World Animal Protection Governance

We move the world to protect animals

We are local

Working on the ground with local partners for greatest effect, we are active in more than 50 countries.

We are global

We have consultative status at the Council of Europe and collaborate with national governments, the United Nations, the Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Organisation for Animal Health – influencers with the power to improve the lives of millions of animals.

Location and structure

Our International office is in London. We are registered as a charity and a company in the UK and work with affiliated World Animal Protection offices around the world. Our offices are linked through collaboration agreements that ensure we work in a unified and consistent way, supporting a strategy developed by staff worldwide.

We are governed by a Board of up to 13 trustees from a wide variety of backgrounds. The Board has statutory duties under the UK Companies Act 2006 and the Charities Act 2011 for the general management and control of World Animal Protection. With the exception of certain powers, which it reserves for itself, the Board delegates the day-to-day management of World Animal Protection to the Chief Executive Officer.

Our International Board

World Animal Protection’s current Board members are:

Joanna Kerr – Chair of the International Board
Sarah Ireland – Deputy Chair of the International Board
Berangere Michel
Christine Lloyd
Derval Usher
Franc Cortada
Fung Ka Keung
Jamie Craig
Mwikali Muthiani
Sandra Bereti
Sol Oyuela Jefferies
Svetlana Ignatieva
Tigere Chatugah

The work of our Board is supported by the following committees

Audit and Finance Committee

The Audit and Finance Committee oversees all financial aspects of our work on behalf of the Board. This includes:

  • to oversee, with delegated authority on behalf of the Board, all financial aspects of the charity, and report back to the Board as appropriate,
  • to guide, advise and make recommendations to the Board regarding the approval of budgets, accounts and financial statements and relevant financial policies,
  • to advise the Board on the financial implications of the organisation’s strategic plans and its on-going financial viability,
  • to review the performance of charity investments,
  • oversee the processes related to risk management and internal control and,
  • to oversee the internal and external audit processes.

The Audit and Finance Committee membership is as follows:

Berangere Michel – Chair of the Committee
Jamie Craig
Sol Oyuela Jefferies
Svetlana Ignatieva 

Standing Committee

The standing committee discharges the functions of the Board between regular Board meetings. Its membership consists of each of the chairs of the Board Committees and the Board chair.

Mission Committee

The Mission Committee ensures that mission delivery (the combined programme, campaign, communication, fundraising and engagement work) is central to everything World Animal Protection does. This includes:

  • ensuring our mission is being delivered in an integrated way, in support of our global strategy (consisting of wildlife, food systems and growth),
  • maintaining strategic oversight of all mission delivery work, including current and future geographical priorities,
  • maintaining strategic oversight of organisational performance and impact as it relates to mission delivery and,
  • providing assurance to the Board that the development and delivery of mission related strategies and plans meet the aims of the organisation’s strategy, are delivered in an integrated way and within the agreed risk appetite set by the Board. 

The Mission Committee membership is as follows:

Sarah Ireland – Chair of the Committee
Christine Lloyd
Franc Cortada
Tigere Chatugah

People and Culture Committee

The People and Culture maintains oversight of World Animal Protection’s policies on HR, reward and pay to ensure they are consistent with the needs of the organisation, current legislation, best practice, and the requirement of the Board. This includes:

  • reviewing the CEO’s performance, remuneration and appraisal process,
  • maintaining oversight of the organisation’s development, culture and people performance,
  • providing assurance to the Board that ensuring the People Strategy is driven by and contributes to the achievement of the organisational mission and strategy and,
  • maintaining oversight of high-level people related risks and mitigations.

The People and Culture Committee membership is as follows:

Christine Lloyd – Chair of the Committee
Fung Ka Keung
Mwikali Muthiani
Sandra Bereti

Nominations and Governance Committee

The Nominations and Governance Committee oversees the governance arrangements in place across the global organisation and oversees Board succession planning, trustee recruitment and Board performance. This includes:

  • reviewing the arrangements in place related to trustee recruitment, appointment and appraisal,
  • identifying and nominating members of Board committees,
  • overseeing all Board effectiveness sessions, ensuring adequate time is dedicated to developing the overall effectiveness of the Board,
  • considering the compliance and assurance map and framework and,
  • providing assurance to the Board that World Animal Protection’s governance frameworks and decision-making processes are in accordance with all legal and regulatory requirements, best practice and organisational need.

The Nominations and Governance Committee membership is as follows:

Sandra Bereti – Chair of the Committee
Berangere Michel
Franc Cortada

Become a World Animal Protection trustee

We welcome applications from people interested in becoming Trustees on our international and national boards. For more information and current vacancies, please email kayleydarby-philpotts@worldanimalprotection.org.

Global organisational policies

To help us work better together, we have a Global Policy Framework. This is a set of policies that express our shared values and principles. Implemented locally by our country offices, these policies bind us together but still enable our offices to reflect their own legal, political, economic, social and cultural situations. These global policies are also incorporated into our contracts with suppliers and consultants.

Read our global policies

Modern Slavery Statement

This statement is made pursuant to section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. It constitutes World Animal Protection’s slavery and human trafficking statement in respect of the network of World Animal Protection offices.

Read the current statement here

Accounts and annual reports

Read our annual reports to learn how donations from our supporters impact the lives of animals throughout the world.

Until June 2014, World Animal Protection was known as WSPA (World Society for the Protection of Animals). Annual reports for 2012 and before relate to WSPA. Find out why we changed our name.

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