Who we are
UEBT is an international non-profit that promotes sourcing with respect for people and biodiversity in the following sectors:
beauty and personal care
herbs & spices
botanical beverages
natural flavours
natural pharma
Our vision
A world in which all people and biodiversity thrive.
This vision supports the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the UN Global Biodiversity Framework.
Our mission
We work to regenerate nature and secure a better future for people through ethical sourcing of ingredients from biodiversity.
Sourcing with respect
The global UEBT standard, which sets practices on how companies source botanical ingredients with respect for people and biodiversity, is the basis for all of our work. The standard is multi-stakeholder developed and internationally recognised. It can be used by companies to manage risks, develop improved policies and practices, assess supply chains, and enhance opportunities for positive impact on people and biodiversity in botanicals sourcing areas.
UEBT’s focus: botanicals
The core of UEBT’s work is the sourcing of botanicals and the impact this has in sourcing areas, including different production systems such as
wild collection
agroforestry
agriculture
UEBT defines botanicals as raw materials derived from components of biodiversity. This includes materials or compounds derived directly or indirectly from plants, animals, fungi or microbial organisms. For example, plant parts (e.g. flowers, leaves, roots, stems, fruits or bark) and plant compounds (e.g. plant-based oils, butters, waxes, extracts, flavours, fragrances, colorants). Plant cells, microorganisms, algae and beeswax would also be covered.
Our history
UEBT was born out of a UN initiative that promoted business engagement in the ethical sourcing of ingredients from biodiversity.
It all began with the Earth Summit. In 1992 in Rio de Janeiro, at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (the “Rio Earth Summit"), the world launched the brand new Convention on Biological Diversity. This groundbreaking agreement, signed in Rio by 150 nations, represented the world’s growing commitment to sustainable development. It was a huge step forward on biodiversity with countries stating their determination “to conserve and sustainably use biological diversity for the benefit of present and future generations.”
A few years later, in 1996, the UN Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) launched a BioTrade Initiative. Its focus was to support the Convention’s objectives through international trade and investment. UEBT was born a few years later as a business-focused biodiversity initiative inside UNCTAD.
In 2008, UEBT transitioned out of the UN system, and established itself as an independent nonprofit. Today, UEBT is an international association registered in Switzerland with headquarters in the Netherlands. We maintain a strong partnership with the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and continue to have biodiversity and business at the core of our mission.