For People   

Our report on botanicals in 2022 showed that unfair pay is still a significant challenge in botanicals supply chains.  UEBT Board member Shamiso Mungwashu, an expert on the wild collection of indigenous plant species for use in beauty, food and other sectors, spoke in Grasse, France at the UEBT Conference about the realities of dire poverty in sourcing communities, from informal piece work, and what 'minimum' wage really is like for a family, to how the drive to feed one's family puts pressure on our forests and the biodiversity we rely on. She implored her colleagues sourcing these ingredients to talk with their company suppliers at source, and with communities, to find out what they are paid, and to have the conversations to find out the situation in the production areas with regards to livelihoods. This 'soul to soul' talk was, to many, the most eye-opening part of the conference.