FairWild Week 2019 plants the seeds of change
Another year, another shout-out for wild plants and their collectors! #FairWildWeek 2019 has drawn to a close following a packed week of stories, celebrations, and actions around why the world should care about wild plants.
Participating companies and organisations including TRAFFIC, IUCN, WWF, Pukka Herbs, Traditional Medicinals, the American Botanical Council, Neal’s Yard Remedies, Chantecaille, Dr Jacksons, International Flavours and Fragrances, United Plant Savers, and Organic Herb Trading, shared reasons why the issue of wild plants in trade should be one at the forefront of our minds.
Surprise and wonder at the extent to which millions of us rely on wild plant ingredients is a standard reaction from people during FairWild Week. Because, despite their prevalence in our lives, there is still a long way to go before the issue of wild plant ingredients in trade receives the attention it deserves.
The #IFoundWild hashtag worked to remedy this, encouraging consumers to be curious about potential wild plants in the products they buy.
As identifying them can be challenging, our web page helps everyday members of the public take a few steps towards being aware of the wild in their shop. Cosmetics, wellbeing, and health products in particular are good places to start when embarking on a wild-plant-identification journey, with 12 key species – the “wild dozen” identified by our partner, TRAFFIC – a good set to look out for.
Clearly this is a motivating factor for consumers, as the landing page received one of the highest proportions of website visits during the week.
It is this kind of information that can serve as the starting point from which consumers, millions of whose consumption choices are already motivated by existing ethical, environmental, and sustainability standards, can make sustainable purchases around products with wild plant ingredients.
Our newly-redeveloped FairWild website is another vehicle to help drive market transformation. The new site gives added prominence to the FairWild “matchmaking” project, which is working to connect buyers and producers of FairWild-certified ingredients to help grow the volumes of sustainable wild plant ingredients in trade.
By expanding the visibility of available FairWild ingredients, and ensuring potential participants fully understand the benefits to the longevity and sustainability of their supply chains, alongside their corporate social responsibility commitments, the FairWild project can continue to grow, protecting more wild plants, more wild landscapes, and more wild collectors.
“This year’s FairWild Week has been more ambitious, more collaborative, and more exciting than any before it. As it wraps up until 2020, we’re buoyed by the enthusiasm so many people have shown in committing to sustainability for wild plants. It gives us hope, and continued passion, for the future of the planet we all share.”
Bryony Morgan, Executive Officer, FairWild Foundation Secretariat
We would like to thank everyone who participated in #FairWildWeek 2019, and our financial supporters including Friends of FairWild. Please contact us if you’d like to make a donation to support our work, and to get in touch to start planning for next year!