Strategy & Governance

From cleanup to scale-up

We are on a mission to clean rivers, and we aim to reach 1 000 plastic-free rivers by 2050. These rivers are responsible for 80% of the global riverine pollution flowing to the oceans.

To make our ambitious plans come true, we need to grow our impact, team, community and partners. In a nutshell, we need to evolve from a start-up to a scale-up. In 2022 we defined an organizational growth plan that will enable us to realize our mission. It was fine-tuned in 2023 while participating in the Ashoka Belgium Impact Programme and received several awards.

Our organizational growth strategy enables the realization of our mission by following 3 phases:

2025 - 2026

prepare scale-up

Validate the Clean River Model along 3 rivers (Belgium, Cameroon, Indonesia)
Work on operational excellence
Develop a secondary revenue model

2026 - 2030

Scale-up

Launch the Clean River Model along 100 rivers
Develop the River Hub (collaborative platform)

2031 - 2050

Global roll-out

Expand the Clean River Model to 1 000 rivers

Who we want to be

Our organizational growth strategy shows us how we need to evolve to validate the Clean River Model by 2025 and reach 1 000 plastic-free rivers by 2050. It also presents our aspirations for the kind of organization we want to become in the medium and long term.

We want to:

offer the world open-source, holistic, flexible solutions to make rivers plastic-free
become an internationally respected operational network that's recognized as a go-to provider of solutions for plastic-free rivers
be a trustworthy and excellent service provider for all partners, constructively working together for maximum impact
build long-term, sustainable win-win partnerships with people and organizations
be a top-rated employer for fun, positive, inspiring people that set and achieve ambitious goals

Shifting our focus to preventive measures

Our goal has always been clean rivers, but our focus has shifted from cleaning up to setting up structural solutions along the plastics value chain:

reduction of virgin plastic use
preventive collection
circular economy solutions
clean up legacy pollution
engage with local policy makers

We have clear plans and professional methods to execute these plans. We implement multiple solutions at the same time and involve an array of partners to reach maximum impact. This also allows us to diversify our sources of income and base our fundraising on purposeful relationships.

Governance

Statutory name: River Cleanup vzw
Legal form: Non-profit association (non-profit organization)
Company no.: 0719.610.237
Date of establishment: January 30, 2019
Seat: Ijzerenpoortkaai 3 bus 86, 2000 Antwerp
Office address: The Greenhouse Collection - Desguinlei 100, 2018 Antwerp
Statutory objective: River Cleanup vzw is a non-profit, public benefit institution with the core objective of protecting nature and the environment, including the promotion of sustainability and environmental quality, in the Flemish Region, Belgium and the world. The focus is mainly on making rivers plastic-free through activities that (in)directly contribute to the prevention and clean-up of plastic waste and plastic pollution on land and in rivers.

Good governance is essential for any nonprofit organization, as it lays the foundation for transparency, accountability, and effective decision-making. At River Cleanup, we are committed to upholding the highest standards of governance to ensure that our mission to create a plastic-free world is achieved efficiently and ethically.

At River Cleanup, we have built our governance structure around principles of transparency, inclusivity, and professionalization. In 2024, we undertook a comprehensive review of our statutes and governance structures, updating them to reflect modern best practices. This process included appointing new board members and aligning our policies with the requirements for recognition as a Public Benefit Organization (ANBI) in the Netherlands. Achieving this recognition will enable us to expand our fundraising efforts both in the Netherlands and through Belgian institutions.

Governing Bodies:

General Assembly: Comprising founding members (Thomas de Groote, Laurent Lamblin, Bart van den Berghe, Arno Doggen) and soon to be expanded with 3 additional members, the General Assembly plays a vital role in setting strategic priorities.
Board of Directors: Made up of experienced leaders from diverse sectors, including Wim Warnier (former CEO of TWE Group), Antoine Geerinckx (CO2Logic), and Prof. Veroniek Collewaert (Vlerick, KUL), the Board provides oversight and guidance.
Advisory Board: Offers collective and individual advice to the management team, ensuring that we remain on track to meet our mission. Stefan Langkamp, Valérie de Groote, Klaus Lommatzsch, Martijn Bruyns, Thomas Snoeckx and Kevin De Backer
Management Team: Led by CEO Thomas de Groote and COO Arno Doggen, the Executive Board oversees daily operations and implements strategic initiatives.

These bodies work seamlessly to ensure that River Cleanup remains focused on its mission while adapting to new challenges. All roles and responsibilities are clearly defined in our statutes and internal regulations, which will soon be publicly accessible through our new website.

Through this robust governance framework, River Cleanup continues to grow its impact while adhering to the highest standards of operational excellence.