Innovation@WWF

The WWF is run at a local level by the following offices...

Today's environmental challenges need creative problem solvers

The Innovation@WWF team supports 9000+ staff in learning and applying innovation methods and mindsets for greater conservation impact.

The Innovation@WWF team’s purpose is to enable and inspire WWF individuals, teams and offices to create innovative solutions for greater conservation impact. How? By supporting innovators to develop (LEARN), implement and scale ideas (APPLY) – and by sharing (SPREAD) innovation stories and learnings inside WWF, as well within the broader NGO sector.

Each year nearly 3000 staff develop their innovation skills through in-person workshops, (live) virtual courses or self-guided learning journeys. Innovation skills WWF staff are developing are AI-powered problem-solving, design thinking, experimentation, scaling, measuring impact, futures thinking and AI for work.

Through initiatives such as Panda Labs – for early stage innovative projects – and Scale Labs – for projects that are ready to scale their impact – teams receive innovation coaching and access to ready-to-apply resources. In 2024 alone, 88 conservation teams accelerated their impact by putting innovation methods into practice.

For 5+ years, the innovation team has amplified stories of innovation in action. To expand innovation into the broader NGO sector, WWF co-led the creation of the Impact for Innovation Network which is now made up of innovation professionals from 27+ nonprofits.

Reimagining Conservation at WWF

For 65 years, the WWF has led global conservation efforts in more than 100 countries. But as environmental challenges escalated in recent decades, the organization found its traditional methods falling short. WWF took the radical step of embedding a culture of innovation across its vast network. Could it transform while staying true to its mission?

Click here to read this article written by Lisa F. Canova & Katherine Tatarinov in collaboration with the Innovation@WWF team published in the Fall 2025 edition of SSIR

97% of WWF say innovation leads to more impact*

Since 2022 we have been measuring the impact of our global innovation work. *After 3 years of data and +3300 survey submissions on our annual internal innovation survey, here’s what we’ve achieved

2600 staff joined 190+ workshops

Staff developed new innovation skills such as generative AI for work, AI for problem solving and Futures Thinking

88 conservation projects supported

Over 80 conservation teams received innovation coaching to help them apply innovation tools and accelerate their impact!

87% embedded innovation into their strategy

… and 77% of staff say innovation has a substantial effect on WWF’s conservation work! That’s a 25% jump from the year before!

What surfaces after analysing survey responses over and over is that culture change doesn’t happen through capacity building alone. It needs community, leadership buy-in, and real opportunities to apply new approaches in day-to-day work. Curious about how the Innovation@WWF team is mainstreaming innovation? Explore our full impact report.

Read WWF Innovation Impact Report

Real-world impact across the globe

Read how embracing human-centred design in Brazil led to protecting 2.5million of Amazon rainforest. Curious about open source tech and river dolphins? Dive into the innovation story of WWF Pakistan. Or, read about how a WWF Romania initiative spun off into a social enterprise to protect bison.

Anna Carolina Lobo, from WWF Brazil, explains how taking a human centred design approach turned 50+ people from eight coastal & marine protected areas into creators of eco tourism solutions for Brazilians to (re)connect with protected natural areas.

WWF Brazil - Human centred design

WEWILDER is a social enterprise cooperative in eco-tourism founded and run by WWF's local team, in a rewilding landscape where 200+ European bison roam freely. WeWilder brings people closer to the wild though regenerative nature and community experiences and incubates local ventures in food & farming.

WWF Romania - WEWILDER

In Pakistan’s Indus River, WWF leads a project to protect the endangered bhulan, the world’s rarest freshwater dolphin. By improving river health and engaging communities, it aims to foster resilience in the species' habitat for sustainable conservation.

WWF Pakistan - Saving the RIVER Dolphin

Business as usual isn’t enough…

… to bend the curves for people and the planet. Dive into how the Innovation@WWF team approaches scaling conservation impact – and measuring it. Or, learn how the team introduces new skills, such as Futures Thinking, into a decentralised organisation.

The fundamentals of scaling

Measuring innovation impact

Introducing futures thinking

Want to collaborate on acceleration conservation impact through innovation?

Get in touch via email at innovation@wwfint.org!

Each year nearly 3000 staff develop their innovation skills through in-person workshops, (live) virtual courses or self-guided learning journeys.

Innovation skills WWF staff are developing are AI-powered problem-solving, design thinking, experimentation, scaling, measuring impact, futures thinking and AI for work.

Learn new Innovation Skills