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The scoring methodology is divided into three categories totaling 100 points: Policy Commitment (38 points), Monitoring & Verification of Compliance (44 points), and Public Disclosure & Reporting (18 points). It assesses whether companies have specific policies to eliminate deforestation and conversion in beef production, implement rigorous supplier monitoring systems, and provide transparent public reporting on supply chain traceability and risk assessments. The framework heavily references the Accountability Framework Initiative's operational guidance for defining environmental protections, human rights, and monitoring standards.

The Access and Benefit-sharing (ABS) Toolkit is a resource for community members and traditional leaders in Southern Africa to manage the use of their biological resources and Traditional Knowledge by external users. It explains the ABS process, where providers (communities) and users (industry or researchers) negotiate terms for access and the sharing of monetary or non-monetary benefits. The document emphasizes the use of Biocultural Community Protocols (BCPs) to establish community rules and identity, and details the requirement for Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). It outlines the legal frameworks governing these processes, including the international Nagoya Protocol and South Africa's National Environmental Management: Biodiversity Act of 2004 (NEMBA). The toolkit also addresses intellectual property rights, conservation strategies, and the specific case of the Buchu plant in South Africa.

The document provides a comprehensive introduction to Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), focusing on the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities to ensure the "fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources." It details the roles of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Nagoya Protocol, emphasizing the necessity of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) and mutually agreed terms. The guide outlines the rights and responsibilities of communities, governments, and private sector users, while highlighting challenges such as the requirement for state-recognized resource rights and the historical imbalance where resources from the Global South benefit the Global North.

The fact sheet describes Biocultural Community Protocols (BCPs) as endogenous, inclusive tools used by indigenous and local communities to define their rights and responsibilities under customary, state, and international law. It details how BCPs facilitate proactive responses to threats like illegal mining and infrastructure projects, and how they support the protection of traditional knowledge and biodiversity. The document provides several case studies from Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and promotes a toolkit and website for community facilitators to develop and implement these protocols.

The document introduces 'biocultural community protocols' as tools for Indigenous and local communities to articulate their customary laws, values, and decision-making processes to external actors. It provides a structured four-part framework for facilitators to guide communities through the process of documentation, implementation, and reflection. The toolkit emphasizes endogenous development, legal empowerment, and participatory methods—such as community mapping, participatory video, and 'Legislative Theatre'—to reduce power asymmetries and safeguard collective biocultural heritage against external threats like land grabbing and industrial resource extraction.

The document outlines a multi-step process for creating biocultural community protocols, starting with an assessment of appropriateness and moving through the 'mapping' of community identity, natural foundations, sociocultural aspects, economic principles, and political and legal frameworks. It emphasizes community-led decision-making, the protection of sensitive traditional knowledge, and the strategic consolidation of findings into a format that communicates clear messages to external decision-makers to achieve legal and political goals.

The document outlines strategies for using biocultural community protocols to establish dialogue with external stakeholders, raise awareness internally and externally, and participate in legal and administrative decision-making processes. It emphasizes the use of participatory communication tools—such as video, photography, and community mapping—to balance power dynamics and ensure Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC). The guide also provides practical advice on navigating national and international legal frameworks, negotiating binding agreements, and resolving conflicts through non-violent, alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.

The document outlines a three-part process for managing biocultural community protocols: intrinsic analysis of community changes, extrinsic analysis of interactions with external actors, and the subsequent evaluation and revision of the protocol itself. It emphasizes participatory methods, such as the 'Most Significant Change' technique, to capture qualitative impacts on community wellbeing and gender roles. The guide also stresses the importance of keeping both internal community members and external stakeholders informed through diverse communication tools to maintain transparency and trust.

The document outlines a three-stage process for creating biocultural community protocols: deciding on the appropriateness of a protocol, mapping the community's foundations (identity, natural, social-cultural, economic, political, and legal), and consolidating this information into a strategic tool for external engagement. It emphasizes that protocols are context-dependent and should be community-led, avoiding external coercion. The guide provides specific tools and questions to document traditional knowledge, customary laws, and biodiversity, while cautioning facilitators to safeguard sensitive information. It concludes that while individual protocols offer self-affirmation and local change, their collective aggregation can drive broader structural and legal shifts.

The document outlines a framework for using biocultural community protocols to manage interactions with governments, companies, and NGOs. It details methods for establishing dialogue, raising awareness through participatory media, and engaging in impact assessments and international legal processes. It emphasizes the right to Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) and provides guidance on conflict resolution and responding to human rights violations.

