The association
In 2025, Surfrider Foundation Europe consolidated its commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) and impact measurement, embedding the values it champions externally into its internal practices. From reducing its carbon footprint to enhancing well-being at work, through more participatory governance and the implementation of a structured evaluation process, the organisation has taken further steps towards operating in a more coherent and transparent manner, aligned with its mission to protect the ocean and all living things.
CSR & governance
In 2025, Surfrider Foundation Europe continued to pursue a structured, cross-organisational CSR approach, centred on the pillars of social responsibility, governance and the environment.
From an environmental perspective, Surfrider has embarked on a low-carbon pathway through the TILT programme (carbon footprint assessment, vision workshops and action plans, webinars, team-building days), whilst engaging staff through internal awareness-raising initiatives (The Week, the inter-company Water & Oceans challenge).
The Greens and Ocean Friendly Garden initiatives have encouraged employees to get actively involved in biodiversity, composting, local seeds and permaculture gardening, demonstrating a dynamic, participatory CSR programme that is aligned with the mission to protect the ocean and all living things.
On the social front, the organisation has strengthened health prevention and well-being at work through awareness-raising initiatives (a breast cancer screening workshop with the Jeune & Rose charity), partnerships promoting access to healthcare (osteopathic clinic), as well as an active policy on quality of life at work, assessed via QVCT surveys and a managerial culture, which have seen high participation rates and very positive results.
Finally, governance stood out through the co-construction of the strategic plan, the experimentation and then the structured and voluntary rollout of a 4.5-day workweek, as well as significant investment in upskilling teams through an ambitious training program (nonviolent communication, shared governance, responsible use of AI, project management, English, and media training for several team spokespersons).
API FOCUS
The impact measurement and evaluation initiatives led by the API team (Assessment Performance Impact) continued in 2025, with support starting in January for three new projects: Surfrider Coastal Defenders, Ocean Friendly Restaurant, and Plastic Origins.
The Seaclic project joined this momentum in September.
In this context, five new individuals were trained and supported. Some impact reports will be finalized and presented by March 2026, while others will continue through the end of the first half of the year.
Because it is also essential to strengthen ties with other organizations working on these topics—both to deepen Surfrider’s expertise and to share experiences—two key milestones marked the year:
- Two members of the API team participated in the 3rd Impact Measurement Summit, organized in May 2025 by the Economic, Social and Environmental Council (CESE);
- In April, Surfrider joined the NOURA program, led by three French organizations (F3E, Le Mouvement Associatif, and La Fonda).
This connection was also reflected in the development of the new 2026–2030 strategic plan. It now appears essential to better integrate evaluation approaches into the organization’s overall management and governance processes.
This work, which began in 2025, is continuing into early 2026, with the definition of key outcomes and impact indicators by thematic area.
To support the organization in this process, a pro bono expert has joined Surfrider for a period of 18 months, with the mission of contributing to these governance and evaluation challenges.
Key indicators
56
employees
73
% on permanent contract
68
% women
80
% employees
received training
5
employees on skills-based secondment