-market economies on behalf of the SGN Foundation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Sustainability Research and Policy Advisory

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Research & Science Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAI), Climate Policy, Governance & NDC Support (BPADALAA), International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH)

Keywords

• Environmental sustainability research
• Circular economy initiatives
• Climate adaptation policy
• Natural capital integration
• Resource management consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Bonn

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

The SUN Institute is a non-profit foundation that initiates, funds, and coordinates external research projects and policy publications focused on environmental sustainability, the Circular Economy, climate adaptation, and natural capital integration. It does not employ research staff of its own but acts as a grant-maker and convener, channeling resources from the SGN Foundation for Global Sustainability to partner institutions such as SYSTEMIQ, the International Resource Panel, the Club of Rome, the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and DGAP.

Product overview

The SUN Institute for Environment & Sustainability is a non-profit research and grant-making organization focused on environmental sustainability. Rather than a traditional software product company, it functions as a foundation that funds and coordinates external research initiatives and publishes policy-focused reports. The organization supports multiple project initiatives including the DGAP's Center for Climate and Foreign Policy, the Circular Economy Initiative Deutschland (CEID), the International Resource Panel (IRP) Partnership, the EU Soil Restoration Project, Project LAUNCH, Seaweed for Europe, the Biodiversity Coalition, The Silowana Landscape, and initiatives on Integrating Climate Adaptation and Natural Capital. SUN also publishes reports including 'A System Change Compass,' 'Completing the Picture,' 'Growth Within,' 'A Good Disruption,' and the 'Everything-as-a-Service (XaaS) Report.' The organization concentrates on fostering the transition towards a Circular Economy with the aim to facilitate economic growth in a sustainable, resource-saving manner.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Circular Economy Initiative Deutschland (CEID) An industry-focused movement to promote the Circular Economy in Germany, bringing together German industry leaders to discuss circular economy principles. SUN was instrumental in creating CEID by convening key stakeholders.
• Global Agenda for Better Use of Natural Resources (IRP Phase 4) An initiative under the International Resource Panel establishing scientific targets for resource use, developing future-fit governance frameworks, and assessing implications for emerging economies in resource management.
• International Resource Panel (IRP) Partnership A science-policy interface hosted by UN Environment that supports participatory strategy development on sustainable resource management and circular economy transition.
• Project LAUNCH A project addressing institutional barriers to circular economy adoption in the EU, introducing the concept of 'producer ownership' for plastic packaging, textile apparel, and electrical equipment.
• EU Soil Restoration Project A project evaluating the business case for soil health restoration in the EU, focusing on the wheat-growing Marne department of France to make a business case for improving soil health.
• Seaweed for Europe An initiative supporting sustainable seaweed cultivation across European waters, successfully transitioning to institutional integration within the EU framework.
• Biodiversity Coalition A cross-sectoral coalition of leaders from business, finance, media, arts, and conservation working to transform biodiversity data into practical tools for protecting nature.
• The Silowana Landscape A project in Zambia's Silowana landscape aiming to reintroduce wildlife and provide sustainable economic benefits for the local population through tourism.
• A Global Campaign to Integrate Natural Capital A multi-year campaign addressing the systemic failure to properly value nature, exploring financial models that reward nature conservation and integrating natural capital into debt sustainability analyses and sovereign credit ratings.
• Integrating Climate Adaptation and Natural Capital into Macroeconomic Frameworks A project integrating climate adaptation and natural capital into the IMF's Debt Sustainability Analysis and GDP growth models for Emerging Markets and Developing Economies.
• DGAP's Center for Climate and Foreign Policy A center established by the German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP) focusing on climate migration, climate impacts and conflict, civil crisis prevention, and the intersection of climate and human development; provides strategic advisory services to the German federal government on climate foreign policy.

