Businesses
BUSINESS AND BIODIVERSITY
"The preservation of biodiversity is not just a job for governments. International and non-governmental organisations, the private sector and each and every individual have a role to play in changing entrenched outlooks and ending destructive patterns of behaviour"
- Kofi Annan, UN Secretary General on the 2003 International Day of Biological Diversity.
Increasingly, companies are recognising that incorporating environmental and social concerns into business plans and processes is essential for lasting commercial success. There is a growing recognition, too, of the need for environmental and social responsibility.
With respect to ‘brown’ issues such as pollution and waste, many companies are making significant progress. It is on ‘green’ issues, however, such as ecosystem management and sustainable use of biological resources, that the responsibilities and indeed the risks and opportunities for businesses, are less well understood.
Earthwatch has produced a Business and Biodiversity Handbook introduces the concept of ‘biodiversity’ and explains why and how businesses should address biodiversity.
Download Business & Biodiversity Handbook PDF document
Earthwatch also host the business and Biodiversity resource centre at http://www.businessandbiodiversity.org/index.html
This resource centre provides information about the important role which biodiversity plays for businesses. Case studies are used to illustrate how the private sector impacts on wildlife and nature, and what companies are doing to help conserve and manage biodiversity.
BENEFITS OF BUSINESS ENGAGING WITH BIODIVERSITY
Benefit
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Explanation
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Meeting statutory responsibilities
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Better understanding of how a company’s operations relate to biodiversity legislation (marine SACs, SSSIs etc.).Can reduce time taken for consenting of development.
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European and UK commitment to conservation of biodiversity
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Involvement in biodiversity is an opportunity to be part of a high profile strategy contributing locally to national and international commitments.
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Managing risk
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Managing for biodiversity reduces risk of unforeseen liabilities, fines and stakeholder pressure
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Enhance reputation
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Through positively engaging with biodiversity conservation. Local BAP partnerships in particular provide a change for positively engaging with local people and opportunities for increasing awareness and understanding.
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Publicity and PR
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Poor environmental management is often exposed by the media and NGOs. Good performance can be used to build up a companies public image. Local BAPs can help ‘badge’ projects through developing a biodiversity/business logo, increasing a companies ‘green credentials’.
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Attracting and retaining staff
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People often want to work for socially responsible companies. Biodiversity conservation can motivate employees through involvement in practical activities that support staff development. This type of activity improves staff commitment and morale.
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Investor indices
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Investor indices have been developed to measure a company’s environmental performance (indicates broad understanding of and approach to the environment and sustainable development). Private indices are used by ethical funds and mainstream fund managers to assess good management. Also published indices e.g. Business in the Environment (BiE) Index, the FTSE4Good indice and Dow Jones Sustainability Index.
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Gaining and retaining investment
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Inspires confidence and trust. Inclusion of biodiversity indicates company understanding of and approach to the environment.
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Improves resource efficiency
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In some case, biodiversity conservation can reap direct and visable benefits. Companies can look at their whole resource use and impacts, e.g. using suppliers with environmental credentials.
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Builds support ive partnerships
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Developing and implementing a biodiversity strategy provides opportunity for participation/engagement with stakeholders. Involvement with a local BAP partnership may lead to further partnerships and provide access to information and advice.
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Information
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Availability of advice and information through local BAP partnerships and lead partners. This can support environmental commitments, increase efficiency and
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European/UK funds
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Local BAPs can bring in European money through identifying national and international priorities which attract funding. May be opportunities to get involved.
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WALES BIODIVERSITY PARTNERSHIP MEETING 8 JULY 2003
The Wales Biodiversity Partnership meeting on the 8 th of July 2003 had the special topic of Business and Biodiversity.
BACKGROUND
Achieving the greatest benefits for biodiversity is only possible if we secure a broad base of support , from all sectors and people in all walks of life..
The adoption of sympathetic land use and management systems by business will make a significant contribution to biodiversity action plan targets.
As we aim to build businesses’ understanding of biodiversity, so must we increase the Partnerships’ understanding of business.
From ‘Future Biodiversity Action in Wales : advice to the National Assembly for Wales on the UK Millennium Biodiversity Report.’ WBG 2002
OBJECTIVES
To explore how biodiversity can be extended to the business world in Wales ; identify a series of actions, which can be taken forward over the next three years by the Partnership.
AIM
To encourage businesses in Wales to contribute to national and local biodiversity objectives through
- Company environmental management systems
- Managing their land holdings with biodiversity in mind
- Partnership with LBAPs
- Managing the supply chain and investment decisions
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