This page provides indicative information on some of the existing private sector biodiversity initiatives, as well as on some of the IUCN member initiatives on business.
Contact us to amend or provide additional information.
Working together
BirdLife International
Wellbrook Court
Girton Road
Cambridge CB3 0NA
United Kingdom
http://www.birdlife.net
BirdLife International is a global partnership of non-governmental conservation organisations with a focus on birds present in 103 countries and territories worldwide. The BirdLife International Partnership strives to “conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources”.
BirdLife’s work aims at preventing extinction and maintaining the status of bird species, and conserving and improving the quality of sites and habitats for birds. It also aims at integrating bird conservation into sustaining people’s livelihoods.
Business & Biodiversity Resource Centre
http://www.businessandbiodiversity.org
The Business & Biodiversity Resource Centre aims to raise awareness of biodiversity and provide information and practical advice for companies to engage with biodiversity issues. The Centre is hosted by Earthwatch Europe and supported by Innogy plc and the UK Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
Business for Social Responsibility (BSR)
609 Mission Street, 2nd Floor
San Francisco, California 94109
USA
http://www.bsr.org
BSR is a global organisation that assists companies to meet commercial targets whilst respecting ethical values, communities and the environment. It provides companies with advisory services, information resources and cross-sector opportunities to network, collaborate and solve problems. Its key emphasis is on promoting the use of corporate social responsibility. BSR has over 1,400 member and affiliate businesses.
Conservation International (CI)
1919 M Street
NW Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
USA
http://www.conservation.org
http://www.celb.org
CI is a field-based, non-profit membership organisation working to preserve biological diversity and the ecological processes that sustain life on Earth. CI’s work focuses primarily on ‘hotspots’ of biological diversity, areas distinguished by an exceptional number of species and imminent threat of destruction.
CI and Business: The primary objective of CI’s Center for Environmental Leadership in Business is to provide a platform for discussion and collaboration between businesses and the environmental community. The Center promotes “business practices that reduce industry’s ecological footprint, contribute to conservation, and create value for the companies that adopt them”. In addition to company biodiversity impacts, the Center also focuses on climate change and water conservation issues.
The Coalition for Environmentally Responsible Economies (CERES)
11 Arlington Street
Boston, MA 02116-3411
USA
http://www.ceres.org
The CERES coalition is a network of 80 NGOs, investors, analysts and interested members of the public who engage in an innovative forum with corporations to discuss environmental and social practice. More than 70 companies of all sizes have signed up to the CERES principles, which consist of a 10-point code of environmental conduct.
Center for Small Business and the Environment
PO Box 53127
Washington DC 20009
USA
http://www.aboutcsbe.org
The Center for Small Business and the Environment recognises the large cumulative effect thousands of small businesses can have on environmental problems and possible solutions. The Center aims to promote small businesses that are already exploiting lucrative opportunities in environmental protection, pollution prevention, eco-efficiency and resource conservation. This allows the Center to disseminate lessons learned to thousands of other small businesses.
Earthwatch Institute
Earthwatch Europe
57 Woodstock Road
Oxford OX2 6HJ
United Kingdom
Tel +44 (0)1865 318800
mailto:info@earthwatch.org.uk
http://www.earthwatch.org/europe
http://www.earthwatch.org/europe/corporate.html
Earthwatch Australia
126 Bank Street
Melbourne
Victoria 3205
Australia
+61 (0)3 9682 6828
http://earth@earthwatch.org
Earthwatch Institute is a non-confrontational environmental organisation with offices in Boston, Oxford, Tokyo and Melbourne. Earthwatch supports programmes in research, education and conservation countries through the provision of funds and thousands of volunteer field assistants each year. These include over one hundred biodiversity field research projects in forty.
Earthwatch and business: Earthwatch Europe and Earthwatch Australia have active business and biodiversity work programmes. The programmes’ activities include seminars and workshops, dialogue with individual companies and employee involvement through placement on field research projects. Through these employee involvement programmes, companies are able to raise awareness and communicate internally about biodiversity.
The organisation has a Corporate Environmental Responsibility Group (CERG) based at Earthwatch Europe. Membership covers a wide range of industrial sectors, and over half of the members are FTSE100 companies.
