Effective Date: July 14, 2025

​​Applies To: All members, including Founding and Informed Members, and their designated representatives.

1. Purpose

Canopy Funders is a community of corporate climate, environmental, sustainability, and energy transition funders committed to shared learning, transparency, and collective leadership. This Code of Conduct ensures a safe, respectful, and professional environment where all members can collaborate and thrive.

2. Guiding Principles

Members agree to:

• Engage with integrity and respect toward others

• Promote transparency and accountability in all interactions

• Uphold confidentiality and discretion as defined herein and in the Terms & Conditions

• Collaborate in good faith, without self-promotion or solicitation

• Foster an inclusive, equitable, and anti-discriminatory culture

• Contribute constructively to collective learning and knowledge-sharing

• Be supportive of different approaches to achieving change and of different areas of funding interest

• Not use Canopy Funder membership for the purposes of grant-seeking or promoting business products and/or services.

3. Participation Standards

Members shall actively participate in Canopy programming, including:

• Attending a minimum of three virtual meetings and the annual convening (for Founding Members); attending the annual convening (for Informed Members)

• Contributing meaningfully to discussions, co-created tools, and knowledge sharing

• Supporting group goals, including the development of the Canopy Map, Best Practice Repository, and In-Kind Exchange

• Collaborating in good faith without competitive posturing

4. Chatham House Rule

Unless otherwise agreed, all convenings (virtual or in-person), shared discussions, and platform interactions are governed by the Chatham House Rule: "Participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed."

This rule fosters open and candid dialogue and is to be honored at all times.

5. Digital Engagement and Community Behavior

Members shall:

• Respond to communications from Canopy Funders staff in a timely manner

• Use the digital platform to share resources and build connections

• Uphold respectful dialogue in all community channels

6. Ambassadorship

Members are encouraged to:

• Support community growth by introducing new potential members

• Position Canopy Funders as a trusted network for corporate climate funders

7. Conflict of Interest

Members shall disclose any real or perceived conflicts of interest that may arise in the course of membership activities.

8. Respectful Conduct

All members must refrain from:

• Discriminatory, harassing, or abusive behavior

• Misrepresentation of identity or authority

• Unauthorized solicitation of members or their grantees

9. Privacy

Members share personal information about themselves, their funding, and their views with the Canopy Funders network, understanding that this information will not be used for purposes beyond furthering climate philanthropy among funders. All members must respect individual privacy by maintaining the confidentiality of members’ personal details, funding, and views.

10. Public Representation

Canopy Funder membership holds diverse opinions on what constitutes effective climate & environmental funding and on environmental matters more generally. To adequately represent these broad views, public comment on behalf of Canopy Funders is made only by the Canopy Funders CEO, senior staff, or those expressly authorized by Canopy Funders’ CEO to speak on a particular matter. We ask that you do not speak on behalf of Canopy Funders in public forums or to the media unless the Canopy Funders CEO has specifically asked that you do so or has otherwise approved the material you intend to present.

11. Approach to Repair

Canopy Funders is committed to fostering a community grounded in accountability and repair. When a breach of the Code of Conduct occurs, our preferred approach is rooted in restorative justice. This means that, where appropriate, we aim to:

• Center the voices and needs of those affected

• Facilitate conversations between involved parties (when safe and consented to)

• Identify the harm caused and how it can be repaired

• Develop mutually agreed-upon actions to rebuild trust and restore group cohesion

Restorative responses may include education, coaching, facilitated dialogue, or other reparative actions. Formal disciplinary measures, such as suspension or removal, remain available when necessary to protect the community, especially in cases of repeated or serious violations. All processes will be guided by Canopy’s leadership in consultation with any designated advisory members.

Code of Conduct Development Process

The Member Code of Conduct (Code) has been developed and approved by the Canopy Funders CEO.

This Code is available on the Canopy Funders website and shared with all members through the annual membership renewal and new member application processes. Canopy Funders will not evaluate the day-to-day operations or activities of its members. However, Canopy Funders reserves the right to refuse or cancel membership of any entity engaged in efforts that undermine the mandate and values of Canopy Funders.

We hope that this Code provides members with clear guidance and standards of behaviour when engaging with the Canopy Funders network to foster an open, honest, trusted, and welcoming network. 

If at any time you have questions about what is appropriate under the Member Code of Conduct, please do not hesitate to seek guidance from senior Canopy Funders staff.