The Varda Group was established in 2003 by Kelly Rigg and Rémi Parmentier. We now have operations in the Netherlands, Spain, and the UK and we work with an extensive network of freelance collaborators. We’ve campaigned to protect the deep sea, sharks and tuna, the climate, health from smoking and on many other issues.
Welcome to The Varda Group
The Varda Group provides strategic advice and campaign expertise and coordination services across a wide range of international environmental and social issues. The Varda Group consists of Varda BV (The Netherlands), Varda Desarrollo Sostenible SL (Spain), and Varda Ltd (UK). In addition, The Varda Foundation (Stichting Varda) is a not-for-profit organisation that has the capacity to carry out charitable projects. The Varda Group was established in 2003 by Rémi Parmentier, Kelly Rigg, and Elaine Lawrence who have been leading campaigns for over 30 years on oceans, climate, disarmament, human health and many other issues. Our specialties include:
- Campaign coordination and leadership
- Political campaigning and advocacy
- Strategic planning
- Project design and management
- Campaign and organizational evaluation
- Meeting facilitation
- Communications strategy design
- Event organization
- Campaign training
Varda staff are fluent in English, French and Spanish (and to a lesser extent Dutch and Portuguese).
2020
The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) honours the legacy of Varda Group co-founder Steve Sawyer who passed away last year, through the establishment of an annual Memorial Award in support of young people on the frontlines of the energy transition. This year’s award will go to Africa. Applications are open until the end of June 2020.
June 2020
- Coordinating and facilitating the third Friends of Ocean Action webinar on the WTO fisheries negotiations
- Organizing and co-facilitating two Deep Dive sessions of the Virtual Ocean Dialogues
May 2020
- Member of the Virtual Ocean Dialogue Advisory Group
April 2020
- Strategic scoping for the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation
- Ship project management for Greenpeace International
March 2020
- Review for Versus Arthritis
- Participation in the High Seas Treaty Dialogue organized by the Norwegian Nobel Institute and the Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation
- Advice on development of Outreach Strategy for Greenpeace UK
February 2020
- Drafting Responsibly Addressing the Ocean in the Context of Climate Ambition, on behalf of the Secretariat of the Because the Ocean Initiative, submitted to the Ocean Dialogue of the 52nd Session of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change’s Subsidiary Body on Scientific and Technical Advice (SBSTA)
- Invited speaker at WWF workshop “Blue Road to Glasgow, COP 26, and Beyond”
- Participant in UK Minister Zac Goldsmith‘s Marine RoundTable
January 2020
- Advice and support to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) on the socioeconomic aspects of the global energy transition, including attending the 10th annual IRENA Assembly
