The Trust
    Link your Club into the growing network of supporters by clicking here

  • The Sustainability Trust (originally created as The CO2 Offset Trust, but subsequently adopting a wider remit) is a charitable foundation that promotes sustainable principles to 1.2 million Rotarians around the world.

  • The Objectives of the Trust are:

    1. To create a forum that shares ideas on how to introduce Sustainable Principles into our own lives, our businesses, our communities and our Rotary Club projects.

    2. To encourage the 1.2 million Rotarians to understand the implications of using non-renewable resources on the lives of future generations and on the climate of our planet.

    3. To provide suggestions on principles and products that Rotary Clubs can promote to reduce the use of non-renewable resources by their Club members, their communities and in their humanitarian projects.

    4. To point Rotarians to humanitarian projects that are already being supported by Rotary Clubs, which meet the aims of the Trust by using sustainable systems, renewable energy and locally supported programmes.

    5. To provide ideas and inspiration to Rotary Club members that will enable them to reduce their use of products that are made from non-renewable resources.

    6. To provide a carbon calculator that enables Rotarians to calculate their carbon emissions and donate to a Rotary Club project that removes the carbon emissions their activity has created.

    7. To link together all 33,784 Rotary Clubs world-wide into an internet-based support website that promotes these ideas and principles.

    8. To offer help and guidance to Rotarians, using the Trust’s world-wide network of internet-based contacts, on how their Clubs can achieve these aims.

    The Trust slogan is – What is the 5th Test in the Four-Way-Test?   Is it Sustainable?

    Link your Club into the growing network of supporters by clicking here


  • The Trust subtitle is - Rotarians for Sustainability and Carbon Reduction

  • The Trust received its start-up funding in 2007 from eleven Rotary Clubs on five continents.

  • There are currently five UK-based Rotarian trustees and one USA based Rotarian trustee.

  • The term ‘Sustainability’ is not limited to one precise definition. However, a widely used version was devised in 1987, when the World Commission on Environment and Development created a definition of sustainability that was included in its findings, which became known as the Brundtland Report.

  • It stated that: Sustainable development meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

  • In observing the terms of the Four-Way Test, Rotarians should have the following objective in mind.

  • Are we doing, consuming or destroying things that will compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs? And if we conclude that we are ….. then how do we find solutions that stop the process?

  • And are we polluting the planet? Is the heating climate caused by our carbon-burning economies? Can we survive a steadily rising temperature?

  • The Trust aims to educate members of Rotary Clubs – and through them the general public – to understand and mitigate the effects of climate change as these take place over future years. Regrettably it is those who have the least that suffer the most from the drought, floods and other adverse factors arising from the changing climate.

  • The Trust encourages all Rotarians to do four things:

    1. EDUCATE – themselves, their Rotary colleagues and the public about the reasons why we all have to reduce carbon emissions and devise sustainable solutions.

    2. DEMONSTRATE - how everyone can save money in the process,

    3. INNOVATE - with ideas promoted by their Rotary Club to reduce carbon emissions,

    4. DONATE - via the Sustainability Trust to a Rotary project that offsets your unavoidable personal carbon emissions.

  • We also point out that a Fifth Test should be added to the Rotary Four-Way Test – ‘IS IT SUSTAINABLE?’

  • Today humanity needs the equivalent of 1.4 planets to provide the resources we use. Moderate UN scenarios suggest that if current population and consumption trends continue, by the middle of the next decade – 15 years away – we will need the equivalent of two planet Earths to support us.

  • That is not sustainable. Rotarians have a responsibility to seek sustainable ways of doing things.

  • Carbon emissions are heating our planet. ‘Peak Oil’ is approaching. Natural disasters caused by climate are getting more severe. Nations with scarce resources are suffering the most. We are polluting our home base.

  • But it doesn’t have to be like this. It is possible to move our systems toward sustainable methods – if we work to devise the necessary solutions.

  • This is why we formed the trust. Rotarians should be leaders in this process.

  • Link your Club into the growing network of supporters by clicking here

  • Become an online Sustaining Member Club at www.thesustainabilitytrust.org/donate.htm

  • We owe this to future generations

  • Terms and Conditions of The Sustainability Trust - The CO2 Offset Trust and all communications are available at http://www.thesustainabilitytrust.org/tandc.htm

  • The trust is a charitable foundation registered by the Charity Commission in England and Wales, REGISTRATION NO: 1122835

    10-06-26-The Trust