FAQs

HCVs and the HCV Approach
What are High Conservation Values – HCVs?
High Conservation Values or HCVs are biological, ecological, social, or cultural values of outstanding significance at a national, regional, or global level or of critical importance at local level.
There are 6 categories of HCVs:
Species Diversity
Landscape Level Ecosystems
Ecosystems and habitats
Ecosystem services
Community Needs
Cultural Values
Examples of High Conservation Values can include nesting sites for important birds, habitats or refugia that can only be found in a specific country or area, a Rare, Threatened or Endangered plant or animal, a sacred site or a source of water or food for local communities.
What is the HCV Approach?
It is a pragmatic methodology to plan development (agribusiness, forestry, other) without damaging people and nature. It identifies and protects important natural and cultural values in areas where development will take place or is already taking place. The methodology was designed for use in productive landscapes (for example, areas where food is grown). Historically, the HCV Approach has mainly been used in forestry and agribusiness, but it can also be used in mining and other types of developments.
Where can the HCV Approach be applied?
It can be applied in any ecosystem (such as grasslands, wetlands, etc), geography, and scale. This is because the focus of the methodology is on ‘values’ – identifying what is important in any kind of context.
Who uses the HCV Approach?
There are two types of users of the HCV Approach:
Drivers are those who indirectly motivate others to identify and protect HCVs on the ground. They do this through regulation, robust due diligence and procurement policies and requirements, etc. Examples of ‘drivers’ include financial institutions (pension funds, commercial banks, development banks, investors), governments, and multi-lateral organizations.
Implementers are those who identify and protect High Conservation Values on the ground. Examples include professionals leading HCV studies and their technical teams, technical organizations who provide support to developers on how to protect HCVs, and commodity growers (such as smallholders) who are ultimately responsible for taking care of the values that were identified in their development area through implementation of responsible practices.
Why is the HCV Approach useful?
Our methodology is particularly useful in areas where development takes place (for example, areas that have been allocated for development by governments through their national land-use planning). In a business-as-usual scenario, a developer would clear an entire area to develop it. What the HCV Approach does is identify and protect the values (such as Rare, Threatened or Endangered plants and animals or the needs of local communities or indigenous groups) that are present or potentially present in the area. It also makes the land developer responsible for taking care of those values through adaptive management and monitoring strategies. The HCV Approach basically adds a layer of protection that would otherwise not be present. It avoids destruction or damage of ecosystems, biodiversity, and sites important to local communities and indigenous groups.
How old is the HCV Approach?
Our methodology is more than 20 years old (it was first designed in the 1990s). Since then, it has been widely used by thousands of stakeholders (from NGOs to smallholders to large banks) in a variety of contexts (forestry, agribusiness, mining, aquaculture…), scales (national, regional, local), geographies and ecosystems.
What is an HCV assessment?
It is the process by which High Conservation Values are identified on the ground. The HCV Network offers Licensed Assessors who can lead these studies, and a quality assurance system for assessments conducted in locations with high-risk of damage or destruction to HCVs.
Can HCV assessments be done jointly with ESIAs?
Although the purpose and methodologies of HCV assessments and Environmental and Social Impact Assessments (ESIAs) are different, much of the baseline information that is needed to conduct both assessments is similar and thus can be collected in parallel to maximize time and resource efficiency on the ground. For example, the information collected from the pre-assessment and scoping phase of an HCV assessment can be used to outline the scoping and baseline phases of an ESIA. HCV and ESIA assessments are complimentary; findings from an HCV assessment provide a more in-depth perspective of the biological, ecological, and social characteristics of the study area whereas the findings from a ESIA help better understand the potential risks to HCVs and how to address them.
Who is responsible for protecting High Conservation Values?
To be protected, High Conservation Values (HCVs) need to be identified first. Once identified, the responsibility for maintaining or enhancing the HCVs identified might remain unchanged, or it could become the responsibility of new parties, such as land developers. The HCV approach brings conservation principles to the heart of ongoing land management, agricultural and other types of development.
