Roots & Shoots was founded by Jane Goodall, DBE in 1991, to bring together youth from preschool to university age to work on environmental, conservation, and humanitarian issues.

[6] Charity Navigator has awarded Roots & Shoots and its parent non-profit organization, the Jane Goodall Institute, its highest four-star rating for accountability and transparency, with 78.1% of its expenses going directly to the programs.

A core principle of the Roots & Shoots model involves utilizing science and technology to assess community needs and identify areas where campaigns or service projects can make a positive impact on people, animals, or the environment.

Roots & Shoots also incorporates technology into its training methods, offering an online course titled "Turning Learners into Leaders: Empowering Youth Through Service Innovation."

There are active Roots & Shoots branches in at least 27 countries, with offices in Abu Dhabi, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, China, Canada, Columbia, Japan, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Italy, Kenya, Puerto Rico, Nepal, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, Tanzania, Uganda, the United Kingdom, and the United States.