At the European Biodiversity Summit that was held in Stuttgart from April 17th to 18th 2012, the environmental foundation, Global Nature Fund, introduced methods and instruments that help businesses measure and appraise their impacts on biodiversity. As of yet, only a few businesses document efforts to protect biological diversity in sustainability reports. According to the Global Nature Fund, therefore, there needs to be a stronger implementation in business practice, since this would constitute a benefit for nature, as well as for companies.
Stuttgart/Munich, April 23th, 2012: While the importance of intact ecosystems has been known for a long time, the significance of industry has only become a part of the discussion a few years
ago. As such, the European Biodiversity Summit has demonstrated through workshops, such as ‘Corporate Biodiversity Assessment: Choosing the Right Tool for Companies’, how companies
can systematically examine their business processes and supply chains in connection to biodiversity. The Biodiversity-Check of the European Business & Biodiversity is an instrument that serves for this purpose. Using environment management systems such as ISO 14001 or EMAS, the Check examines which business units are involved, outlines fields of action and shows how companies can secure sustainable business models and generate competitive
advantages.
“All companies depend directly or indirectly on biodiversity and natural resources. Without rethinking and taking action in the direction of resource efficiency and protection of natural
resources, it will not be possible to put an end to or even reverse the dramatic ally progressing loss of biological diversity”, said Marion Hammer, the President of Global Nature Fund.
The first European Biodiversity Summit took place in the framework of the 8th German CSR Forum. Over the course of the two days, approximately 550 participants from 20 countries discussed the social responsibility of businesses, argued about sustainable strategies and, in workshops, developed innovative and future solutions for the preservation of natural capital. The Summit was hosted by dokeo and the Global Nature Fund, partners of the European Business and Biodiversity Campaign.
For further information: www.summit.business-biodiversity.eu and www.csrforum.eu
About the European Business and Biodiversity Campaign
The European Business and Biodiversity Campaign, led by the Global Nature Fund (GNF) was initiated by a consortium of European companies and NGOs. The goal of the project is to show
the big importance of biodiversity, also from an economic point of view, and to motivate the private sector for the protection and conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem services. The
European Business and Biodiversity Campaign supports companies through Biodiversity Checks, workshops and regional biodiversity forums. Experts and other stakeholders can present their profile, company profile and case studies for free. The European Business and Biodiversity Campaign is supported by the LIFE+ Programme of the European Union. More information about the campaign: www.business-biodiversity.eu
For further inquiries:
Fritz Lietsch, Campaign Communications Leader, ALTOP Publishing House, Munich, Germany,
Tel.: +49-89-746611-11; E-mail: f.lietsch@forum-csr.net