Network
What is the HCV Network?
The HCV Network is a member-based non-governmental organisation, with a small, agile, global Secretariat team who are responsible for the stewardship and expansion of this approach.
The HCV Network is a not-for-profit company that was registered in the United Kingdom in 2015. This legal structure allows the Secretariat to generate income from services (which is something that many funders see as important as it supports long-term financial sustainability), as well as receive grants and donations. The company is limited by guarantee – which means that dividends cannot be paid, and any profits must be re-invested into fulfilling the company’s mission.
When was the HCV Network created?
It was created in 2005 by WWF in partnership with IKEA and several other organizations.
What does the HCV Network do?
It is the steward of the High Conservation Value (HCV) Approach. It promotes it to ensure that ecosystems, biodiversity, and the needs of local communities and indigenous groups are identified and protected where development (such as agriculture) takes place.
Who can join the HCV Network?
Membership is only open to organizations, not individuals. Any organization who is interested in contributing to the evolution of the HCV Approach and its robust implementation on the ground, is welcome to join. Members are required to abide to Member Terms and Conditions and pay an annual membership fee based on several variables.
How are Members categorised?
Members are categorized into four constituencies: Non-profit organizations, Producer/Supply Chain Companies, Technical Service Providers and Standards.
How is the HCV Network governed?
We have a collaborative, decentralised governance model emphasising implementation and impact, fostering collective decision-making and action. To address strategic and governance/ risk issues, the HCV Network Secretariat team works collectively with members of the Network through Action Groups and (when required) Risk Groups. While most decisions will be made within Action Groups, some cross-cutting issues require member-wide decisions. These include fundamental organisational changes, material changes to the HCV Approach, and major strategic shifts.
Secretariat
What does the HCV Network Secretariat do?
The Secretariat is the executive arm of the Network. It is formed by a team of technical experts who develop guidance and tools, support users (such as Network Members) and coordinate and implement projects and pilots.
Where is the HCV Network Secretariat based?
The Secretariat is legally based in the United Kingdom; however, it is a fully remote team with no physical office established. The Secretariat team members are in several countries including, as of 2025, Indonesia, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, and Sweden.
How are the HCV Network Secretariat and the HCV Network activities funded?
The Secretariat is funded through several streams: annual membership fees, services income (for example: consultancy projects, income from quality assurance services), and grants and donations.
Assessor Licensing Scheme
Who governs the Assessor Licensing Scheme (ALS)?
The HCV Network Management Committee approves Quality Panel (QP) members and any major changes to the scheme’s procedures.
Who uses the ALS?
The Better Cotton Initiative, the High Carbon Stock Approach Steering Group, Rainforest Alliance and the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) require ALS quality assurance for high-risk situations (i.e. where HCVs may be threatened).
What is the added value of the ALS?
The ALS adds credibility to users of the HCV Approach. It helps improve the quality of HCV and HCV-HCSA assessments and reports. Poor-quality assessments may lead to destruction of High Conservation Values, negatively impacting local communities and the reputation of sustainability standards, the HCV Network, and of the HCV Approach itself.
The ALS helps improve assessments by providing standardized manuals, templates, and procedures, in consultation with assessors and end users. And it helps improve the quality of assessment reports by verifying that they contain good quality data, analysis, maps, and management and monitoring recommendations. These are useful for companies and local communities involved in commodity production developments.
By providing feedback to reports, learning opportunities and discussion groups, the scheme also provides assessors and others with the chance to boost their knowledge, share experiences and gradually improve their work.
Where does the ALS work best?
The ALS was developed for scenarios where the probability of presence of High Conservation Values and High Carbon Stock forests is high, and so is the risk of potential damage or destruction. This refers to situations where those values may be most threatened by changes to land and resource use and rights or access (e.g. from commodity development, land use planning).
