UNEP-WCMC General Data License

Access to UNEP-WCMC datasets is provided on the understanding that you read and consent to be bound by the Terms and Conditions. Please check these carefully as these may vary between datasets. The general Terms and Conditions are set out in the UNEP-WCMC General Data License.

WDPA Data License

Access to datasets made available through Protected Planet, including the World Database on Protected Areas, is provided on the understanding that you read and consent to the WDPA Data License.

Take-down Policy

UNEP-WCMC operates a ‘take-down’ policy. If we are notified of a potential breach of copyright we will remove the relevant material as quickly as possible pending further investigation. Where the grounds for complaint are considered to be valid, the complete document or dataset or relevant portion will be permanently withdrawn. See our full take-down policy here.

Data Policy

Our success hinges on our reputation for reliability and the degree of trust that our partners have in us. As the bedrock for building this trust, we make a commitment that our collaborative arrangements will be transparent, fair and equitable. We do not assert any intellectual property rights in the data made available to us by partners. Instead, we will take stringent measures to to put in place the correct and necessary permissions and appropriate conditions for the use of these datasets by third parties. Find our full data management policy here.

Safeguarding, Whistleblowing and Research Ethics

WCMC attaches great importance to addressing safeguarding and ethical considerations in all activities carried out by its staff, including where partner organisations or individuals are part of the delivery of our work. This includes children and vulnerable adults in the community who may be vulnerable to abuse. WCMC act with integrity, are transparent and expect applicants to share the same values.

Our Safeguarding policy and the UNEP-WCMC Code of Practice on ethical standards in research apply to all of those associated with WCMC, including staff, interns, fellows, advisors, trustees, volunteers and students. See also our Whistleblowing policy.

If you wish to raise a concern related to our staff or partners, please e-mail our Chief Executive Officer in confidence to safeguarding@unep-wcmc.org.

Equality and Diversity Policy 

The purpose of this policy is to outline and implement WCMC’s commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion within the organisation, eliminate the potential for unlawful discrimination, and take a positive and supportive approach to inclusion.

WCMC believes that everyone deserves to be treated equally, fairly and with dignity, whatever their gender, race, age, disability, religion or sexual orientation.  We fully recognise that inequalities of power and privilege in society, including workplaces, mean that some people are able to take advantage of these circumstances to a greater extent than others. WCMC’s aim is to create a supportive and inclusive working environment in which all individuals are able to make best use of their skills, free from discrimination and/or harassment. Every employee is entitled to a working environment that promotes dignity, equality and respect for all. 

WCMC believes that celebrating and fostering diversity has benefits for individual staff, for teams and for the organisation as a whole, including our ability to generate quality outputs, outcomes and impact. Our aim is to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people whilst developing a gender balanced team which is truly representative of different cultures, perspectives and experiences from all sections of society.