Integrity Beyond Reproach
At The Nature Conservancy, we operate with Integrity Beyond Reproach in all of our activities around the world. 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:
- 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
Respect 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.
- 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.
Commitment to Diversity
We recognize that conservation is best advanced by the leadership and contributions of people of widely diverse backgrounds, experiences and identities. We will recruit and develop staff to create a diverse, inclusive and equitable organization that reflects our global character. We will:
- Leverage our differences to be more effective in achieving our mission
- Respect and learn from our variety of experiences and ways of thinking
- Create a day to day workplace climate that welcomes and encourages each of us, valuing the contributions of all
- Strengthen the diversity of our workforce, trustees, and board.
One Conservancy
Our strength and vitality lies in being one organization working together in local places and across borders to achieve our global mission. We value the collective and collaborative efforts that are so essential to our success. We:
- 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 for TNC
Tangible, Lasting Results
We use the best available science, a creative spirit, and a non-confrontational approach to craft innovative solutions to complex conservation problems at scales that matter and in ways that will endure. We:
- Develop, analyze and use the best available conservation science and a science-based rigor to set priorities, make decisions, take action, and measure results
- Use a creative spirit and original thought in the pursuit of excellence
- Conduct our business in an environmentally sensitive manner
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.
TNC Code of Conduct: People and Nature Thrive When We…
The TNC Code of Conduct provides the principles and expectations to guide staff, Board members, Trustees/Advisors, volunteers, and third-parties in the course of their work for TNC. One of those expectations is that TNC staff and others acting on our behalf will comply with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations in each country, state, or locality where TNC operates. Where TNC’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.
