Prince William convenes global business leaders to launch major new push against illegal wildlife trade at United for Wildlife Forum in London.

At today’s United for Wildlife Business Forum, His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales brought together global leaders across finance, transport and technology in a new wave of action to tackle the illegal wildlife trade and environmental crime.

Held during London Climate Action Week, the Forum marks a major moment for The Royal Foundation’s United for Wildlife programme, a network of more than 300 partners responding to a rapidly evolving criminal threat.

The illegal wildlife trade is one of the world’s largest criminal enterprises, worth up to $23 billion a year, with networks increasingly exploiting digital platforms, financial systems and global supply chains to operate at scale.

A series of landmark commitments announced today show how the private sector is moving collectively to disrupt these systems.

• Major technology and e-commerce companies including Alibaba, Amazon, Baidu, eBay, Etsy, Google, Meta, TikTok, Pinterest and Weibo are, for the first time, committing to work together to end wildlife trafficking online, using AI-powered tools to detect and remove illegal listings.

• This is the next and welcome development in commitments made by companies working with the Coalition to End Wildlife Trafficking Online (including WWF, TRAFFIC and IFAW), focused on the eradication of illegal wildlife trade listings on company platforms. These companies agree to act as sectoral pioneers who help advance technological progress, share learnings and take the leadership role in ending wildlife trafficking online at speed and scale.

• The cryptocurrency sector, represented by companies including Chainalysis, PayPal, Luno, Tether, Circle and TRM Labs, is committing to track and disrupt the financial flows behind wildlife trafficking, working alongside law enforcement.

• The telco operators Vodafone, Vodacom and Safaricom are using AI and transaction monitoring through M-Pesa a digital mobile currency to help identify suspicious activity across 72 million users in East Africa.

• In the transport sector, British Airways and Heathrow are launching a public awareness campaign to reach passengers at one of the world’s busiest travel hubs. Meanwhile the World Shipping Council is introducing new screening tools using AI and machine learning to identify high-risk shipments across a fleet that carries over 90% of global container traffic.

David Fein, Co-Chair of United for Wildlife, said: “Criminal networks are exploiting hyperconnected systems at unprecedented scale and sophistication. What we see today is a recognition that the illegal wildlife trade is both an environmental and a business issue.”

Dr Tom Clements, Executive Director of The Royal Foundation, added: “As United for Wildlife enters its next decade, our focus is clear: to close the gaps criminals exploit, unlock new investment for nature, and support the people protecting wildlife every day.”

The forum comes ten years after the Buckingham Palace Declaration, with United for Wildlife now scaling its ambition for the needs ahead. Bringing together partners across business and government, United for Wildlife are driving coordinated global action to protect nature and disrupt environmental crime.

Download the full press release

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Read the Taskforce resources

ANNEX – 20 Commitments from members of United for Wildlife  

1. ABRA (Avianca & GOL)

ABRA committed to accelerating aviation sector action by supporting wildlife repatriation, piloting the BSI Assurance Programme, and engaging in training, awareness, and industry-wide collaboration.

2. British Airways

British Airways committed to strengthening frontline detection and awareness, investing in AI systems, expanding canine partnerships, and delivering joint campaigns with Border Force and Heathrow.

3. BSI

BSI committed to building a global accountability framework, designing an independent assurance system to help organisations measure and demonstrate progress against wildlife crime risks.

4. Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific committed to going beyond compliance, expanding policies, driving awareness, and exploring digital solutions, while signalling further ambition to scale global training and campaigns.

5. Crypto/Blockchain Firms (Tether, Circle, Coinbase, Chainalysis)

Crypto firms committed to coordinated global action, signing the Mansion House Declaration, endorsing the Crypto Commitment, and participating in joint intelligence-sharing and operational efforts.

6. Dnata

Dnata committed to strengthening cargo security systems, enhancing screening, advancing digital processes, and continuing workforce training.

7. Emirates

Emirates demonstrated scaled implementation, training over 46,000 staff, embedding awareness campaigns, and deploying conservation canine programmes.

8. Galápagos Ecological Airport

The airport committed to pioneering advanced detection, strengthening screening capability, developing machine-learning tools, and championing industry adoption of global standards.

9. HSBC

HSBC committed to leveraging advanced technology, investing in AI-driven systems and supporting the Environmental Crimes Financial Toolkit to strengthen sector-wide risk controls.

10. Kenya Airways

Kenya Airways committed to protecting Africa’s natural heritage, strengthening anti-trafficking systems and building more resilient, wildlife-safe aviation supply chains.

11. Landmark Global (Belgium Post)

Landmark Global committed to embedding safeguards in postal networks, appointing a wildlife lead, training teams, and implementing intelligence-sharing systems across operations.

12. London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG)

LSEG committed to defining the global threat landscape, developing a “Green Crimes” assessment using data and cross-sector collaboration.

13. Maersk

Maersk committed to strengthening supply chain resilience, advancing AI-driven detection systems and deepening collaboration with industry and law enforcement.

14. PayPal

PayPal committed to enhancing financial system visibility, joining the Crypto Commitment, supporting joint operations, and applying its global screening capability.

15. Qatar Airways / Hamad International Airport

Qatar Airways committed to global aviation leadership, signing the Buckingham Palace Declaration, supporting training and assurance initiatives, and continuing large-scale wildlife repatriation.

16. Royal Mail

Royal Mail committed to mobilising its global network, partnering on training and awareness while supporting international governance through the UPU.

17. Scotiabank

Scotiabank committed to driving systemic financial sector change, strengthening AML systems, raising staff awareness, and leading a coordinated national response in Canada.

18. Standard Chartered

Standard Chartered committed to integrating sustainability and financial crime efforts, launching a cross-functional partnership and applying geospatial intelligence tools.

19. TRM Labs

TRM Labs committed to disrupting illicit networks at scale, deploying specialist analysts, expanding asset-freezing capabilities, and launching a global intelligence-sharing platform.

20. Wolfsberg Group (via Standard Chartered)

The Wolfsberg Group committed to catalysing coordinated global action, developing an operational “sprint” model and playbook to mobilise public and private actors.