How is the ALS funded?
The ALS has the following income sources:
Application fees paid by applicants who wish to become licensed.
Annual licence renewal fees paid by Licensed Assessors.
Report evaluation fees paid by Licensed Assessors at each stage of the evaluation process.
Occasionally, the HCV Network Secretariat receives grants and donations from organizations interested in helping the HCV Network improve the ALS.
Are Licensed Assessors required to submit all assessment reports for evaluation? Why?
Yes. Licensed Assessors are required to submit all their HCV and HCV-HCSA assessment reports for evaluation, regardless of the context in which these assessments took place. This is to ensure that assessors are delivering high-quality work across all the commodities and situations in which they are working.
Who can be a Licensed Assessor?
To become a Licensed Assessor, an individual must have relevant qualifications and skills, and submit an application.
Why does the number of assessors vary across regions?
It comes down to history and the need for assessments. Companies, governments, etc. from some regions (e.g. where forestry and agricultural commodities are produced) have used the HCV Approach for much longer than others. Some regions host more long-time users of certification schemes- where demand for HCV assessments may be higher, while others are newer to this. As a result, some regions will have more experts with the specific experience needed to become Licensed Assessors.
Currently, Southeast Asia is the region with the highest number of Licensed Assessors, followed by Latin America, Oceania, Africa, and Europe.
What kinds of assessment reports does the ALS evaluate?
The ALS evaluates two types of assessment reports:
High Conservation Value (HCV) assessment reports, and
High Conservation Value (HCV) – High Carbon Stock Approach (HCSA) assessment reports.
These reports are submitted following report templates.
What is an HCV-HCSA assessment?
It is a participatory process commissioned by organizations who would like to jointly identify High Conservation Values alongside High Carbon Stock forests (as defined by the High Carbon Stock Approach).
Why does the ALS evaluate HCV-HCSA assessment reports?
For several years, HCV and High Carbon Stock Approach assessments were conducted separately, by different teams, and often at different times. The HCV Network and the High Carbon Stock Approach (HCSA) Steering Group recognised that the integration of HCV and HCSA assessments and quality control processes would allow for greater efficiencies in team deployment, reduction of costs and avoidance of stakeholder confusion.
In 2017, the HCSA Steering Group decided that from the date of publication of the HCV-HCSA Assessment Manual, all HCSA-only assessments would now have to be HCV-HCSA assessments led by Licensed Assessors and evaluated by the ALS.
The HCV Network and the HCSA Steering Group signed an MOU in September 2020.
Are all Licensed Assessors qualified to lead HCV-HCSA assessments?
No. Before hiring a Licensed Assessor please ensure the assessor is qualified for the type of assessment needed.
How are technical queries related to the HCS Approach handled?
The HCV Network and High Carbon Stock Approach Secretariats have a procedure for response to HCSA-related technical queries (see Library). They also have regular bilateral calls and a query log to flag technical questions requiring clarification from HCSA’s Technical Panel.
Technical clarifications provided by the HCSA Technical Panel are published as ‘Advice Notes’ on the HCSA website.
Do HCSA ‘Advice Notes’ introduce new requirements?
No. Advice notes just provide more detailed information on technical aspects of the High Carbon Stock Approach (HCSA).
What are the report evaluation stages and why do they exist?
Licensed Assessors have three attempts (Submission, First Re-Submission and Second Re-Submission) to achieve a satisfactory mark. Some reports are satisfactory in the Submission stage, while others require re-submissions (revisions).
When the ALS was launched in 2014, only one submission was allowed per report – or one chance to achieve a satisfactory mark.
How long do report evaluations take?
Report evaluations may take between 55 to 360 days, depending on the report type (HCV or HCV-HCSA), process (Standard, for a continuous management unit or Combined, for multiple non-contiguous management units), and number of submissions needed to meet the required contents and quality.
This timeframe assumes that assessors take the maximum allowed duration for revisions (60 days). Assessors are asked to copy their clients whenever they request an extension.
For more information contact qualitymanager@hcvnetwork.org
What are ‘Delays’ and where can I find out if there are any?
When the ALS (including external Quality Panel members) does not meet target timeframes, the report will appear on the public dashboard as ‘Delayed’. When this occurs, a new estimated timeframe will be communicated to the assessor and the organization commissioning the assessment. Delays can be tracked in the page for each report.
