Women creating a sustainable tomorrow
About Us
Greenseed is born from the desire to fight gender inequity and the decay of the environment. Women's role is essential in sustainable conservation efforts and we must ensure that they obtain equal rights to men. One way to combine these two objectives is to support women creating their own projects in environmental protection, which is the main focus of our work at Greenseed.
Our Vision
Our Values
Discover our vision and values
Our vision is to make this world a better place for women who want to become powerful agents of change for the protection of our planet's resources.
Every woman should have equal rights to men in the conservation process, on the property rights of their lands, as well as on the natural resources that they provide.
We are committed to working towards the respect of the environment, gender equity and equality, knowledge sharing, and the respect of human rights.
These values are inseparable of our mission, vision and work.
Our three pillars
1
Guidance
Our role in the business development process of the women we support is mainly guidance. We encourage them to own their project freely, requesting our guidance when needed.
2
Financial Independence
Our programme is deisgned so that the women we support achieve financial independence. We aim to support them on the short term so they rapidly own their project.
3
Sustainability
At the end of the projects and when the women are financially independent, financial support is ended. At this stage, their project is run in a sustainable manner, from an economic, social and environmental point of view.
Meet the team
Anna Devine
Founder and co-director
Anna is a Swiss attorney with experience in international and non-governmental organizations as well as in international law firms, during which she was particularly involved in pro bono activities. She holds a bachelor's degree in international relations and a bilingual master's degree in law from the universities of Geneva and Basel, where she specialized in human rights. Anna is particularly interested in women's rights, women empowerment as well as corporate responsibility.
Esther Peev
Founder and co-director
Esther has always been involved in different environmental organizations, at the local, national and international levels. During her dual degrees' program in Global Health and International Affairs, she specialized in Environment, Resources and Sustainability. This gave her the necessary tools and knowledge to work on conservational, climate change resilience or biodiversity programs. She finds her motivation in the hope to ensure a sustainable future for the next generations.
The Board
Tanja Heizmann
Chairwoman
Tanja understands the health of our planet as a source of a sustainable future for all. She sees gender equality as a key indicator for a better and healthier future. As an expert in critical care nursing, her professional roots are in human health. With the Master of Science in Global Health, she expanded her knowledge of the interfaces and interactions between environmental, animal, and human health. She has diverse professional experience in the private, humanitarian and government sectors and is committed to empowering women.
Tessel van der Putte
Vice-chair
Tessel is a visual artist and scholar working on the intersection of women's empowerment and environmentalism. Central to all her work is the exploration of our human connection with nature from an eco-feminist and mindful perspective. Previously, Tessel worked for the International Committee of the Red Cross in humanitarian law and policy communications, after which she also worked in the nature conservation sector. She pursued her master's degree in International Law and Human Rights at the United Nations University for Peace in Costa Rica. Tessel has also published research on small island nations and climate change, putting a special spotlight on the vital leadership role of women in Indigenous communities.
Ailín Benítez Cortés
Vice-chair
Ailín is a Chilean sociologist who, since 2012, explores and understands the transformative power of women in their communities and environments. Ailín has focused her career on connecting research and advocacy. On a national level, she has worked on women’s rights in Chile, and on an international level, she has worked on the intersection of migration and climate change. An adventurer at heart, Ailín has dedicated her life to immersing in different cultures, admiring the beauty and power of nature. She strongly believes that women from all regions of the world must be at the center of decision-making processes at all levels, and finds her inspiration in exchanging creative ideas and practical solutions with other women who believe the same.
Our Partners
and private foundation
