Tianjin Eco-city Friend of Green Eco-Culture Promotion Association

What Tianjin Eco-city Friend of Green Eco-Culture Promotion Association does

Tianjin Eco-city Friend of Green Eco-Culture Promotion Association, operating under the brand Tianjin Green Friend (天津绿色之友), is a non-profit civil environmental organization founded on November 6, 2000 in Tianjin, China. It was the first formally registered non-governmental environmental organization in Tianjin and is now also separately registered (since February 2013) as a legal entity in the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city. The organization runs a portfolio of community-driven environmental programs, including the 美境行动 (Beautiful Environment Action) youth environmental education program, which has engaged over 300,000 K-12 students across Tianjin over 19 years; the 潮白河工作假期 (Chaobai River Working Holiday) tree-planting initiative, which has drawn 15,000+ participants and planted 10,000+ trees over nine consecutive years; and the China Coastline Waste Cleanup and Monitoring Network project, for which its Tianjin Gaoshaling Beach site was selected as one of 12 national monitoring points in 2015.

The organization operates across multiple Tianjin districts with dedicated field bases in Baodi, Jizhou, and Binhai, supplemented by offices in Hexi and Xiqing districts. Its technology stack is centered on environmental education methodology, community-based program frameworks, and standardized monitoring protocols — notably the 绿地图 (Green Map) community mapping approach and the coastline debris monitoring protocol — rather than software products. Membership-based governance includes 1,000+ individual members and 21 organizational members, with a leadership team anchored by Secretary-General Zhang Tao (recipient of the 2019 national 'Most Beautiful Environmental Volunteer' honor), Vice Chairmen Xu Huaxin and Yu Xiaoyong, and former Chairman Zhu Tan (former Vice Chairman of Tianjin CPPCC).

Its revenue model is grant- and donation-driven, with no commercial product sales. Streams include individual and organizational membership dues, project grants from government bodies, foundations, and international organizations (including China Environmental Science Society, China Ocean Development Foundation, Shenzhen Mangrove Wetland Protection Foundation), nominal activity participation fees (e.g., 30 yuan per tree seedling, 80 yuan per fruit tree seedling), and corporate CSR partnerships with Shell China (since 2007 for 美境行动), Otsuka, Novozymes, DHL, Cargill, Prudential, AIR Liquide, and Deutsche Bank. The organization obtained UN ECOSOC Special Consultative Status in December 2022 — the first such designation for a Tianjin civil society organization — and in 2025 was approved to host its first formal UN meeting via a Youth and Marine Protection sub-forum at the ECOSOC Youth Forum.

Name

Tianjin Eco-city Friend of Green Eco-Culture Promotion Association

Legal name

天津生态城绿色之友生态文化促进会

Website

https://tjfog.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Tianjin Green Friend is a non-profit environmental NGO founded in 2000, operating youth environmental education, tree-planting working holidays, coastline monitoring, and community programs in Tianjin, China. It serves K-12 schools, public volunteers, and corporate CSR partners, and holds UN ECOSOC consultative status.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Environmental Non-Profit Services

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Forestry (800), Sanitary Services (4950)

akta.pro primary industry

Environmental Education & Outreach (BPAGAGAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Forestry & Reforestation (BPAGAGAD), Pollution Prevention & Toxics Reduction (BPAGAGAJ), Environmental Conservation & Sustainability Volunteering (EDAIAGAB), Urban & Community Reforestation / Street Tree Planting (AFAMACAL)

Keywords

• Environmental education
• Volunteer environmental programs
• Coastline waste monitoring
• Community tree planting
• Youth environmental action

Headquarters

HQ city

Tianjin

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Individual and group/organizational members pay membership dues to join the association. Members include environmental workers, teachers, journalists, university students, engineers, civil servants, and workers.
2. Project Grants and Government Funding: Receives project-based funding from government bodies, environmental foundations, and international organizations. Examples include funding from China Environmental Science Society for the New Urban Resident Green Life Handbook, and grants for coastline monitoring from marine foundations.
3. Activity Fees: Charges nominal participation fees for specific programs such as tree seedlings (30 yuan per person for planting activities), optional transportation, lunch, and working holiday activities. Tree seedling fees, transportation (35 yuan), and lunch (35 yuan) for annual tree planting events.
4. Corporate and Institutional Partnerships: Works with corporations (e.g., Shell for 美境行动, Otsuka for working holiday activities, Novozymes, DHL, and others) who sponsor and participate in environmental programs, providing both financial and in-kind support.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Tianjin Green Friends is a non-profit civil environmental organization that delivers structured environmental education programs, hands-on volunteer activities (tree planting, beach cleanup, green mapping), and community environmental campaigns for schools, families, and corporate partners in Tianjin, China. The organization also conducts scientific coastline waste monitoring as one of 12 national monitoring points in China and represents Chinese civil society at UN environmental forums through its ECOSOC consultative status.

