WWF has been working on nature conservation and regeneration for 60 years, alongside people and communities around the world. For us, healthy ecosystems are deeply linked to peoples' lives, livelihoods and well-being. We believe lasting impact can only be achieved by partnering with communities, including respect for, and promotion of their rights. We recognize our limits as a conservation organization and we are continuously trying to improve the way we work to deliver greater impact. Our social policies and safeguards contribute to this ambition.

While we seek to codify our core commitments in standards, policies and related documentation, we also rely on staff living our values in the way they work day-to-day. These are to work with courage, integrity, respect and collaboration. 

WWF is committed to respecting and promoting internationally proclaimed human rights as contained in the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and other applicable international and regional instruments. We commit to respecting customary rights and additional rights under national law, provided they are not inconsistent with international human rights principles. The implementation of our human rights commitments is guided by seven principles that ensure a human-rights-based approach across our work. Read on to explore the full human rights policy statement.

Read the Human rights statement

WWF’s Environmental and Social Safeguards and Social Policies are extensive and cover many different topics. Below you can find six topics that are frequently searched for.