THE WHAT? TRAFFIC and conservation consultancy Biodiversify have launched the Wild Harvest Improvement Project (WHIP) Framework to help businesses and local communities improve the sustainability of wild-harvested plant ingredient supply chains.
THE DETAILS Developed with the Global Diversity Foundation, MBLA and FairWild and funded through the UK Government’s Darwin Initiative, WHIP provides a step-by-step pathway towards full sustainability certification. The framework has already been piloted with argan kernels in Morocco and liquorice roots in Uzbekistan and is designed to bring harvesters, businesses, governments and NGOs together to address issues including biodiversity loss, working conditions and equitable trade. TRAFFIC is also encouraging companies to use its WildCheck platform to identify wild-harvested ingredients and associated biodiversity risks within their supply chains.
THE WHY? The initiative provides cosmetics and personal care companies sourcing ingredients such as argan, liquorice and frankincense with a practical route to improve traceability, biodiversity protection and long-term supply security, as businesses face growing pressure to address biodiversity loss ahead of global 2030 targets.
Source: TRAFFIC
