Sumatran Orangutan Society

What Sumatran Orangutan Society does

The Sumatran Orangutan Society (SOS) is a UK-registered charity (number 1158711) founded in 2004 and headquartered at 6 Lombard Street, Abingdon, with all field operations concentrated in northern Sumatra, Indonesia. Its mission is the conservation of the critically endangered Sumatran orangutan (~14,000 remaining) and the world's most endangered great ape, the Tapanuli orangutan (~800 remaining), executed through four pillars: forest protection, habitat connectivity, rewilding of degraded land, and community-centred conservation. Core programmatic innovations include world-first canopy bridges to reconnect forest fragments bisected by roads (valid

Name

Sumatran Orangutan Society

Legal name

Sumatran Orangutan Society

Website

https://orangutans-sos.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

UK-registered conservation charity protecting critically endangered Sumatran and Tapanuli orangutans through forest protection, world-first canopy bridges, community-centered conservation, and sustainable palm oil advocacy, funded by individual donors, corporate partners, philanthropic foundations, and challenge events.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wildlife Conservation

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (11531), Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Support Activities for Forestry (115310)

SIC

Forestry (800), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Threatened & Endangered Species (TES) / Protected Species Surveys & Compliance (EUAHAHAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Animal Health Policy, Standards & International Coordination (e.g., WOAH/FAO) (HLAMAJAO), Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus & Resilience Programming (BPADAEAK)

Keywords

• Orangutan conservation
• Rainforest protection
• Habitat rewilding
• Sustainable palm oil
• Wildlife charity

Headquarters

HQ city

Abingdon

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individual supporters via website, with monthly giving options ranging from £7-20 and one-time gifts from £20-75 or custom amounts.
2. Corporate Partnerships: Product partnerships where companies donate portion of sales, cause marketing campaigns, co-branded products, Rewild Fund tiered memberships (Canopy Collective, Pioneers, Guardians), and employee engagement programs.
3. Online Shop: Organic cotton merchandise including t-shirts, hoodies, and bags sold through Teemill storefront, with all proceeds supporting conservation work.
4. Philanthropy and Major Gifts: Significant gifts from philanthropists, family trusts, and Donor Advised Funds, with option to fund specific programs or give unrestricted gifts.
5. Legacy Gifts: Bequests and gifts in wills, with the Wisdom Circle recognizing legacy pledgers with special engagement.
6. Challenge Events: Registration fees and fundraising from charity running events including marathons, half marathons, and the Sumatra Jungle Trek.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

The Sumatran Orangutan Society (SOS) is a UK-registered conservation charity that protects critically endangered Sumatran and Tapanuli orangutans and their rainforest habitat in northern Sumatra, Indonesia. It delivers impact through a Protect-Connect-Rewild framework: forest protection via social forestry schemes, habitat reconnection through world-first canopy bridges, and large-scale rewilding. It funds this work via individual donations, corporate partnerships, philanthropy, legacy gifts, merchandise sales, and charity challenge events.

Product overview

The Sumatran Orangutan Society (SOS) is a UK-based conservation charity focused on protecting wild orangutans and their rainforest habitats in Sumatra, Indonesia. As a nonprofit organization, SOS does not offer a technology product or platform. Instead, the organization provides charitable programs and initiatives including rainforest protection, forest reconnection through canopy bridges, habitat rewilding, community-centered conservation approaches, and sustainable palm oil advocacy. The organization engages supporters through donations, fundraising campaigns, corporate partnerships, educational resources, and merchandise sales via their online shop.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Rewild Fund: A collaborative initiative inviting businesses and organisations to partner in rewilding Sumatra's rainforests, with tiered membership structure (Canopy Collective, Pioneers, Rainmakers, Guardians).
• Wisdom Circle
• Sustainable Palm Oil Community: Oxford