Are ‘Delays’ common? Why do they happen?
No. Nowadays, report evaluation delays are rare. If a delay is likely to happen, the Assessor and the organisation commissioning the assessment will be informed right away.
In the past, delays have been caused by sudden, large influxes of reports combined with limited number of staff (i.e. the HCV Network Secretariat has a small team) and Quality Panel members. Delays may also happen when technical clarifications from external partners such as the High Carbon Stock Approach (HCSA) Technical Panel are not received on time.
To prevent delays, the HCV Network Secretariat has taken measures such as recruiting Quality Panel members and staff, and revising procedures to ensure evaluations can meet target timelines.
What determines if an assessment report is satisfactory or unsatisfactory?
Reports are evaluated based on a set of Key Issues, i.e., report sections or topics that are fundamental to producing a good quality report that adheres to the HCV Approach and/or to the HCV and HCS Approaches. The assessor must achieve a satisfactory mark for all Key Issues to pass with an overall satisfactory marking, i.e. if any one Key Issue is unsatisfactory, the overall report marking is unsatisfactory.
Where can I track the status of a report evaluation?
The status of all report evaluations can be tracked by clicking on 'Find Report' on the top menu of our website.
Where is the final report published?
Satisfactory reports are published on the report page.
Does the ALS communicate with organizations commissioning assessments?
Yes. Organizations commissioning assessments are updated throughout the entire report evaluation process.
How can I get involved?
The ALS is constantly evolving and improving. Here’s how you can participate:
Join our Licensed Assessor & Quality Panel member discussion group or our producer discussion group
Hire a Licensed Assessor
Apply for a licence
Apply to the Quality Panel
Become a Member of the HCV Network
No-Conversion and No-Deforestation
What forests are protected under the HCV Approach?
The HCV Approach protects any forest (or non-forest ecosystem) containing any of the six categories of High Conservation Values, including Intact Forest Landscapes (IFLs) and primary forests.
The HCV Approach helps companies deliver on their No-deforestation, no peat, no exploitation (NDPE) commitments on the ground.
Does the HCV approach allow conversion of natural ecosystems?
The HCV Network supports practical global efforts to address deforestation and ecosystem conversion. We are part of the Accountability Framework initiative (AFi) Coalition, a collective effort of diverse organisations dedicated to protecting forests, natural ecosystems, and human rights by making ethical production and trade the new normal.
Implementation of the HCV Approach does not rely on a definition for ‘natural ecosystems’. However, at the current levels of planetary degradation and destruction of ecosystems it is very likely that all ecosystems at risk would fall under one or more of the HCV categories because:
They are naturally or anthropogenically rare, threatened or endangered ecosystems (HCV 3)
They are large landscape level ecosystems (HCV 2)
They contain significant concentrations of rare, threatened or endangered (RTE) species and are the critical habitats of the RTE species (HCV1)
They provide critical supporting and regulating ecosystem services of importance to local communities (HCV 4)
They provide ecosystem services critical for local peoples' basic needs (HCV 5) or constitute/host (globally, nationally or locally) important cultural values (HCV 6).
The HCV Approach should be viewed as a methodology to support efforts to prevent the conversion of natural ecosystems, due to their high conservation value, and complementary to policies and commitments made to avoid their conversion.

Our Partnerships

Alongside many global initiatives, our work with partners promotespractices that help meet the global Sustainable Development Goalsand build a greener, fairer, better world by 2030.

Get Involved

Our Mission as a network is to provide practical tools to conserve nature and benefit people, linking local actions with global sustainability targets.

We welcome the participation of organisations that share our vision and mission to protect and enhance High ConservationValues and the vital services they provide for people and nature. By collaborating with the Network, your organisation can contribute to safeguarding HCVs while gaining valuable insights and connections that support your sustainability goals.

We are seeking collaborative partners to help expand and enhance our work, as well as talented professionals who can join the growing Secretariat team, and for professionals who can contribute to the credible identification of High Conservation Values globally.

Join us in securing the world’s HCVs and shaping a sustainable future.

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