Verdens Skove

What Verdens Skove does

Verdens Skove (Forests of the World) is a Danish non-profit association, founded in 1983 as Regnskovsgruppen Nepenthes and rebranded in 2011, that works to protect tropical and Danish forests, biodiversity, and the rights of indigenous peoples, while advancing climate-mitigation policy. The organization operates across 10 countries (Denmark, Ethiopia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Bolivia, Brazil, Honduras, Panama, Peru, and Nicaragua) with headquarters in Aarhus and Copenhagen and regional offices in Addis Ababa, Santa Cruz, and La Ceiba. Its program portfolio has protected 26 forests spanning 2,217,578 hectares and engaged more than 65,000 people through 24 civil-society organization partnerships.

The organization runs on a diversified non-profit revenue model: individual memberships (minimum 350 DKK annually), monthly "Forest Fighter" donations, Forest and Rainforest Certificates sold at 15 DKK per m², legacy gifts, merchandise, and cause-marketing tie-ins with brands such as Ønsk kaffe, Lebensbaum, and Sv. Michelsen Chokolade. Institutional funding flows from a 2022 Strategic Partnership with the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Danida) and grants from the Oak Foundation, Ford Foundation, Climate and Land Use Alliance, European Climate Foundation, and others, with the 2025 baru-nut partnership with Nøddebazaren adding a trade-based income stream. Internally it uses geospatial and territorial monitoring databases for field operations and digital communication platforms (including Campaign Monitor) for member engagement; there is no evidence of proprietary AI/ML systems.

Governance is structured around a duoledelse model, with Co-Secretaries General Nanna Jochumsen and Jakob Kronik sharing executive responsibility, oversight from a board chaired by Forperson Anders Morten Christoffersen, and a staff of 38 supported by ~6,000 active members and 200,000+ historical certificate purchasers.

Name

Verdens Skove

Legal name

Verdens Skove

Website

https://verdensskove.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1983

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Verdens Skove is a Danish environmental non-profit, founded 1983, that protects tropical and Danish forests, biodiversity, and indigenous rights across 10 countries, funded by members, donors, foundations, and a Danish MFA strategic partnership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Conservation Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Support Activities for Forestry (11531)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Forestry (800)

akta.pro primary industry

Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Biodiversity & Habitat Conservation (BPAGAGAA), Community Forestry & Indigenous Land Stewardship Services (IMAMAJAM), Nuts, Seeds & Cones (Pine Nuts, Acorns, Chestnuts) Harvesting (AFAMAFAH)

Keywords

• Forest conservation services
• Environmental nonprofit association
• Rainforest preservation
• Biodiversity advocacy
• Membership fundraising

Headquarters

HQ city

Aarhus

HQ country

Denmark

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Recurring monthly or annual contributions from nearly 6,000 members. The first 350 DKK annually constitutes membership with voting rights; amounts above this are tax-deductible.
2. Private Donations: One-time and recurring donations from private supporters, including Forest Fighter monthly giving program.
3. Government Funding: Strategic Partner to the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 2022, receiving institutional funding for international development projects.
4. Foundation and NGO Grants: Funding from Danish and international foundations including Oak Foundation, Ford Foundation, Climate and Land Use Alliance, and others.
5. Forest and Rainforest Certificates: Sale of decorative forest and rainforest certificates through their online shop, supporting forest preservation in Latin America, East Africa, and Denmark. Certificates at 15 DKK per m² for wild forest acquisition.
6. Corporate Partnerships: Partnerships with companies for cause marketing and donations, such as Ønsk kaffe donating 10 DKK per sold coffee bag.
7. Inheritance and Testamentary Gifts: Legacy giving program allowing supporters to leave bequests to the organization.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Verdens Skove is a Danish nonprofit association that sells rainforest, forest, and support certificates through its online shop, runs a membership program of nearly 6,000 members, and delivers community-based forest conservation across 10 countries in East Africa, Latin America, and Denmark. The organization conserves 2,217,578 hectares of forest through direct field operations, partnerships with Indigenous Peoples and local communities, and policy advocacy, while funding its work through memberships, donations, grants, and corporate partnerships.

Product overview

Verdens Skove is a Danish environmental organization that operates primarily as a non-profit association rather than a technology company. The organization's offerings center on forest conservation products and campaigns. The core products include rainforest certificates (regnskovscertifikater), forest certificates (skovcertifikater), and support certificates (støttebeviser) sold through the online shop at shop.verdensskove.org. These certificates allow supporters to contribute financially to forest protection projects. Additionally, the organization publishes the Skov & Folk magazine twice yearly and sells merchandise including clothing, mugs, coffee, and chocolate. Verdens Skove runs multiple campaigns including Stop Skovbrande, Red Regnskoven, Giv Naturen Lov, Kræv Skoven Tilbage (petition-based advocacy), and Tag Skoven Tilbage (crowdfunding for forest land acquisition).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Rainforest Certificates (Regnskovscertifikater) Rainforest Certificates are purchasable certificates sold through Verdens Skove's online shop that fund rainforest preservation and protection projects in Latin America and East Africa. Each certificate is a tangible token of contribution to the organization's work to protect tropical forests and the communities that depend on them, for individual supporters and corporate buyers.
• Forest Certificates (Skovcertifikater) Forest Certificates are sold at 15 DKK per square meter and fund Verdens Skove's collaboration with Den Danske Naturfond to acquire Danish production forest land and convert it into wild forest nature. Together they have freed 7 Danish forests including Kraruplund, Lerbjerg, Hesbjerg, Engelsholm, and Frejlev. Each certificate includes a decorative memento for the buyer.
• Support Certificates (Støttebeviser) Support Certificates are purchasable tokens representing donations to Verdens Skove's general forest conservation work. They allow individual supporters and gift-givers to make tax-deductible contributions while receiving a tangible certificate as acknowledgement.
• Skov & Folk Magazine Skov & Folk is Verdens Skove's twice-yearly print magazine published for members, featuring field stories, conservation updates, and analysis of forest-related issues. It accompanies membership at 350 DKK annually.
• Online Shop Merchandise Online shop merchandise sold through shop.verdensskove.org, including t-shirts, mugs, and responsibly sourced products such as coffee and chocolate that do not contribute to deforestation. Targeted at individual supporters who want tangible merchandise tied to the forest conservation mission.
• Membership Program (Forest Fighter) The Membership Program is a recurring subscription offering for individual supporters starting at 350 DKK annually, providing voting rights at the general assembly, the Skov & Folk magazine, and tax-deductible contribution treatment for amounts above 350 DKK. The Forest Fighter program is the monthly giving variant. Verdens Skove has nearly 6,000 members under this program.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2,217,578 hectares of forest under conservation
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature2 records

