Introducing FairWild Microenterprise Audits

FairWild exists to make the trade in wild-harvested plants fair, traceable, and sustainable — for nature, for people, and business. But until now, our certification process, which requires regular onsite visits by authorised certification bodies, could unintentionally leave out some of the smallest yet most committed stewards of wild landscapes: microenterprises.

These small-scale wild-harvesting businesses often work with only a handful of people, manage modest collection areas, and operate on lean budgets. They play an essential role in biodiversity conservation and cultural preservation, but for them, the cost and complexity of a full onsite audit could be a barrier to entry.

Our new Microenterprise Audit service changes that.

What is a FAIRWILD Microenterprise Audit?

FairWild Microenterprise Audits are a streamlined, remote-audit process designed for small wild-harvest operations producing lower volumes of material and managing smaller land areas.

While the same rigorous FairWild Standard applies, the process is adapted to the realities of small-scale businesses:

• Remote audits make the process more affordable without compromising on integrity.

• Tailored management plans focus on the essential questions that reveal how a business safeguards human rights, biodiversity, and sustainability in its harvest area.

• Equal standards with an adapted approach — microenterprises still meet the same risk assessment and third-party verification requirements as larger operators, but without the prohibitive administrative burden.

Why It Matters

This new pathway fills a critical gap in our certification system. By adapting our audit process, we can:

• Include more diverse harvesters — from individual land stewards to family-run businesses.

• ·Reach new ecoregions and species that might otherwise be excluded from certified supply chains.

• Strengthen local economies by giving small operators access to ethical, traceable markets.

A case study in practice: Morgan Ginseng & WishGarden

One of the first to benefit from the micro-audit approach was Morgan Ginseng, a small, family-run operation in the United States. With just one steward managing a small harvest area, traditional audits would have been disproportionately costly and time-consuming.

When WishGarden Herbs sought to certify their entire wild supply chain, they worked with FairWild to pilot the Microenterprise Audit model. This collaboration made Morgan Ginseng the first microenterprise to achieve FairWild certification for US-grown ingredients. Read the story of this small but pioneering producer.

Now, WishGarden can proudly register products containing these ingredients as FairWild-certified, creating market trust, brand value, and a replicable model for other small-scale operators.

Asher of Harmony Alchemy, another microenterprise working to achieve FairWild certification, setting out Yerba Santa leaves for drying.

We believe that every responsible wild-harvester — no matter the size of their operation — should have a place in the FairWild system. Microenterprise Audits are part of our commitment to a more inclusive, resilient, and diverse network of supply chains that protect biodiversity, respect human rights, and deliver quality, traceable ingredients to the market.

Because in a fair and wild world, everyone has a role to play.

Interested in becoming FairWild-certified as a microenterprise?

Contact our North American Business Representative, Sarah Vito: svito@fairwild.org or business@fairwild.org for any other country.