Product overview

Tianjin Eco-city Friend of Green Eco-Culture Promotion Association (天津生态城绿色之友生态文化促进会), also known as Tianjin Green Friend (天津绿色之友), is a non-profit environmental protection organization registered in 2000 as Tiananjin Environmental Science Society Green Education Working Committee. It is Tianjin's first formally registered civil environmental protection organization, operating a portfolio of environmental programs and services. The organization functions as a platform offering multiple interconnected environmental programs: the '美境行动' (Meijing Action) youth environmental education initiative, the '工作假期' (Work Holiday) tree planting and water conservation program, the '中国海岸线垃圾清理与监测网项目' (China Coastal Line Cleanup and Monitoring Network), the '绿色之友艺术团' (Arts Troupe) for environmental awareness performances, '绿地图' (Green Map) environmental mapping activities, '生态城环保手册' (Eco-city Environmental Handbook) publications, 'ASIK国际志愿者夏令营' (International Volunteer Summer Camp), '绿天使' (Green Angel) preschool education, and the '全国净滩公益活动' (National Beach Cleanup) initiative. These programs collectively address environmental education, volunteer participation, scientific monitoring, and public awareness across schools, communities, and coastal areas. The organization has UN ECOSOC consultative status and operates as a multi-program environmental service platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 美境行动: Youth environmental education project encouraging primary and secondary school students to design and implement their own environmental protection plans; one of Tianjin's longest-running and most participated environmental programs.
• 工作假期
• 绿天使
• 绿邻居
• 绿地图

Products and services

• 美境行动 (Beautiful Environment Action / Meijing Action) A youth environmental education program launched in 2001 that encourages primary and secondary school students in Tianjin to design and implement their own small-scale environmental protection projects. It is one of the longest-running environmental education programs in Tianjin with over 300,000 student participants across 19 consecutive years.
• 工作假期 (Chaobai River Work Holiday Tree Planting Program) A volunteer tree planting and ecological restoration program held at the Baodi Huangzhuang Xiaoxinmatou base along the Chaobai River, following the philosophy of 'using spare time for public welfare, achieving leisure purposes'. The program has engaged 15,000+ participants and planted 10,000+ trees over 9 consecutive years, recognized as the longest-running work holiday project in China.
• 中国海岸线垃圾清理与监测网项目 (China Coastline Waste Cleanup and Monitoring Network) A coastal marine debris monitoring and beach cleanup initiative conducted at Tianjin's Gaoshaling Beach monitoring site, selected as one of 12 national monitoring points. The project was recognized as a China Internet Public Welfare Annual Recommended Project in 2020 and contributes standardized marine debris data to national research.
• 绿色之友艺术团 (Green Friend Arts Troupe) An environmental performance troupe using diverse artistic forms including songs, dances, and skits to promote environmental awareness in communities, schools, and enterprises. Performs dozens of shows annually and has won Tianjin Cultural Volunteer Advanced Unit awards for three consecutive years (2016-2018).

Quantifiable outcome

• 300,000+ students engaged in environmental education through 美境行动 over 19 years
• +4 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

