SECTION THREE
groups , programs , and efforts . We certify work and dollars that have already gone out - you cannot buy this certification , and we do not take the funds / hours to disperse them . We leave the choices of where to give time and money up to the individuals and businesses .
What is required for businesses and individuals ?
• At least 1 % of one person ’ s annual time ( 21hrs / yr ). We do not require each employee of a company to do 1 % of their time because for larger businesses , this would be cost-prohibitive and actually start funneling dollars away from conservation causes .
• At least 1 % of gross annual income / sales to be donated to conservation work . This does not have to be straight dollars . It can also be donation of product ( at retail value ) or services nor-mally charged for . As an example , camo companies donate mountains of product to conser-vation orgs for raffles . That counts . Accountants donate billable hours conservation orgs to help them with their books . That counts . Construction companies donate their weekend to use their equipment on fence pulls and stream reclamation . That counts . Every bit of these donations help move the needle in a positive direction for conservation .
Why was 2 % founded ( why is the standard important )?
We exist because the future of fish and wildlife compel us to . All citizens of the world should be giving back to the land that gives so much to them . In the US , many hunters and anglers believe they are conservationists simply because the Pittman-Robertson ( hunting li-cense / ammo / firearm / archery ) fund and Dingell- Johnson ( fishing license / tackle ) fund take ex-cise taxes out of the purchases made to enjoy hunting and fishing . That makes them conser-vation funders by accident - and it shows in many dark parts of our community . We aim for a future where hunters , anglers and businesses make a conscious choice to give back their time and funds to conservation work . If the excise taxes were enough , we wouldn ’ t need groups like Ducks Unlimited , Trout Unlimited , The Wild Sheep Foundation , The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation , or the hundreds of other groups around the world that work to conserve fish and wildlife for future generations .
Who were the groups and companies that were the first to commit to the standard ?
Our founding members were the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation , the Wild Sheep Foundation , and Sitka Gear . While non-profits are not ‘ business members ’ we do want to recognize the seed dollars provided by these two great organizations , who always have their eyes to the future of conservation . Sitka Gear is the office that our organization was founded out of . While our offices are now in a different town , they are still ardent supporters of our mission and have a strong internal culture toward conservation and hunting ethics . I also want to make this clear - Sitka founded 2 % with the goal that their competition get certified , praised , and promoted for helping conservation efforts . That ’ s true industry leadership and goes against the norm of camo companies suing each other over trivial shortsited things like patterns . Other early businesses to get certified include Stone Glacier backpacks , MTN OPS , and First Lite camo .
What kind of companies are joining ?
A-We have a broad range , including non-endemic companies ( companies that don ’ t make money off the outdoors ). These include engineering firms , breweries , screen printing companies , and even a coffee company as of last week . We want to see businesses from every field and in-dustry get involved . Our ultimate goal is for someone to be able to make purchasing decisions in every city on earth , based on whether a brand is 2 % Certified . All businesses must under-go a proper certification application process and provide 3rd-party proof of meeting the 2 % Standard . We make this simple , but it is required .
What about individuals ?
A-For individuals , our application is based on the honor system . We often joke that lying about how much you give back to fish and wildlife is probably the
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