It’s a wild world
UEBT believes it’s a wild world
Why?
70% of the world’s poor are directly dependent on wild species.
In fact, 1 in 5 people rely on wild plants, algae or fungi for food or income.
25,000 plant, algae and fungi species are gathered from the wild.
This represents the largest group of wild species collected by humans; larger than those that are fished or hunted.
Global trade in wild species has expanded significantly in the last several years.
UEBT is a voice for wild because:
The biggest threat to wild species is direct loss of habitat. Weakened ecosystems are threatened by human activities that are changing the climate, polluting land and water, and introducing invasive species.
Pervasive poverty is a significant driver of habitat loss as forests are felled for agricultural expansion, or other land uses.
What companies can do
Juniper berries
1. Source from the wild to give value to standing forests and other intact ecosystems.
3. Respect the regeneration rates of your sourced wild ingredient so it can be there for us in the future.
4. Engage in relationships with local suppliers that are long-term and based on dialogue and trust.
The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES – often described as the ‘IPCC for biodiversity’) issued a groundbreaking report in June 2022 on the sustainable use of wild species that was the result of four years of work by 85 leading experts and holders of indigenous and local knowledge, as well as 200 contributing authors drawing on more than 6,000 sources. As part of this, they outlined some additional things companies can do to support the sustainable use of wild species:
Take actions in supply chains that include the participation of workers and pickers.
Recognize and support local knowledge about wild species.
Not overburden local communities with costs of making improvements or taking actions for biodiversity.
Monitor practices and make improvements.
Use independent verification and certification where available and where markets recognize this.
Take actions, including biodiversity actions, that are developed in the local context.
Support indigenous peoples and local communities, which supports sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity as well as livelihoods and wellbeing.
Work in partnership with local communities or the local organisations that support them, to seek out opportunities to support biodiversity actions taken across the wider landscape or ecosystem, and beyond the individual ingredient being sourced.
About UEBT and Wild
For 15 years, UEBT has been a leader in ethical sourcing of wild ingredients.
The UEBT standard is internationally recognized and developed through a multi-stakeholder consultation process. It has more than 120 requirements applicable to wild collection of botanicals, such as:
Compliance with CITES
Transparent and traceable supply chains
Conservation of the collected species
Sustainable use of wild species
Biodiversity knowledge of surrounding areas
Regeneration rates of the collected species
Interdependencies with species in close proximity
Fair and equitable sharing of benefits
Soil and water conservation and improvement
Climate resilience
Collector livelihoods / Empowerment of communities
Good collection practices that respect people and biodiversity
Fair pay for pickers / Respect of workers’ rights
Gender equality
Contact us to learn more: biodiversity@uebt.org
SOURCE: IPBES Sustainable Use Assessment of Wild Species, 2022
“Companies need to move beyond biodiversity commitments on paper and move biodiversity into the space where it starts demanding the same level of attention that climate does, and with equal urgency.”
Guidance
Guidance on regeneration of wild collected species
Other resources
Have a look at the following: