Your Lever
For Change
About
About Lever
The ancient mathematician Archimedes once stated, “Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it and I shall move the world.” Our goal is to be your Lever to help you move the world toward a more sustainable food supply chain.
Lever Foundation is a U.S. 501(c)3 tax-exempt public charity. Our team is based primarily in Asia, with staff on the ground in Greater China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, Korea, Malaysia and Singapore, and additional staff in Europe and the Americas. We think like a business, and our bottom line is creating the greatest amount of positive change possible with each dollar spent.
How Lever Thinks
We are global
We do work where it’s most needed and hire staff where it’s most cost-effective. We believe sustainable food production matters just as much in Asia as in the west.
We follow the data
We believe it’s our responsibility to achieve the greatest impact per dollar spent. We track metrics closely and work only on the most cost-effective programs.
We do new things
We think outside the standard NGO toolbox and develop new programs, entities, and instruments when useful for achieving our mission.
We value results
We believe a results-focused work culture is critical. We hire for and strive to be hard-working, intellectually rigorous, candid, kind and psychologically healthy.
Impact
Lever’s Impact in Asia and Beyond
Key results Lever Foundation has achieved include the following:
82 mn
kg C02-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions prevented each year from corporate policy successes (estimated)
29 mn
meals shifted to plant-based each each year from corporate policy successes (estimated)
31 mn
animals moved out of the most harmful industrial farming systems each year from food corporate policy and producer successes (estimated)
205
food companies and producers set significantly stronger food sustainability policies
86 mn
square meters of land preserved each year from corporate policy successes (estimated)
115 mn
grams of saturated fat, and 2.2 billion milligrams of cholesterol, removed from consumers’ diets from corporate policy successes (estimated)
18
plant-based foods and alternative protein startups launched or provided critical early financial support
400 mn
consumer views being generated annually of content on why and how to eat more plant-based foods
Team
Team Spotlight
Meet Lily
Region: Greater China
Lily oversees staffers working with food companies in Greater China and East Asia to upgrade their animal protein supply chain. Prior to working with Lever Foundation Lily worked with Vision China carrying out rural development programs in mainland China, and with the philanthropy arm of investment company FSSA Managers on its APAC grant-making program. She is a graduate of the University of Hong Kong.
Meet Vilosha
Region: Malaysia and Singapore
Vilosha oversees Lever’s corporate policy work with companies in Malaysia and Singapore. Prior to working with Lever Foundation Vilosha worked in the Corporate Finance and Financial Reporting Divisions at Sime Darby and Maybank, and with the Investor Relations team of KLCC Property and PETRONAS, where she oversaw investor relationships and sustainability strategy. She holds an MBA from the University of Malaya.
Meet Robyn
Region: The Philippines
Robyn oversees Lever’s corporate engagement with food companies and farmers in the Philippines to upgrade their animal protein sourcing and production methods. Prior to working with Lever Foundation Robyn worked with telecommunications company PLDT, where she ran digital campaigns, and with PhilJets and United Airlines on corporate sales and social responsibility. She holds a degree in Entrepreneurship from the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila (University of the City of Manila).
Meet Segyo
Region: South Korea
Segyo oversees Lever’s corporate engagement with food companies in South Korea. Prior to working with Lever Foundation Segyo worked with the Korea Social Investment Foundation, where she ran ESG startup programs, and with Asiance, where she provided digital marketing consulting to major corporations. She holds a Master’s degree in Design for Social impact from Paris College of Art.
Meet Purita
Region: Thailand
Purita leads Lever’s corporate engagement with leading food companies and farmers in Thailand, helping them upgrade their animal protein sourcing methods and adopt ethical practices such as cage-free eggs. Before joining Lever Foundation, Purita worked with Singapore-based non-profit organization AFIC, promoting science-based food safety and nutrition across Southeast Asia. She also held corporate and strategic communications roles at a leading tech firm and global retailer Tesco Lotus.
Meet Widya
Region: Indonesia
Widya manages Lever’s corporate engagement with food companies in Indonesia to advance their animal protein sourcing strategies. Prior to joining Lever Foundation, she worked with health-focused companies Nutrifood and MOOIMOM, both committed to ESG principles. She holds a Master’s degree in Public Health (Nutrition) from the University of Indonesia.
The Lever Team
Financials
Reporting
For Lever’s prior-year financial summaries, see the charts at right. To view the Foundation’s latest Annual Report (released mid-year) please see below.
Expenses
(USD, current burn rate)
Program Service Expenses (includes Charitable Grants): 2.17M
Management and General Expenses: 0.01M
Fundraising Expenses: 0.01M
Funding sources
(prior year)
Public Charitable Foundations/DAFs: 96.8%
Individual direct donors: 2.6%
Private Foundations and Corporates: 0.6%
Contact
Get in touch
We are here to be your Lever to help you move the world toward a more sustainable food supply chain. Contact us anytime.
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critical work
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