About Us
OUR VISION
At CSS, we vision a future where participatory action and integrated knowledge empower climate-vulnerable communities to achieve equitable and localized sustainable development.
OUR MISSION
To partner with rural communities in Low Elevation Coastal Zones, through participatory action research, co-creating and piloting sustainable solutions that strengthen the science-policy-society interface, localize the SDGs, and integrate community priorities into local government development plans, all while fostering a collaborative, low-overhead model centered on local capacity building.
OUR CORE VALUES
Our core values are the bedrock of our commitment to climate-vulnerable communities and the principles that guide every action we take.
Community-Led Solutions: We believe that the most effective and sustainable development arises from the wisdom, priorities, and active participation of the communities themselves. We are committed to fostering genuine co-creation and ensuring that local voices are at the heart of every solution.
Integrity & Transparency: We operate with unwavering honesty, accountability, and openness in all our interactions—with communities, partners, stakeholders, and within our own team. We are committed to clear communication and responsible stewardship of all resources.
Ethical Practice & Do No Harm: Our work is underpinned by a profound respect for human dignity, rights, and the environment. We are committed to ethical considerations in all decisions and actions, rigorously applying the humanitarian principle of "do no harm" to ensure our interventions are safe, appropriate, and minimize any potential negative impacts on individuals, communities, or their environment.
Adaptive Learning & Innovation: Embracing an action research mode, we are committed to continuous learning, rigorous testing, and adaptive approaches. We value curiosity, challenge traditional norms, and are dedicated to pioneering disruptive models that lead to more effective and equitable development.
Interconnectedness: We recognize that global challenges like climate change and sustainable development are deeply interwoven. Our work is rooted in understanding and addressing the complex linkages between environmental, social, and economic factors, advocating for holistic solutions based on the interconnectedness of the SDGs.
Capacity Building & Collaboration: We prioritize empowering individuals and institutions within communities, fostering local ownership and long-term self-reliance. Our model thrives on bringing diverse expertise together, valuing every contribution, and building strong, synergistic partnerships.
What We Do
At CSS, we empower rural communities in Low Elevation Coastal Zones (LECZs), who are disproportionately vulnerable to climate change, to forge sustainable pathways for their development. We focus on enabling these frontline communities to adapt, build resilience, and achieve long-term well-being.
Our core work involves partnering with communities and stakeholders to collaboratively identify, prioritize, and address their most pressing development challenges. We actively contribute to the localization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), translating global targets into tangible, context-specific actions that benefit local populations. A key outcome of our efforts is the inclusion of these community-led solutions and localized SDG priorities directly within local government development plans, ensuring lasting impact and integration into broader policy frameworks. Our approach recognizes the profound interconnectedness of the SDGs, understanding that holistic progress in one area influences all others."
How We Work
Our organization's model is built on deep collaboration, efficiency, and continuous learning. We operate in a distinctive action research mode, an iterative cycle of engaging, exploring, co-creating, and rigorously pilot testing solutions. This ensures our work is evidence-based, adaptive, and directly responsive to community needs.
We champion truly participatory approaches, meaning we don't just 'do for' communities; we co-lead the process with them. We bring together diverse domain experts to collaborate on complex problems, ensuring comprehensive and effective solutions are developed with and by the communities themselves. Crucially, our process is designed to strengthen the science-policy-society interface, bridging the gap between local realities, scientific understanding, and policy formulation.
We pride ourselves on a lean and impactful operational philosophy: we deliberately keep our management and overheads low. Instead of building a large internal bureaucracy, we focus intensely on building the capacity of people directly within the communities we work with. This not only fosters sustainability but also creates genuine, long-term resilience from the ground up. By redefining how non-profits operate, we aspire to set the benchmark for participatory development and drive genuinely disruptive, community-led change