1 October 2026: A new scheme will see conservation efforts bolstered by independent scrutiny, following a partnership between The Royal Foundation’s United for Wildlife, and the British Standards Institution (BSI) aimed at strengthening global efforts to combat the illegal wildlife trade (IWT).
The illegal wildlife trade is commonly ranked as the fourth-largest illicit global trade, sitting just behind drug trafficking, arms smuggling and human trafficking, wrecking economies, ecosystems and livelihoods.
United for Wildlife is partnering with BSI to strengthen the programme's accountability framework and build confidence among stakeholders, signatories and the wider public that companies and organizations are meeting their commitments as part of the Buckingham Palace and Mansion House Declarations.
The partnership will see the development of a globally recognized, independently verifiable maturity assessment framework that will enable more than 300 transport and financial sector members to demonstrate meaningful and measurable progress.
Introducing independent verification acknowledges that addressing one of the world's most complex environmental crimes requires more than commitment alone. It requires trusted frameworks, transparent measurement and credible evidence of action.
The maturity assessment will provide signatories with a structured approach to demonstrate progress, strengthen governance, and transparently communicate how they are identifying and mitigating wildlife trafficking risks within their operations and value chains.
Susan Taylor Martin, Chief Executive, BSI said: "Environmental crime is a major issue for the global economy, and as technology advances it is only becoming more complex. Tackling it requires a wide range of stakeholders to play a part. We are honoured to partner with The Royal Foundation's United for Wildlife to help strengthen trust, transparency and accountability across this important global initiative.
“This partnership reflects BSI’s belief that meaningful progress is achieved when organizations can consistently demonstrate action, measure outcomes, and build confidence among their stakeholders. Together, we aim to provide a credible framework that helps organizations translate commitment into measurable impact in the fight against illegal wildlife trade."
Dr. Tom Clements, Executive Director, The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales said: “Wildlife trafficking relies on the same systems as everything else: the ships and planes that move goods, the banks and crypto platforms that move money, and the tech companies whose platforms are used to trade and sell illegal wildlife goods. United for Wildlife’s Taskforces exist to shut these routes down to criminals. Partnering with BSI means Taskforce members will now have a standard and recognised way to measure their impact over time.”
A joint working group is now developing the framework with pilot assessments expected to commence in 2027.
Standards have always been at the heart of how industries build trust, improve performance, and address shared challenges. Building on that foundation, BSI helps organizations, industry bodies, and government departments translate standards into action through governance, assurance, innovation, benchmarking, and program management. By bringing industry stakeholders together around common goals, we help to design and co-create trusted frameworks and collaborative initiatives that drive greater adoption, continual improvement, and measurable impact.