The Energy and Biodiversity Initiative (EBI)
http://www.theebi.org/
EBI is an industry and NGO partnership convened by Conservation International's Center for Environmental Leadership in Business. It aims to develop tools and guidelines for integrating biodiversity into oil and gas development. The initiative seeks to be a positive force for biodiversity conservation by bringing together four major energy companies and five leading conservation organisations to share experiences and build on intellectual capital to create value and influence key audiences. These participants consult with other stakeholders from industry, academia and the environmental community to produce outputs with broad dissemination.
The initiative is structured into four working groups: the Business Case group promotes the rationale for integrating biodiversity conservation; the Biodiversity Conservation Practices working group works on identifying and implementing best practices and conservation techniques; the Metrics group is developing performance indicators for measuring impacts on biodiversity caused by oil and gas operations; and the Site Selection group is developing criteria for deciding whether to operate in biologically sensitive environments.
The European Centre for Nature Conservation (ECNC)
Headquarters
PO Box 1352
5004 BJ Tilburg
The Netherlands
http://www.ecnc.nl
ECNC is an Pan-European institution, established in 1993, aiming at furthering European nature conservation by bridging the gap between science and policy. ECNC promotes the integration of nature conservation issues into other policies and aims to organise and mobilise the expertise within universities, research institutes and conservation agencies. Currently, the ECNC network has 40 parties from 19 European countries.
ECNC and business: An important priority of ECNC is mainstreaming biodiversity in programmes of activities of operators and stakeholders in economic and land use sectors, in particular the banking sector and the agricultural sector. Projects in these fields are developed and implemented in the framework of ECNC's Programme on
Ecology and Economy and the Service Area on support to international policies and institutions. On behalf of European governments, UNEP and the Council of Europe, ECNC facilitates the implementation of the European Biodiversity Resourcing Initiative. It has the secretariat of the ad hoc European Task Force on Banking, Business and Biodiversity. ECNC works closely together with financial institutions, such as EIB, EBRD and Rabobank Nederland.
Fauna & Flora International (FFI)
Great Eastern House
Tenison Road
Cambridge CB1 2TT
United Kingdom
mailto:info@fauna-flora.org
http://www.fauna-flora.org
http://www.fauna-flora.org/partners/corporate.html
Founded in 1903, FFI is the world’s longest established international conservation organisation. Its remit is to protect “the entire spectrum of endangered plant and animal species on the planet”. Through partnerships, technical assistance and funding, FFI provides support to conservation initiatives throughout the world. It works with a wide variety of stakeholders, including bilateral and multilateral agencies, governments, local communities, NGOs, academic institutions and businesses.
FFI and Business: FFI launched its Global Business Partnership to promote greater understanding of the relationship between biodiversity and business. It aims at helping a number of responsible companies to develop and implement their own biodiversity policy and strategy. Originally founded by BP and Rio Tinto, the partnership convenes market leaders which have a potentially significant impact on biodiversity conservation. A key output of the partnership will be the emergence of alternative models of sustainable economic development and corporate leadership.
Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC)
Avenida Hidalgo 502
68000 Oaxaca,
México
http://www.fsc.org/
In response to a wide acceptance that forest resources should be managed sustainably, and a growing public awareness and consumer preference for ecolabelled products, wood product certification schemes have proliferated. The FSC is an international body which accredits certification organisations in order to guarantee the authenticity of their claims. The goal of FSC is "to promote environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable management of the world's forests, by establishing a worldwide standard". Examples of national/regional forest certifications are the forest products marking programme of the Canadian Standards Authority (CSA) (http://www.csa-international.org/certification/forestry), the Pan-European Forest Certification Council (PEFC) (www.pefc.org), and the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) (http://www.afandpa.org/forestry/sfi/menu.html).
The Global Mining Initiative (GMI)
Global Mining Initiative
c/o 6, St James's Square
London SW1Y 4LD
United Kingdom
http://www.globalmining.com
The GMI is a coalition of ten multinational mining companies with the aim of promoting the development of corporate social responsibility in the mining sector and assessing mining's contribution to global sustainable development. The initiative's wide remit includes stewardship of natural resources and biodiversity. The GMI created the two-year Mining, Minerals and Sustainable Development (MMSD) project.
