Jersey – A force for good

Jersey has long taken its obligations as a good global citizen seriously.

Jersey is an exceptionally generous place. Households contribute almost 70% more to charity every week than the UK average, and tens of thousands of Islanders volunteer their time and expertise to help others in many way.

Jersey Overseas Aid and Jersey-based charities have achieved some truly amazing things over the years. Meanwhile, our philanthropic trusts and generous individuals fund life-saving work right across the globe; and the Corporate Social Responsibility Programmes of our banks and finance companies benefit communities everywhere they operate.

Vital funding for life-changing projects

Jersey Overseas Aid is the Island’s official, publicly funded relief and development agency, whose mission is to translate the generosity, skills and compassion of the people of Jersey into effective assistance for the world’s most vulnerable people.

JOA’s funding is split into:

Supporting Jersey Charities in their work overseas, frequently on a matched-funding basis

Grants for multi-year development projects, implemented through pre-selected charities and other specialist organisations, including UN agencies and International Non-Government Organisations.

Humanitarian and emergency aid, through internationally recognised relief agencies such as the Red Cross, UNHCR and UNICEF.

Supporting Jersey Charities in their work overseas, frequently on a matched-funding basis

Community Work Projects, whereby teams of Jersey volunteers undertake development projects overseas organised by JOA’s partners 

Providing sponsorship, bursaries and internships to Jersey citizens engaged in charity work abroad

“I do assure you, the world needs Durrell” - Sir David Attenborough

Founded in Jersey in 1963, the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust is an international charity working to save species from extinction. Durrell’s overall aim is for more diverse, beautiful and resilient natural landscapes in which wildlife can thrive and people can enjoy a deeper connection with nature.

Through their work in the wild and at Jersey Zoo they reconnect people with nature and help drive the societal change needed to save and restore the natural world.

The Trust’s impact is felt far beyond Jersey’s shores and its achievements include 14 species saved from extinction, including the endangered Mountain Chicken frog and the Black Lion Tamarin, and over 6,500 conservationists trained from more than 140 countries around the world.

About Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust | Durrell

Delivering sustainable growth

The extension of the UK’s ratification of the Paris Agreement to Jersey in April 2022 marks an important step in advancing the Island’s contribution to global climate ambitions.

The Carbon Neutral Roadmap is Jersey's path to net zero. The policies in the Roadmap have been informed by ideas from all Islanders and the recommendations from the Citizens’ Assembly on Climate Change, as well as the technical evidence and an understanding of what is working well elsewhere.

The Carbon Neutral Roadmap outlines the proposed policies to start our journey to net zero. Policies come under four main categories of: transport, heating; other on and off-island emissions; and enabling policies (such as green skills).

The Carbon Neutral Roadmap focuses on the steps that need to be taken from 2022 to 2026.  Future governments will also have to set out plans to go further in the future. 

The Climate Emergency Fund (CEF) was established in the Government Plan 2020 to 2023. It provides an initial route of income and source of expenditure for projects tackling the climate emergency. 

The forefront of sustainable financing

Sustainable finance refers to any form of financial service that integrates environmental, social and/or governance criteria into investment decisions in order to achieve a lasting positive impact, as well as a financial return. 

Why Jersey?

  • Jersey has flexible, competitive financial services structures that can be adapted to meet philanthropic and sustainable investment objectives: including trusts, foundations and fund structures.
  • A near 14,000 pool of skilled professionals provides the range of expertise necessary for the establishment and servicing of a variety of  structures to support sustainable objectives.
  • A well-regulated, politically stable jurisdiction that has been at the forefront of both global finance and being a good global citizen for more than 50 years.


"Just like good investing, good development donorship demands persistence and proficiency, informed and empirical decision making, and a thorough understanding of risk, capabilities and good practice. As finance and philanthropy increasingly overlap, these attributes enable JOA to help cement Jersey’s position as one of the world’s most attractive jurisdictions for doing good with one’s money"

Carolyn Labey, Minister for International Development


  • Jersey’s range of regulatory options allows managers to choose a funds regime suited to their target investors.
  • Fund and corporate vehicles established and administered in Jersey invest in a wide range of high value alternative investments across multiple economies, meaning Jersey is particularly strong in the servicing of alternative investments.

Case Study: Jersey for Good – A Sustainable Future

In July 2020, Jersey Finance commissioned Andrew Mitchell, Founder and CEO of Equilibrium Futures, to support the development of a vision and an initial two-year plan to build Jersey’s reputation as a jurisdiction of choice for sustainable finance.

The result of this is Jersey for Good – A Sustainable Future which outlines our long-term strategy, along with a high-ambition collective vision for our industry. To set us on the right path to achieving our long-term vision, Jersey Finance has also developed Jersey’s Pathway to Success, an initial two-year plan to accelerate our journey towards a sustainable future.

When communities come together

Charities and volunteering are part of the unique fabric of Jersey’s strong community. With over 430 registered charities on the island.  The Association of Jersey Charities has over 50 years' experience of supporting charities covering a rich tapestry of areas. From supporting vulnerable islanders, to protecting our wonderful eco system, charities play a key role in the islands identity.  Islanders are well known for volunteering and it is estimated that 1 in 8 islanders volunteer on a regular basis, supporting a range of good causes.

The annual Pride of Jersey awards recognises the extraordinary contribution of individuals, charities, businesses and other organisations on Island who support the community.

The people of Jersey have stood side by side with the people of Ukraine from the beginning of Russia’s invasion, with JOA distributing £3.1million of assistance and has recently welcomed a number of Ukranian nationals on Island, enabling family members of Ukrainian nationals living in Jersey to apply for a visa to seek refuge in the Island. As of February 2022, St Helier twins with Mykolaiv, a beleaguered port city of 450,000 inhabitants in Southern Ukraine.

Jersey’s good – in numbers

Number of charities registered on island: Over 430

Value of JOA projects approved in 2022: £4,440,424 for Emergency Response, £8,082,068 for International Development Projects and £1,349,781 for Jersey Charities.

Since 1972 around 1,000 islanders have travelled to developing countries on one of JOA’s Community Work Projects, and dozens of local charities fund and even directly implement projects overseas.

Durrell has saved 14 species from extinction and trained over 6,500 conservationists from 140 countries worldwide.

Jersey will spend 0.1% more of its GVA per year on overseas aid, working towards the current OECD (DAC) average of 0.31% of national income by 2026.

729 Jersey-domiciled funds managed signatories to the UN Principles for Responsible Investing (PRIs), with an AuM of over USD 257bn (as at June 2022) [Figures derived from the Monterey Insight Jersey Funds Report 2022]

Around 60% of assets in Jersey regulated funds are managed under responsible investment policies aligned with the PRIs (as at June 2022) [Figures derived from the Monterey Insight Jersey Funds Report 2022

9/10 of the top banks by assets surveyed by Jersey Finance in 2021 were signatories to the UN Principles for Responsible Banking.

As at November 2022, an estimated 75% of the banking deposits in Jersey (£144.3bn in Q2) were held in banks that are members of the Net Zero Banking Alliance, part of a global initiative set up by Mark Carney which seeks to align financial flows to net-zero pathways under the Paris Agreement.

Jersey is also seeing strong growth in sustainable finance products in key areas such as sustainability-linked loans into Jersey fund structures, including a record €1.455bn ESG-linked fund financing facility in 2022.