Australia's environmental not-for-profit Planet Ark goes into voluntary administration
Planet Ark Environmental Foundation, one of Australia's largest environmental non-for-profits, has entered voluntary admission following a board review of the organisation's "financial position and future viability".
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The organisation's board attributed the current economic climate, the impact of COVID-19 on stakeholder support and ongoing funding challenges as factors that had significantly impacted their operations in recent years.
In a statement, the board said the decision "provides an opportunity for an independent assessment of the organisation's affairs" and a chance to "explore potential options for restructuring that will allow the organisation to continue our important work".
Established in 1991, Planet Ark was known across the country for their environmental campaigns and programs including National Tree Day and National Recycling Week.
"Planet Ark has proudly worked for decades to inspire Australians to live more sustainably," the statement read.
"We recognise the importance of the environmental mission we continue to pursue every day and sincerely believe that Planet Ark's contribution to that mission will continue with renewed strength beyond this process."
Co-founder wants organisation to 'return to original values'
Environmentalist and Planet Ark co-founder Jon Dee, who left the organisation in 2007 after sixteen years as managing director, said he was disappointed to hear the organisation had gone into administration.
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Pat Cash and John Dee
The founders of environment group Planet Ark say the charity has lost its way.
Mr Dee, who co-founded the organisation in 1991 alongside tennis great Pat Cash, said he has held longstanding concerns on the direction Planet Ark took after his departure.
"I set up Planet Ark so that it could create real and measurable change," he said in a statement.
"As the person who headed up Planet Ark at its peak, I am interested in seeing what can be done to save the organisation," Mr Dee said, who is currently Chair of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) in Australia and New Zealand.
"Like many others, I want to see Planet Ark return to the original values and approaches that made it so successful."
In 2012, the two founders told ABC's 7:30 Report they were particularly upset over Planet Ark's links with the timber industry, accusing the organisation of selling out.
The organisation allowed its logo to be used on advertisements for timber, paid for by Forest and Wood Products Australia (FWPA), which was part of a sponsorship deal in which Planet Ark received $700,000 from the timber industry.
"The deal with the forest industry and the controversy around the Peter Maddison TV advert has eroded Planet Ark's credibility as an environmental organisation," Mr Cash said in a statement at the time.
Mr Dee said he has reached out to administrators to arrange a meeting in the hopes to explore ways he can help restore the organisation and its future.
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