The WWF is run at a local level by the following offices...

Zimbabwe

WORKING WITH PARTNERS

In line with the “Together Possible” motto, WWF strives to work in unity with the government, private sector, businesses and communities to achieve lasting conservation solutions. We will continue to work closely with multiple entities to ensure effective delivery of the ambitious programme outcomes that are only made possible through partnerships.

JURISDICTIONAL CERTIFICATION STEERING COMMITTEE

Building on landscape approaches, a jurisdictional approach can be taken across the whole of Sabah State, building a shared vision amongst stakeholders for common sustainability goals, including government, private sector, civil society and local communities, and put in place strategies, policies and measures to achieve them. To implement this approach, it is proposed that a jurisdictional entity be established, with a multi-stakeholder Board called the Jurisdictional Certification Steering Committee (JCSC). The JCSC has representatives from government, business and civil society to lead a process that would achieve 100% RSPO certification for palm oil production in Sabah by 2025.

WHY WE WORK WITH BUSINESSES

While many businesses rely on natural resources and their operations can have a major effect on the environment, they also have a crucial role to play in supporting conservation efforts and being part of the solution.

It is with this in mind, WWF is partnering with Unilever, a global consumer goods company, to eliminate deforestation from the palm oil supply chain. The partnership with Unilever began in December 2018 aims to support the sustainable production of palm oil, and improve the connectivity between isolated forest blocks in Tawau and Lower Sugut landscapes. WWF is able to work with partners on the ground to replant ecological corridors in these landscapes with funding from Unilever, which will restore forest habitats and enhance connectivity between fragmented forest blocks. These physical connections are necessary in order to enable plants and wildlife to disperse, to reduce inbreeding and adapt better to the impacts of climate change.

WWF’s newest partnership with Beiersdorf and Evonik focuses on conservation works in the Tabin landscape. Adhering to the three pillars of SLP: protect, produce and restore, this collaborative effort supports integrated land-use planning for Tabin for its forest protection and certification of RSPO/NDPE palm oil at landscape level. At the same time, its efforts also include wildlife protection and establishing ecological corridors to allow for wildlife migration and habitat connectivity.

OUR CORE PRINCIPLES

WWF's approach to engaging with the private sector is constructive and solutions-oriented, with our core guiding principles for corporate engagement are transparency, measurable results and mutual right to disagree.

Restoration for landscape connectivity

We also work with several key partners to enhance landscape connectivity through agricultural land by restoring ecological corridors and also key orangutan habitats within Lower Sugut and Tawau landscapes. In Tawau landscape, Sabah Softwoods Bhd (SSB) has established a multi-species wildlife corridor with the aim of reducing human-elephant conflict and promote dispersal among habitat patches. The wildlife corridor is 1,076 hectares and approximately 14 kilometres in length, connecting two large forested landscape namely Ulu Kalumpang and Mt Louisa forest reserves. In Lower Sugut and Tabin landscapes, restoration corridors are also being identified, and replanting schemes developed, and in the Kinabatangan landscape, Borneo Rhino Alliance (BORA) is working on planting food sources for orangutans in oil palm plantation areas and restoring orangutans habitats.

Collaboration with Government

WWF will also continue its longstanding partnership with governmental agencies such as Sabah Forestry Department, Sabah Wildlife Department, Sabah Foundation (Yayasan Sabah), Environmental Protection Department as well as the various District Offices throughout the state to make local assessments of a range of interventions to ensure the ongoing conservation and protection of Sabah’s biodiversity and key resources for the benefit of both nature and its people.

Working with Communities

Communities living within the targeted landscapes are one of WWF’s biggest stakeholders. They are often marginalised by conventional conservation approaches. On the other hand, a landscape approach has considerable potential to meet social and environmental objectives from the ground up while also contributing to state and national environmental commitments. WWF will seek to engage with communities in the identified landscapes to not only share its proposed intervention measures there but to also receive input and feedback from those on the ground. Any grievances can be channeled through contactslp@wwf.org.my

For more on our commitment to transparency and our social policies, click here.