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Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network

Application


Application Process

Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network (WFEN) is a global community dedicated to the development and marketing of products that conserve threatened wildlife while contributing to the economic vitality of rural communities. This application overview describes the process to qualify for Wildlife Friendly® Certification for producers outside of North America. Applications from ranchers or farms based in North America are kindly requested to complete the North America Pre-Assessment Form.

Please review our Criteria, the Certification FAQs page, and learn how WFEN defines Key Species before beginning your application.

A. Pre-Assessment + Product Submission + Reference + Application Fee

First, an applicant must submit the Wildlife Friendly® Global Products Pre-Assessment Form, Product Submission Form, and Reference Form. The Pre-Assessment Form provides background about producers, their products, and wildlife conservation conditions in their area to understand if the products meet the WFEN Mission and Product Certification Criteria. 

The Reference Form must be completed by someone at a conservation organization (NGO, university, government agency) who is familiar with the program and its conservation context, especially negative impact mitigation, maximum conservation benefit facilitation, and monitoring. The Pre-Assessment, Product Submission, and Reference Forms are available for download at the bottom of this page, or upon request (info@wildlifefriendly.org).

The application process enables WFEN to provide guidance to new producers of wildlife friendly products. The application helps to determine the product’s ability to satisfy WFEN’s Product Certification Criteria and to gauge the market-readiness of the product.

If WFEN’s Certification Committee determines that a product does not meet WFEN’s Mission or Product Certification Criteria, an applicant can act to address concerns identified by the Committee and may resubmit the Pre-Assessment Form at any time.

A non-refundable application fee of US$250 must accompany the Pre-Assessment, Product Submission, and Reference Forms. The Application Fee may be submitted here; please note in your application e-mail the date that payment was submitted.

During the application process, WFEN will work with applicants to determine their annual certification renewal fee amount. Annual fees are based on WFEN’s Sliding Scale.

Certified enterprises are also required to submit mandatory biennial reporting.

Please send completed Pre-Assessment, Product Submission, and Reference Forms to: info@wildlifefriendly.org with the subject “WFEN Global Products Application” in the subject line.

B. Application Review Process

The Certification Committee reviews each application and makes recommendations to WFEN for acceptance of suitable products. Either the Certification Committee or WFEN may request additional information in order to make a determination.

Applicants will be notified of approval or rejection in a timely fashion. Applications are reviewed in the order that they were received. Currently, WFEN’s Certification Committee is meeting on a quarterly basis. Decisions may take three to nine months. Rejected applicants may reapply after one year.

All certified enterprises are evaluated annually and are required to demonstrate continued ability to meet WFEN requirements. Annual renewal fees must be paid to maintain active certification status.

Appeal Process

If an applicant believes a product has been rejected unfairly, he or she can submit an appeal to WFEN’s Board within one month of notice of rejection. Applicants whose appeals are rejected may elect to reapply after one year.