On 24 October, the Centro Português de Fundações (Portuguese Foundations Centre) hosted a landmark event: the Climate Pact of Foundations and SDG Convention. The gathering brought together representatives from dozens of foundations across Portugal with one shared purpose: to strengthen the sector’s collective commitment to sustainability and the urgent fight against climate change. The event highlighted the decisive role foundations can play in addressing one of the most pressing challenges of our time.
A key moment of the day was the public presentation of the new Climate Pact of Portuguese Foundations, which already counts 41 signatory organisations – among them Fundação LIGA, a valued member of COFACE Families Europe. By joining the Pact, these foundations have formally committed to integrating and reinforcing environmental sustainability across their strategies, programmes, and daily operations. The presence of the Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, added further political weight to the initiative, signalling the importance of coordinated efforts to confront the climate crisis.
Importantly, many of the foundations that have signed the Pact do not have an exclusive environmental mandate. Their engagement demonstrates that the climate crisis is not just an issue for environmental organisations, but a cross-cutting challenge that touches all sectors. Foundations working in education, health, social welfare, culture, and beyond are increasingly recognising that sustainability must be embedded in every aspect of societal action.