Products and services

• The Rewild Fund A collaborative corporate partnership initiative inviting businesses and organisations to fund the rewilding of Sumatra's rainforests through tiered memberships (Canopy Collective, Pioneers, Rainmakers, Guardians), with cause-marketing and product-partnership opportunities.
• Wisdom Circle (Legacy Giving Programme) A legacy pledger programme for supporters who have committed to leaving a gift to SOS in their will, providing special engagement and recognition of bequest commitments.
• SOS Online Shop (Teemill) Organic cotton merchandise including t-shirts, hoodies, and bags sold through the Teemill storefront (orangutans.teemill.com), with all proceeds supporting conservation work.
• Charity Challenge Events Registration-based fundraising events including UK and European marathons, half-marathons, treks, obstacle courses, and the Sumatra Jungle Trek, where supporters raise funds for SOS in exchange for event places.
• Sustainable Palm Oil Community: Oxford A campaign to turn Oxford into a Sustainable Palm Oil City by engaging the hospitality sector and businesses to commit to deforestation-free palm oil sourcing, modelled on the Chester Sustainable Palm Oil City success co-launched with Chester Zoo in 2017.
• SOS Schools Pack (Educational Resources) A free educational resource pack for UK primary schools (ages 5-11) covering rainforests, orangutans, endangered species, and conservation. Includes lesson plans, worksheets, films, and a school fundraising guide linked to literacy, numeracy, science, geography, citizenship, and art curricula.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.4 million hectares designated for social forestry
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TaHuKahcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 April 2024SOS works with TaHuKah as a key frontline conservation partner in Sumatra. Together they implemented the world-first canopy bridge project in Pakpak Bharat district, enabling Sumatran orangutans to cross roads. TaHuKah embeds environmental anthropologists within field teams.
• Chester ZoocoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partnered to launch the concept of 'Sustainable Palm Oil Communities' in 2017. Chester achieved Sustainable Palm Oil City status in March 2019. SOS is now working to bring Oxford on board with the same initiative.
• LushcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2008Over 15 years working together. Lush created an orangutan soap and limited edition bath bomb to raise funds. Sources lemongrass from permaculture smallholdings in Sumatra for ethical sourcing.
• EdringtoncoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-term strategic partnership focused on employee engagement. Donations support the breadth of SOS' protect, connect, rewild approach. Edrington also supports the Leuser Nature School.
• Whole EarthcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlanting 50,000 trees through sales of their Golden Rainforest Peanut Butter. Features illustrations of endangered wildlife including orangutans, tigers and hornbills.
• MontzicoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPlanting 10 trees for each bottle of MONTZI sold. Alpine botanical spirit brand. 150,000 trees planted so far through the Rewild Fund partnership.
• Faith in NaturecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSupporting SOS in vital work to protect and restore rainforests in Sumatra. Partnership helps safeguard orangutan habitats and rewild landscapes.
• KomodominorGTM or Marketing PartnerEthical fashion brand supporting SOS for more than a decade, donating 10% of all sales through affiliate link.
• PieministercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerJoined as Sustainable Palm Oil Ambassador, committed to driving a deforestation-free palm oil industry. Pie specialist committed to sustainable sourcing.
• Oxford Brookes UniversitycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCommitted to supporting the Sustainable Palm Oil Communities project. By 2025, will have worked with suppliers to ensure palm oil used is sourced sustainably, reinforced through annual supplier audits.
• Project PTminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEnsures all food products purchased come from companies with excellent sustainable palm oil practices, using the Palm Oil Scan App.
• Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSOS is an active member of RSPO. The organization sets global standards for sustainable palm oil production. Since 2018, RSPO-certified palm oil is required to be deforestation-free.
• 1% for the PlanetcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGlobal movement inspiring businesses to support environmental causes. SOS is a recipient of support, significantly contributing to conservation efforts.
• Chapel & York US FoundationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEnables US donors to make tax-efficient donations to SOS, allowing SOS to avoid costs of operating its own US 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
• FarewillminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to offer free will writing service for supporters, encouraging legacy giving.
• Discover SumatraminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTravel company specialising in small-group tours of Sumatra. Supports SOS through Rewild Fund Canopy Collective membership.
• Bidu Bidu BooksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPersonalised children's book publisher supporting SOS with classroom construction at Leuser Nature School.
• BookwhenminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBooking software company that became supporters with a donation towards SOS projects.
• ChococominorGTM or Marketing PartnerDorset-based chocolate company creating orangutan chocolates with proceeds donated to SOS, invested in cocoa trees at restoration sites.
• Infinity Foods WholesaleminorGTM or Marketing PartnerUK distributor of organic products supporting SOS as part of carbon offsetting.
• SawpodminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDonating 10p of every Sawpod sold to SOS and supported a Sumatra expedition.
• SuperPetitminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEco-friendly French brand supporting SOS financially through 1% for the Planet.
• North Sumatra Conservation AgencycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner working with SOS and TaHuKah on canopy bridge project and conservation initiatives.
• North Sumatra Provincial Environment and Forestry ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner for canopy bridge construction and forest conservation in North Sumatra.
• Pakpak Bharat District GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal government partner in Pakpak Bharat district for canopy bridge project.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Others

• Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO): Standards-setting body of which SOS is an active member. Adjacent rather than competing — defines the certification regime that SOS's sustainable palm oil advocacy work drives market adoption of.

Broad incumbents

• World Wildlife Fund (WWF): Largest global wildlife conservation NGO with overlapping work on Sumatran/tiger/rhino habitats and palm oil advocacy. Far larger scale and portfolio; provides a benchmark for what scaled-up orangutan/forest conservation operations could look like.
• Conservation International: Major global conservation NGO working on forests, species, and corporate sustainability in SE Asia. Overlapping donor base, corporate partnerships, and hectares-protected methodology; useful proxy for institutional-scale conservation.
• Greenpeace International: Global campaigning NGO with major deforestation/palm oil supply-chain programs overlapping with SOS's advocacy and corporate engagement work, particularly on UK supply-chain deforestation policy.
• Chester Zoo / North of England Zoological Society: Major UK zoo with a long-running conservation partnership with SOS (Sustainable Palm Oil Communities campaign). Functions as both an active collaborator and a broader conservation institution with similar donor/grant base.

Direct peers

• Rainforest Trust: US-based charity focused on purchasing and protecting threatened rainforests globally. Highly comparable business model (donor-funded land conservation, corporate partnerships, hectares-protected metrics) and similar species-habitat thesis in tropical forests.
• Orangutan Foundation UK: UK-registered charity protecting orangutans and their forest habitat, particularly in Borneo. Closest direct peer by jurisdiction, mission, donor base, and fundraising model (UK individual donations + corporate partnerships).
• Fauna & Flora International: UK-headquartered species-conservation NGO with similar charity structure, multi-country program delivery, and corporate/legacy giving model. Broader portfolio but overlapping on threatened-species protection and habitat restoration.
• The Orangutan Project: Australia-based orangutan conservation charity funding habitat protection, rescue, and reforestation — comparable niche focus, donor-funded model, and corporate partnership strategy targeting consumer brands.
• Bornean Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF): Indonesia-based NGO focused on rescue, rehabilitation, and release of orangutans — direct peer in great-ape conservation with comparable habitat-protection and community engagement mandate in SE Asia.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/OrangutansSOS
• Facebookfacebook.com/orangutanssos
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-sumatran-orangutan-society
• Instagraminstagram.com/orangutanssos

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Sumatran Orangutan Society