Sam Lawson

Earthsight

Earthsight is a non-profit organisation committed to harnessing the power of primary investigative research and reporting to bring attention to pressing issues of human rights and environmental justice. We aim to get to the core of an issue, using a range of investigative research methods to obtain first-hand, documented evidence of crimes against both people and the planet which is irrefutable and impossible to ignore. By following the money and tracing supply chains, our research also aims to expose the complicity of consumers and financiers in abetting these abuses. Since its foundation in 2007, Earthsight has tackled a wide range of issues, from electronic waste smuggling to conflict timber, and from sweatshops to the ivory trade. The results of Earthsight's research, identifying abuses and tracking the associated products to their end markets, have received high-profile attention in the media and among policy-makers, and have led to changes in the policies of governments, corporations and financial institutions. For the first ten years of its existence, Earthsight operated mainly behind the scenes. Our research lay behind many major exposés by human rights and environment organisations. It also contributed to reports carried on flagship investigative TV documentary series. Since 2016, we have come out from the shadows, choosing our own stories and publishing them in our own name. ​