The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)
Keizersgracht 209
1016 DT Amsterdam
The Netherlands
http://www.globalreporting.org
The GRI is an international, multi-stakeholder effort to form a consensus for voluntary reporting of the economic, environmental and social impacts of industry. Its mission is "to elevate the comparability and credibility of sustainability reporting practices worldwide". The GRI incorporates the active participation of businesses, accountancy, human rights, environmental, labour and governmental organisations. The most advanced of the GRI schemes is environmental indicators, and four specific biodiversity indicators are in use: the amount of land used by a business and the type of ecosystem contained thereon; habitat changes due to operations; impacts on protected areas; and programmes for restoration of native ecosystems and species.
Greening of Industry Network
Kurt Fischer
The George Perkins Marsh Institute
Clark University
950 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01610-1477
USA
http://www.greeningofindustry.org
The Greening of Industry Network is an international association of researchers and policy-makers that aims ultimately to alter industry practice in order to progress toward a sustainable society. It is developing a new research area on the greening of industry, and promoting dialogue between researchers and users of research findings in business and government.
International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM)
Head Office
c/o Ökozentrum Imsbach
66636 Tholey-Theley
Germany
http://www.ifoam.org
IFOAM is a worldwide umbrella organisation that represents the movement of organic agriculture. It is committed to “a holistic approach in the development of organic farming systems, including maintenance of a sustainable environment and respect for the needs of humanity”. As well as co-ordinating the network of the organic movement around the world, exchanging knowledge and expertise on organic agriculture, IFOAM sets and revises its ‘Basic Standards of Organic Agriculture and Food Processing’. The equivalency of certification programmes around the world is verified by the International Organic Accreditation Services, which runs the IFOAM Accreditation Programme.
International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)
3 Endsleigh Street
London WC1H 0DD
United Kingdom
http://www.iied.org
Founded in 1971, IIED is an independent, non-profit organisation promoting sustainable patterns of world development through research, communication, stakeholder engagement and capacity building. Based in London, it has a global remit to working with southern partners.
IIED and Business: IIED has been involved in a number of corporate sector projects. These focus, notably, on partnerships in natural resource management with local communities, on developing instruments for sustainable forestry, on highlighting the creation of markets for environmental services for poverty reduction, and on encouraging sustainable agriculture and rural livelihoods, of which the Mining, Minerals and Sustainable Development project is one example.
International Petroleum Industry Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA)
Monmouth House
87-93 Westbourne Grove
London W2 4UL
http://www.ipieca.org
Established in 1974, IPIECA is an international organisation representing the oil and gas industry on key global environmental issues. Members are drawn from private and state-owned companies as well as national, regional and international associations. IPIECA monitors the evolution of international agreements on biodiversity and identifies opportunities for positive action by the industry, as well as linking expertise within the industry to external stakeholders.
International Organization for Standardization (ISO)
1, rue de Varembé
Case postale 56
1211 Geneva 20
Switzerland
http://www.iso.org
ISO, founded in 1947, is an umbrella organisation for national standards bodies from some 140 countries. Its mission is "to promote the development of standardization and related activities in the world with a view to facilitating the international exchange of goods and services, and to developing co-operation in the spheres of intellectual, scientific, technological and economic activity" .
Focus on biodiversity: the ISO 14000 series provides an environmental management tool for businesses; it does not set absolute norms, rather it provides a means for businesses to continually improve their environmental performance. Biodiversity aspects can be directly integrated into a company's ISO 14001 standards.
Marine Aquarium Council (MAC)
923 Nu'uanu,
Honolulu,
Hawaii 96817
USA
http://www.aquariumcouncil.org
MAC is an international, not-for-profit organisation that brings together stakeholder groups with a common interest in the future of the marine aquarium industry and the biodiversity that it is reliant upon. Thus, collectors, importers and retailers meet with aquarium keepers, conservation organisations and government agencies to discuss all aspects of the reef to retail supply chain. Its mission is "to conserve coral reefs and other marine ecosystems by creating standards and certification for those engaged in the collection and care of ornamental marine life from reef to aquarium".
Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)
Unit 4 Bakery Place
119 Altenburg Gardens
London SW11 1JQ
United Kingdom
http://www.msc.org
The MSC was brought into being through a partnership between WWF and the multinational Unilever, and has since developed an environmental standard for sustainable and well-managed fisheries. It uses a product label to reward environmentally responsible fishery management and practices. Consumers concerned about overfishing and its environmental and social consequences will increasingly be able to choose seafood products which have been independently assessed against the MSC standard and labelled to prove it, giving an assurance that the product has come from a sustainable fishery. An increasing number of restaurants, supermarkets and fishmongers are sourcing fish bearing the MSC logo.