Partnerships

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

• NøddebazarencoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to introduce baru nuts from Brazil's Cerrado to Europe. Combines developing local value chains in Brazil with creating a new European market, representing a dual business case for ethical trade.
• Ønsk kaffecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCoffee partnership where Ønsk donates 10 DKK per sold Limited Edition El Palto 250g bag, preserving 23 m² of rainforest per bag. Ønsk has planted 50,000 trees through the collaboration.
• Danish Foreign Ministry (Udenrigsministeriet)flagshipOthersStrategic Partner since 2022, providing institutional funding and support for international forest conservation and development programs.
• Den Danske NaturfondcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on forest land acquisition in Denmark. Verdens Skove provides funding from certificate sales; Den Danske Naturfond selects forests and manages restoration. Together they've freed 7 forests including Kraruplund, Lerbjerg, Hesbjerg, Engelsholm, Frejlev.
• JESE (Joint Effort to Save the Environment)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in Uganda working on community forest management and protection of forests like Muhangi.
• APCOBcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndigenous organization in Bolivia supporting Chiquitano and Movima peoples in territorial rights and forest protection.
• CEPPECcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal association in Brazil working on Baru initiative and sustainable harvesting in Cerrado region.
• ECOAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrazilian partner organization collaborating on Baru initiative for sustainable value chains and biodiversity conservation.
• MOPAWIcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization in Honduras working on indigenous rights and territorial protection in La Moskitia.
• Etisk Handel DanmarkminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDanish ethical trade organization documenting and promoting ethical business partnerships including the Nøddebazaren-Verdens Skove partnership.
• Charity GuardminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTelemarketing partner making outbound calls from numbers 88700843 and 88700897 for membership recruitment.
• 5R peopleminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTelemarketing partner calling from number 63252476 for membership and donation outreach.
• 92-gruppencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerForum for Sustainable Development that Verdens Skove is a member of, co-publishing biodiversity reports like 'Spotlight på Danmarks Natur'.
• LebensbaumminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOrganic spice company potentially involved in sustainable sourcing partnerships.
• Sv. Michelsen ChokolademinorGTM or Marketing PartnerDanish chocolate company involved in sustainable/ethical product partnerships.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Rainforest Foundation Norway: Norwegian NGO supporting Indigenous and community-based forest protection across tropical countries, with a similar Nordic-donor / international-program structure. Highly comparable to Verdens Skove in mission, geographic focus, and bilateral Nordic government funding.
• Rainforest Foundation UK: UK-based NGO supporting Indigenous land rights and tropical forest protection across Africa, Asia, and South America. Directly comparable to Verdens Skove in community-led conservation model, geographic footprint, and European donor base.
• Danmarks Naturfredningsforening: Denmark's largest nature conservation NGO with over 130,000 members, running national campaigns on biodiversity and forest policy. Closely comparable to Verdens Skove in Danish advocacy focus and member-based funding, but at significantly larger domestic scale.
• Forest Peoples Programme: UK-based NGO focused on securing the rights of forest-dwelling Indigenous Peoples, with a comparable thematic focus on Indigenous-led conservation in Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Strong peer in the same funder ecosystem (Ford, Oak, Climate and Land Use Alliance).
• Verdensnaturfonden (WWF Denmark): Danish arm of the global WWF network, focused on biodiversity and forest conservation with significant individual membership and corporate partnership programs. Highly comparable to Verdens Skove in domestic fundraising model and international program portfolio.
• Den Danske Naturfond: Danish foundation acquiring forest and natural land for rewilding, and an existing partner of Verdens Skove on forest land acquisition certificates. Direct peer in Danish forest land conservation and complementary certificate-style giving model.
• Greenpeace Denmark: Danish branch of Greenpeace running campaign-driven environmental advocacy including on forests, climate, and biodiversity. Comparable to Verdens Skove in Danish public-facing advocacy, petition-based campaigns, and individual donor fundraising.

Broad incumbents

• Fauna & Flora International: Long-established UK-based international conservation NGO operating in 40+ countries on biodiversity, forest protection, and species conservation. Comparable to Verdens Skove in international conservation footprint, though at a much larger organizational scale.
• Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke (MS): Danish international development NGO with broad programming across democracy, climate, and sustainable development, also a recipient of Danida strategic partnership funding. Comparable as a Danish MFA Strategic Partner with international program reach.

Others

• 92-gruppen: Danish Forum for Sustainable Development coalition of 24+ Danish development and environment NGOs, of which Verdens Skove is an active member. Co-publisher of 'Spotlight på Danmarks Natur' and a structural peer in Danish advocacy coalition work.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCgLd3ZvlKq/c
• Facebookfacebook.com/verdensskove
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/verdensskove
• Instagraminstagram.com/verdensskove

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Verdens Skove