Quantifiable outcome

• The 'Growth Within' report identified €320 billion in investment opportunities from scaling circular economy in Europe
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• International Resource Panel (IRP)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe SUN-SYSTEMIQ-IRP partnership started in 2017 to support a participatory strategy development process. SUN has been supporting implementation of core audience engagement and impact enhancement strategies through SYSTEMIQ, as well as work on scenario modelling. IRP is hosted by UN Environment and provides science-policy interface on sustainable development from a natural resources perspective.
• SYSTEMIQcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSUN works extensively with SYSTEMIQ on multiple projects including IRP support, EU Soil Restoration, CEID, Project LAUNCH, and A Good Disruption publication. SYSTEMIQ serves as the primary implementation partner for many SUN-funded initiatives.
• Ellen MacArthur FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSUN collaborated with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation on multiple reports including 'Growth Within', 'Completing the Picture', and the Circular Economy Initiative Deutschland (CEID). The Foundation provides circular economy expertise and thought leadership.
• DGAP (German Council on Foreign Relations)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSUN supports DGAP's Center for Climate and Foreign Policy which focuses on climate migration, climate impacts and conflict, civil crisis prevention, and intersection of climate and human development. The center provides strategic advisory services to the German federal government.
• Club of RomemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSUN co-wrote 'A System Change Compass' with SYSTEMIQ and The Club of Rome, published October 2020 with a foreword by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.
• Landbanking GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a project partner in SUN's network of organizations sharing sustainability objectives.
• Sitra (Finnish Innovation Fund)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSitra supported the EU Soil Restoration project alongside SUN. Sitra is the main organizer of the World Circular Economy Forum, at which Project LAUNCH findings were presented.
• Soil CapitalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBelgium-based farm management firm collaborating on the EU Soil Restoration project focusing on the wheat-growing Marne department of France.
• acatech (German Academy of Science and Engineering)majorStrategic or Co-development Partneracatech partnered with SYSTEMIQ and Ellen MacArthur Foundation to launch the Circular Economy Initiative Deutschland (CEID) in 2019, with SUN providing the opportunity to scope CEID to its comprehensive stakeholder network.
• Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and EnergymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSUN continues to support CEID through the Wuppertal Institute which will develop circular economy material flow data for Germany in close cooperation with CEID.
• University College London - Institute of Sustainable ResourcesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSUN supported the drafting of the white paper on producer ownership by SYSTEMIQ and UCL's Institute of Sustainable Resources for Project LAUNCH.
• Peace Parks Foundation (PPF)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSUN supported Peace Parks Foundation in the Silowana Landscape project in Zambia, enabling a partnership between PPF and SYSTEMIQ to reintroduce wildlife and develop sustainable economic benefits for local communities through tourism.
• International Monetary Fund (IMF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Global Campaign to Integrate Natural Capital project leverages existing partnerships with IMF to develop long-term strategies for integrating natural capital into debt sustainability analyses and sovereign credit ratings.
• V20 (Vulnerable Twenty)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSystemiq, with SUN support, leverages partnerships with V20 to develop strategies for nature-positive investments in emerging markets and developing economies.
• Blended Finance TaskforcemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership leveraged to secure funding for the multi-year campaign to integrate natural capital into financial decision-making.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• European Climate Foundation: Major European climate grantmaking foundation supporting policy advocacy, research, and CSO capacity. ECF is closely comparable to SUN as a privately-funded European climate philanthropist that funds partners rather than operating programs directly.
• ClimateWorks Foundation: Global climate grantmaking foundation that funds and convenes research and policy initiatives on climate mitigation and adaptation. Its grantmaking and convening model is structurally similar to SUN's.
• SYSTEMIQ: SYSTEMIQ is described as SUN's primary implementation partner, jointly producing reports such as "A System Change Compass," "Growth Within," and the XaaS report, and co-running projects including IRP, EU Soil Restoration, CEID, and Project LAUNCH. The two organizations operate as a near-integrated funding-plus-delivery pair on circular economy and climate issues.
• Ellen MacArthur Foundation: Co-author of "Growth Within" and "Completing the Picture" with SUN, and lead partner in the Circular Economy Initiative Deutschland. EMF is a global grantmaking and convener foundation focused on circular economy — directly comparable in mission, funding model, and stakeholder network.
• Club of Rome: Co-author of "A System Change Compass" with SUN and SYSTEMIQ. Club of Rome is an international think tank and convener on limits to growth and sustainability, overlapping with SUN's mission to redefine economic growth models.
• International Resource Panel (UNEP): The IRP-hosted-by-UN Environment is a science-policy interface on sustainable resource management and a core SUN partner since 2017. IRP operates at the intersection of science, policy, and convening that closely mirrors SUN's role.
• Laudes Foundation: Independent foundation funding action on climate change and inequality, with a strong program on circular economy and built environment. Laudes is a peer private foundation operating in SUN's thematic space with similar funder-and-convenor posture.

Emerging players

• Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy: German applied research institute on sustainable transformation, partnering with SUN to develop circular economy material flow data for CEID. It is a research-and-advisory peer that complements SUN's funding and convening role.
• DGAP (German Council on Foreign Relations): SUN funds DGAP's Center for Climate and Foreign Policy, which provides strategic advisory to the German federal government on climate foreign policy. DGAP is a comparable policy-convening organization in the same sustainability and Germany-based ecosystem.

Others

• Blended Finance Taskforce: Taskforce mobilizing blended finance for the SDGs, with which SUN partners on the natural capital integration campaign. It is an adjacent ecosystem actor in the climate finance architecture SUN seeks to influence.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The SUN Institute for Environment & Sustainability