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

• 联合国开发计划署/宋庆龄基金会/花旗中国 (UNDP / Soong Ching Ling Foundation / Citi China)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2023Co-organizers of the Youth Maker Challenge (青年创客挑战赛) competition. Green Friend assisted in organizing a project that won the second prize, representing China in the Asia-Pacific regional competition.
• 天津民间组织国际交流促进会 (Tianjin Civil Society Organizations International Exchange Promotion Association)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023Membership organization that supports Green Friend's international exchange activities, including UN participation and bilateral cooperation. Facilitated Green Friend's obtainment of UN ECOSOC status.
• 天津市对外友好协会 (Tianjin Foreign Friendship Association)majorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2023Government foreign affairs body that supports Green Friend's international environmental exchanges and has visited Green Friend's Eco-city office to strengthen civil diplomacy cooperation.
• 中国民间气候变化行动网络 CCAN (China Civil Climate Action Network)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Green Friend serves as a founding member and was elected to the second CCAN board of directors. Through CCAN, Green Friend participates in UN climate change conferences and submits position papers to the UNFCCC secretariat.
• 天津滨海新区环境局 (Tianjin Binhai New Area Environmental Bureau)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2017Government environmental authority that collaborated with Green Friend for the 节能减排泰达行动 (Energy Conservation TEDA Action) program involving energy audits of public buildings.
• 南开大学天津校友会绿色之友分会 (Nankai University Tianjin Alumni Association - Green Friend Branch)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Green Friend branch established within the Nankai University Tianjin Alumni Association in 2015, connecting alumni with environmental volunteer activities and programs.
• 中国海洋发展基金会 (China Ocean Development Foundation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014The primary national partner for coastline cleanup and marine environmental protection. Organizes the annual National Beach Cleanup Campaign (全国净滩公益活动) across multiple coastal cities, with Tianjin Green Friend serving as the Tianjin venue organizer.
• 深圳市红树林湿地保护基金会 (Shenzhen Mangrove Wetland Protection Foundation) / 上海仁渡海洋公益发展中心 (Shanghai Rendi Ocean Public Welfare Development Center)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Joint initiators of the China Coastline Waste Monitoring Network. Green Friend's Tianjin Gaoshaling Beach monitoring site was selected as one of 12 national monitoring points in the first batch (2015), participating in standardized marine debris monitoring and research.
• AIESECmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Global youth organization co-organizing international volunteer summer camps (ASIK International Volunteer Summer Camp) with Green Friend, bringing foreign university students to Tianjin for environmental education and volunteer activities.
• 天津对外经济贸易职业学院 (Tianjin Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Vocational College)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2014Partnered with Green Friend for environmental education activities and volunteer programs at the Sino-Singapore Eco-city location.
• 天津市生态道德教育促进会 (Tianjin Ecological Ethics Education Promotion Association)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Collaborative partner for ecological ethics education programs, joint activities, and annual meetings. Green Friend participates in the association's annual conferences and collaborative educational initiatives.
• 北京天下溪 (Beijing Tianxiaxi)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2014Environmental NGO that collaborated with Green Friend on international environmental art exchange projects such as the 2008 '大地艺术' (Earth Art) project at Qilihai Wetland.
• 天津生态城绿色之友生态文化促进会 (Tianjin Eco-city Green Friend Eco-culture Promotion Association)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 February 2013The formal legal entity registered in 2013 as the organizational arm of Green Friend in the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-city. This entity holds the UN ECOSOC consultative status and serves as the primary organizational structure for international programs and formal partnerships.
• 壳牌中国 (Shell China)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Shell has been the long-standing sponsor and partner for the 美境行动 (Beautiful Environment Action) youth environmental education program since its inception in Tianjin, providing funding, expertise, and brand association for one of Tianjin's longest-running environmental education programs.
• 自然之友 (Friends of Nature)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007China's first civil environmental organization. Green Friend maintains collaborative relationships with Friends of Nature for environmental education exchanges, program sharing, and joint advocacy activities.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Shenzhen Mangrove Wetland Protection Foundation: Partner organization co-initiating the China Coastline Waste Monitoring Network. Both serve as national monitoring points for marine debris and beach cleanup, addressing overlapping audiences (volunteers, schools, corporate CSR) with comparable methodologies.
• Friends of Nature: China's first formal civil environmental organization (founded 1994), comparable as a peer Chinese environmental NGO. Green Friend maintains a collaborative relationship with Friends of Nature for environmental education exchanges and joint advocacy, making it the closest national counterpart in mission and structure.
• Shanghai Rendi Ocean Public Welfare Development Center: Co-initiator of the China Coastline Waste Monitoring Network alongside Green Friend's Tianjin Gaoshaling monitoring point. Both run standardized marine-debris data collection and beach cleanup programs with shared protocols and national-network participation.
• China Civil Climate Action Network (CCAN): Coalition of Chinese environmental NGOs focused on climate change advocacy. Green Friend is a founding member and serves on CCAN's second board of directors, participating in UN climate conferences and position papers to the UNFCCC.

Broad incumbents

• Greenpeace China: Major international environmental organization with active China operations. Both share an advocacy-and-volunteer-engagement model focused on environmental issues, though Greenpeace operates at significantly larger scale and with different geographic reach.
• WWF China: Large international environmental organization operating in China with broad environmental education, climate, and biodiversity programs. Overlaps with Green Friend in environmental education and CSR-facilitated volunteer activities, but operates at a much larger scale with international funding.
• All-China Environment Federation: National-level environmental federation that awarded Green Friend the 'National Low-Carbon Pioneer' designation. Operates as a broader umbrella over environmental NGOs in China, making it an incumbent rather than direct competitor but a clear peer in the environmental civil society ecosystem.
• China Environmental Science Society: Under which Green Friend was originally registered in 2000 as the Green Education Work Committee. Awards Green Friend content (e.g., Fifth Environmental Science Popularization Innovation Award First Prize); functions as a professional/scientific incumbent rather than direct competitor.

Emerging players

• AIESEC China: Global youth organization that co-organizes the ASIK International Volunteer Summer Camp with Green Friend. Comparable as a youth-volunteer engagement platform, though AIESEC operates more broadly across multiple social causes rather than focusing on environmental action.

Regional players

• Green Longjiang: Heilongjiang-based environmental NGO running volunteer-driven environmental education and conservation programs. Comparable as a regionally-focused Chinese environmental civil society organization with a similar mix of community engagement, education, and volunteer mobilization.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance9 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Tianjin Eco-city Friend of Green Eco-Culture Promotion Association