SILVER SPRING, MD, November 11, 2015 – Today, Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) President, Margaret O’Gorman, unveiled Wildlife Habitat Council Conservation Certification, WHC’s new certification program. She also officially launched the new WHC brand identity and website.

WHC Conservation Certification recognizes meaningful and committed natural resource conservation programs on corporate lands. Programs that meet the established criteria are eligible for recognition through Conservation Certification, which provides a unique third-party, validation that attests to the quality of the conservation programs.

“WHC Conservation Certification sets the standard for corporate conservation,” said O’Gorman. “It provides a clear and consistent path towards high quality projects that bring value to both people and planet. Built around 25 possible habitat, species and education projects encompassed in the newly published Project Guidances, the new standard is designed to be accessible, flexible, credible, and ultimately drive change on corporate lands of all types.”

“There are many aspects of the new standard that appeal,” said WHC Board Chair Kevin Butt, General Manager and Chief Environmental Officer, Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Inc. “At the operational level, the Project Guidances provide a robust resource for project implementation, while the data collection through the online application provides many exciting reporting opportunities at the corporate level.”

The specifics of the standard set out in the Project Guidances, like the conservation objectives and the higher-level action strategies were developed with external stakeholders from government, NGO, education, academia and consulting firms and define the components of a strong project and the conditions that deem a project outstanding through Conservation Certification.

In addition to the launch of Conservation Certification, WHC unveiled its first rebrand in is 26 year history. The new brand serves to more closely align WHC with the innovative companies and organizations it serves. The key components of the new brand identity include a new logo and the new tagline: “Every act of conservation matters.”  Specific features of the logo include:

• The leaf representing nature or habitat. The leaf evolves into a circle and an arrow indicating flow or an ongoing process.
• The circle connects and encapsulates the other features, showing how they are part of a larger, holistic global system.
• The dark blue shape represents the built environment and the people associated with Wildlife Habitat Council programs. It is constructed of building blocks, which also convey process and growth.
• The light blue field under the building represents clean water, an essential component of successful conservation and habitat restoration programs.

“Both the brand and its assets – the logo, the website, the language, the graphics – convey a clear and concise message about Wildlife Habitat Council,” said Monica Keller, Director, Marketing and Communications. “That we help corporations implement conservation and education projects on their lands, we recognize this work through our certification standard, and we communicate the impacts.”

The Conservation Certification online application will go live in early 2016.

About Wildlife Habitat Council

Wildlife Habitat Council promotes and certifies habitat conservation and management on corporate lands through partnerships and education. WHC’s programs take corporate sustainability goals and objectives and translate them into tangible and measurable on-the-ground actions. Through a focus on building collaboration for conservation with corporate employees, other conservation organizations, government agencies and community members, WHC programs focus on healthy ecosystems and connected communities. WHC-assisted wildlife habitat and conservation education programs are found in 45 states, the District of Columbia and 13 countries. www.wildlifehc.org

Contact:  Patricia Leidemer, Wildlife Habitat Council, 240.247.0933, pleidemer@wildlifehc.org

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