Mining, Minerals and Sustainable Development project (MMSD)
http://www.iied.org/mmsd
MMSD was an independent two-year programme aimed at maximising the contribution of the mining and minerals sector to sustainable development at all levels. Begun in 2000, the project was commissioned by the Global Mining Initiative and has been organised by the International Institute for Environment and Development (both detailed above). The aim throughout the project was to produce a clear agenda for global change in the minerals sector that is based on careful analysis, that is understood and supported by many key stakeholders, and that identifies mechanisms for progress.
The key elements of the project's diverse activities were: research and analysis to identify priority issues; engagement of all stakeholders affected by mining, leading to an ongoing programme of communication exchange regarding processes and outputs; and planning a systematic and consensus-based commitment to defining project outcomes and implementation strategy. The project's Final Report is downloadable from http://www.iied.org/mmsd/finalreport/index.html. The dialogue initiated by MMSD is expected to be carried forward into the future.
The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
4245 North Fairfax Drive
Suite 100
Arlington VA 22203-1606
USA
http://nature.org/
http://www.nature.org/joinanddonate/corporatepartnerships/
Launched in 1951, TNC works with communities, businesses and its one million members to protect land around the world. TNC has helped protect more than 36 million hectares, amounting to 1,400 ‘Conservancy preserves’.
TNC and Business: TNC aims to work closely with businesses to match business objectives with environmental results. In addition to corporate philanthropy, companies can become ‘Conservation Action Partners’ by minimising their use of environmental resources, or ‘Brand Identity Partners’ by aligning their products or corporate image with the Conservancy, in an effort to raise awareness of environmental issues and improve company reputation. In addition, TNC’s International Leadership Council provides a forum for senior executives.
Wetlands International
PO Box 471
6700 AL Wageningen
The Netherlands
http://www.wetlands.org
Wetlands International is a global non-profit organisation dedicated to wetland conservation and sustainable management. It carries out its activities in 120 countries, using its network of experts and institutional partnerships. Its mission is “to sustain and restore wetlands, their resources and biodiversity for future generations through research, information exchange and conservation activities, worldwide”.
Wetlands International and Business: initiatives include involvement in the Global Peatland Initiative (GPI), a worldwide partnership of environmental NGOs, science agencies and the corporate sector to promote the sustainable use and conservation of peatlands. GPI focuses on integrated development planning of peat-based agriculture, forestry and industry.
World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
4 chemin de Conches
1231 Conches-Geneva
Switzerland
http://www.wbcsd.ch
WBCSD is a coalition of over 160 international companies united by a shared commitment to sustainable development via the three pillars of economic growth, ecological balance and social progress. The Council's members are drawn from more than 30 countries and 20 major industrial sectors. WBCSD also benefits from a global network of 35 national and regional business councils and partner organisations, involving some 1,000 business leaders globally. Its mission is "to provide business leadership as a catalyst for change toward sustainable development, and to promote the role of eco-efficiency, innovation and corporate social responsibility".
World Resources Institute (WRI)
10G Street
NE (Suite 800)
Washington DC 20002
USA
http://www.wri.org
http://www.wri.org/business
WRI is an environmental think tank founded in 1982 with a mission to “move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations”. It is actively involved in the fields of the environment, resource management and environmental policy.
WRI and Business: WRI’s business programme promotes corporate responsibility and accountability. It focuses on climate change, sustainable use – especially in the context of forestry, fisheries, and agriculture – and increasing access to information.
World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF)
International Secretariat
Avenue du Mont-Blanc
1196 Gland
Switzerland
http://www.panda.org
WWF's Approach to Business and Industry Relations
Founded in 1961, WWF (known as World Wildlife Fund in Canada and the USA) is one of the world’s largest independent conservation organisations, with an international network in over 90 countries and 5 million supporters. WWF’s mission is “to stop the degradation of the planet’s natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world’s biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption”. WWF is an IUCN member through its network of global offices.
WWF and Business: WWF International’s Corporate Programme aims to forge partnerships that allow companies to demonstrate their corporate environmental responsibility through the use of the WWF logo, in exchange for support of WWF’s conservation work.
