The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) will benefit from a significant unrestricted funding boost from the content collaboration platform Dropbox, it was announced today. The money – which will help the organisation to train environmental defenders and tell the stories of people on the frontlines of the climate crisis – will be “transformational” to its work, the charity’s co-founder and director Juliette Williams said.

Using powerful films and photography alongside hard-hitting investigations, EJF documents threats to environmental security and human rights, telling the stories of those at the frontlines. By combining investigations with bespoke training and community support to grassroots campaigners EJF also helps to give a voice to environmental defenders and strengthen the global call for change.

The charity works across three core areas of climate, oceans and forests. Since its launch in 2000, EJF has exposed the modern-day slavery propping up Thailand’s seafood sector; provided irrefutable evidence of illegal fishing in West Africa; uncovered state-sponsored forced child labour in Uzbekistan’s cotton fields; secured protection for unique coastal forests in Brazil; and gathered powerful first-hand testimonials from those suffering the worst impacts of the climate crisis.

The unrestricted grant from Dropbox's Foundation will provide vital flexibility, allowing the organisation to move quickly and effectively to drive impact with its campaigns

In addition to the funding, Dropbox has also offered voluntary assistance from its staff. Its skilled workforce will be given time to help EJF with particular projects, providing increased capacity and expertise for a range of possible needs, from data security to internal communications.

“Our partnership with Dropbox is transformational,” said Williams. “It means a huge amount to us. We’re a growing organization so being able to have an unrestricted grant means we’ll be able to respond to new opportunities. It also allows us to benefit from the skills of Dropboxers and build the visibility of what we're trying to do.”