The document outlines a framework for the ongoing management of biocultural community protocols, focusing on 'Looking Inwards' to assess community changes, 'Looking Outwards' to evaluate external partnerships, and 'Revisiting and Revising' the protocol as a living instrument. It emphasizes qualitative tools like 'Most Significant Change' stories and participatory methods to measure wellbeing and impact.

Natural Justice challenges the Basic Assessment Reports (BARs) for four prospecting projects in South Africa's West Coast region, citing 'fatal flaws' in biodiversity and water supply assessments. The organization argues that the reports ignore climate change commitments, fail to meaningfully consult vulnerable groups like the Guriqua communities, and overlook the potential destruction of sacred cultural sites and the impact on the region's primary agricultural and fishing sectors.

A statement submitted on 13 December 2024 by a coalition of civil society organizations, including Natural Justice and SAFCEI, providing critical comments on South Africa's Draft Article 6 Framework. The coalition argues that carbon markets are fundamentally flawed and risk enabling human rights abuses, land grabs, and the evasion of actual emission reductions.

The Heroes Project, a collaboration between Natural Justice and the Law+Environment+Design Laboratory, aims to heal collective historical trauma in Khoi-San youth in South Africa. By creating graphic narratives based on Joseph Campbell's 'hero's journey' and Khoi-San mythology, the project seeks to provide positive role models and reconnect youth with their cultural identity. The initiative combines legal support with creative interventions, utilizing workshops in the Cape Flats to gather real-life stories and develop characters based on Jungian archetypes and spiritually significant animals.

The briefing examines the systemic threats facing TICCAs, highlighting a widespread lack of legal recognition for customary land rights and traditional governance. While noting positive developments in international jurisprudence and specific national programs—such as Australia's Indigenous Protected Areas and Namibia's Communal Conservancies—it argues that state legislation often remains discriminatory, fragmented, and exclusionary. The document provides comprehensive recommendations for legal reform, the adoption of human rights standards, and the implementation of non-legal support mechanisms to ensure the resilience of indigenous-led conservation.

The document outlines the UN human rights framework, distinguishing between charter-based and treaty-based monitoring mechanisms. It details the 'International Bill of Human Rights' and other core treaties, while highlighting specialized bodies such as the Special Rapporteur, the Expert Mechanism, and the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. The guide provides practical advice for communities on filing complaints, participating in UN sessions, and utilizing National Human Rights Institutions to advocate for their rights.

The document outlines the UN human rights framework, distinguishing between Charter-based and Treaty-based mechanisms. It details the International Bill of Human Rights and specific instruments for indigenous peoples, such as UNDRIP and ILO Convention 169, while providing practical guidance on submitting complaints and participating in UN forums.

Natural Justice suggests that UNEP diversify reporting channels via hotlines and apps to reach grassroots defenders, establish a coordinated international system for evidence collection, and streamline verification processes through a multi-stakeholder Committee to ensure decisions are made within 72 hours. The organization also advocates for long-term systemic legal reforms and specialized protection programs for women, indigenous peoples, and marginalized groups.

Natural Justice is an African organisation dedicated to social and environmental justice, employing a "Litigation Plus" approach that combines legal empowerment, research, policy influence, and strategic litigation. In 2024, the organisation supported over 30 strategic lawsuits across Africa, including successful challenges against Shell's seismic testing in South Africa and the annulment of an Environmental Impact Assessment for Sosian Energy Ltd in Kenya. The organisation also focuses on securing land tenure, protecting indigenous biocultural heritage in Namibia and Madagascar, and defending environmental defenders, notably supporting 180 activists through an emergency fund, including those protesting the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP) in Uganda. Additionally, Natural Justice engages in global policy advocacy at UN biodiversity and climate summits to promote human rights-based approaches to conservation and energy transitions.

The document provides a comprehensive overview of the safeguards and standards associated with Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+), focusing on the UNFCCC's Cancun Agreements and other frameworks like UN-REDD, REDD+ SES, and the World Bank's FCPF. It examines the risks REDD+ poses to forest-dependent communities—such as land grabbing and displacement—and the opportunities it offers for tenure reform and gender equality. The guide emphasizes the importance of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC) and full stakeholder participation, while detailing the challenges of translating high-level international principles into enforceable national laws. It also provides practical advice for communities to engage in advocacy, monitor national processes, and utilize grievance mechanisms.