Integrity Beyond Reproach

At ZWCF, we operate with Integrity Beyond Reproach in all of our activities. We will meet the highest ethical and professional standards in all of our organizational endeavors and, in doing so, we hold ourselves accountable to our mission and to the public.  We commit to:

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• Operate and communicate with honesty and transparency at all times

• Hold ourselves accountable to our mission, our teams, our donors, members and partners, and to the many communities we serve

• Earn trust by engaging thoughtfully with peers and partners, building relationships, being competent, and following through on all of our commitments

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Respect and Compassion for People, Communities and Cultures

Enduring conservation success depends on the active involvement of people and partners whose lives and livelihoods are linked to the natural systems we seek to conserve. We respect the needs, values and traditions of local communities and cultures, and we forge relationships based on mutual benefit and trust.

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• Demonstrate respect by committing to local on the ground involvement with people, communities and cultures, and with awareness and sensitivity to their economic realities

• Treat our partners and colleagues with fairness and honesty

• Work collaboratively with all sectors of society, including indigenous people, to develop practical conservation solutions.

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Transparency & Accountability

Our decision-making processes must be transparent and accountable, and our decisions and results communicated with maximum transparency both internally and to our partners.  We attach great importance to presenting our strategy, our project work and our financial situation transparently and comprehensively to all of our stakeholders and hold ourselves and our local sponsor partners accountable for the use of our donor funds and to our mission. The credibility of our organization is a valuable asset that no one within our organization is allowed to jeopardize.

 

Honesty, Open-mindedness, Generosity & Fairness

We believe deeply that collective and collaborative efforts are the essential ingredients to conservation success. Successful collaboration is based on honesty, open-mindedness, generosity and fairness amongst all the stakeholders we work with as well as an important part of how we interact with those that support us.  We will practice these values as we:

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• Work across all of our operations to implement and support the right strategies, at the right scales, and at the right places always with the greater good of our mission in mind

• Act with continuity of purpose in everything we do, from the focus of our conservation efforts to the allocation of our resources

• Celebrate individual, team and project success as the success of all who work together on our mission

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Long Term Commitment & Science-Based

Decisions regarding the best strategic approach for our projects are made exclusively on the basis of the most important conservation needs and time-tested scientific data and findings.  None of our projects are geared towards any quick fixes.  We owe this long-term approach to our supporters, our long-standing private donors, and our various stakeholders and project partners.  We use the best available science, a creative spirit, and an environmentally sensitive approach to craft innovative solutions to complex conservation problems at scales that matter and in ways that will endure.

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Our Code of Conduct:

These values shape who we are as an organization and how we conduct ourselves as individuals. They inspire us to do the right thing and to do right by one another. Our values are the foundation for our Code of Conduct.

 

The ZWCF Code of Conduct provides the principles and expectations to guide our staff, Board members, Trustees/Advisors, volunteers, local sponsor partners, and third parties in the course of their work with ZWCF. One of those expectations is that ZWCF staff and others acting on our behalf will comply with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations in where ZWCF operates. Where ZWCF’s Code or policies are more protective than the laws and customs in certain countries, TNC staff and others acting on our behalf will be held to the higher standards set forth in our Code.  Our Code is also an interactive field guide for our staff that provides access to additional resources to help them make sound ethical and legal decisions. Staff and others who violate our Code will face consequences.