Membership & The Union
Private and public companies, trade associations, NGOs, community producers or collectors, national biotrade programmes, and any other organisation active in the biotrade arena can apply for membership to the Union. All members need to comply with the minimum requirements, which include maintaining ecosystems and natural habitats, using safe agricultural practices, demonstrating transparency in benefit sharing, conducting ethical business relations and economic sustainability, ensuring respect for human rights and adequate working conditions, and respecting land tenure. Members must also make a strong commitment to achieving compliance with the verification framework.
When applying, a prospective trading member commits to putting the Ethical BioTrade commitments into practice. Once approved by the membership committee, the applicant must undergo an independent third-party audit by a Union-approved organisation within six months. This audit will check whether or not the minimum requirements have been met, and what gaps exist between current practices and Ethical BioTrade Principles and Criteria. After that stage is passed, the applicant submits to the Union a work plan that outlines its intended steps towards compliance with the verification framework. It is granted membership status once the audit report and work plan have been approved. Applying to become an affiliate member is a simpler process, involving only the application form and review by the membership committee.
Types of membership:
Affiliate Members
This type of membership status is available to organisations or individuals that are supportive of the principles of Ethical BioTrade but are not themselves directly involved in trading. Affiliate members need to formally commit to the Principles and Criteria of Ethical BioTrade and indicate how they will implement this commitment before being accepted a member of the Union. They will also be required to submit periodic updates on their activities in support of Ethical BioTrade.
Three subcategories of affiliate membership exist:
- Ethical BioTrade support organisations. Organisations that do not themselves trade but are engaged in the provision of support to Ethical BioTrade. This may include NGOs, certification agencies, financial institutions, international organisations, public sector organisations, consultants and others.
- Trade associations. Trade associations that are not directly involved in the supply chain of BioTrade goods are also invited to join the Union. They are expected to formally commit to the Principles and Criteria of Ethical BioTrade and actively encourage their members to become members of the Union. They should report to the Union on these efforts.
- National BioTrade Programmes. The National BioTrade Programmes initiated by national Governments have a special membership status. National Programmes need to recognise the Union’s Verification Framework as the measure following which members’ work-plans are developed. They should be available to give assistance to other member organisations seeking support for their efforts to achieve compliance with the Ethical BioTrade Principles and Criteria.
Trading Members
This type of membership includes all actors that are directly involved in the supply chain of BioTrade goods and services (e.g. producer/collector organisations, processing companies, traders, manufacturing companies brands). Membership will be granted as soon as the Union has approved the member’s work-plan outlining the measures and timeframe by which the member organisation will complete its critical path to achieve compliance with the verification framework of the Union.
Individual Members
This status is aiming at members of the public such as journalists, academics or other individuals who are working in a BioTrade related field and are impacting public opinion. Individual members will need to formally commit to promote the Principles and Criteria of Ethical BioTrade in the work they carry out in the respective fields. They will receive periodic information and gain access to some of the information that will be available to members only. Individual members do not have voting rights.
