UEBT defines practices that respect people and biodiversity in the way ingredients from biodiversity are grown, collected, researched, processed and commercialised. The UEBT standard is used to independently check that these practices are systemically applied.

Watch a 90 second video on the UEBT standard

The UEBT standard covers these important issues:

• Biodiversity conservation and restoration

• Cultivation and wild collection practices for sustainable use of biodiversity

• Human and workers’ rights

• Community well being and local development

Companies and other organisations use the standard to promote good practices in their operations and along their supply chains – all the way to the cultivation or wild collection sites.

• The UEBT standard builds on the BioTrade Principles and Criteria as developed by the UNCTAD BioTrade Initiative.

• It was revised in 2020 after a comprehensive consultation with a wide range of company, community and civil society stakeholders.

Guidance available on UEBT standard’s requirements

We have developed guidance for companies and other stakeholders on requirements in the UEBT standard. Each factsheet zooms into the criteria and gives tips and examples for what companies might encounter and how to overcome common challenges.

• biodiversity conservation

• regeneration of wild collected species

• sustainable use of cultivated species

• soil and water conditions

• minimizing the use of agrochemicals

• traceability

• traceability in complex supply chains

• child rights

• minimum and living wage

• references to available living wage and living income benchmarks

• fair prices and sourcing arrangements

• workers’ rights and freedom of association

• clarity about land tenure and access to natural resources

Resources

UEBT is ISEAL Code Compliant. Our system has been independently evaluated against ISEAL’s Codes of Good Practice. More information at isealalliance.org.