Biodiversity - a GRI Reporting Resource - Global Reporting Initiative
Biodiversity - a GRI Reporting Resource - Global Reporting Initiative
Biodiversity - a GRI Reporting Resource - Global Reporting Initiative
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Figure 1.1 Business case for diversity<br />
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<strong>Biodiversity</strong> is important to the present and<br />
future operations of all types of organizations,<br />
regardless of their size, sector, or location. By<br />
managing its biodiversity-related activities<br />
proactively, an organization can realize many<br />
benefits (see Figure 1.1):<br />
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Strengthening the license to operate,<br />
grow, and innovate. Consent from a<br />
broad range of stakeholders, including<br />
governments, local communities, financial<br />
institutions, employees, and society, is a<br />
prerequisite for conducting business in a<br />
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successful manner and operating on a longterm<br />
basis. An organization’s performance<br />
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on biodiversity can be a factor in obtaining<br />
this consent.<br />
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Gaining competitive advantage by<br />
operating in a sustainable and responsible<br />
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way. <strong>Biodiversity</strong> receives attention from<br />
all constituencies: governments, business,<br />
non-governmental organizations (NGOs),<br />
and society. An organization’s actions and<br />
performance can influence the decisions<br />
made by these constituencies, such as<br />
governmental investments and policies,<br />
customer preferences, supplier relationships,<br />
competitor strategies, and loan conditions.<br />
Improving stakeholder relations by<br />
responding to their expectations and<br />
demands. Stakeholders expect organizations<br />
to take responsibility for any direct or indirect<br />
impact on biodiversity resulting from either<br />
the organization’s own activities or from<br />
activities in their supply chain. They will<br />
also expect ongoing improvements in an<br />
organization’s environmental performance,<br />
such as continuous investments and<br />
attempts to reduce the ecological footprint<br />
of its activities.<br />
New market opportunities as a result<br />
of the growing demand for products<br />
produced without negative impacts on<br />
the environment. Decisions that anticipate<br />
growing customer preferences, new<br />
regulations, or investor demands can help<br />
differentiate an organization in crowded<br />
product and capital markets.<br />
Long-term stability of operations.<br />
Many organizations will use biodiversity<br />
resources either directly through their own<br />
activities or indirectly through their supply<br />
chain. Conservation and sustainable use of<br />
biodiversity resources ensure that resource<br />
inputs remain consistent over time and,<br />
therefore, help an organization to avoid risks.<br />
The value of biodiversity to organizations<br />
and society is often emphasized in terms of<br />
benefits, risk-avoidance, and other kinds of<br />
direct value, such as the food it delivers, the<br />
water it purifies, and the coastal lines that are<br />
protected. Although all of these values are<br />
important, biodiversity also has an intrinsic<br />
value that many feel merits respect on behalf<br />
of present and future generations.<br />
IMPACTS ON BIODIVERSITY<br />
In general, organizations impact biodiversity<br />
in two ways. First, all organizations make direct<br />
and indirect use of biodiversity resources,<br />
such as in fisheries, forestry, agriculture, and<br />
mining. Second, organizations contribute<br />
to changes in the quantity and/or quality<br />
of biodiversity, either in a positive or a<br />
negative way, through direct activities and<br />
performance or indirectly through secondary<br />
effects or the performance of supply chain<br />
partners (see Box 1). Both kinds of impacts<br />
are significant for biodiversity itself and the<br />
ecosystem services upon which society<br />
depends for survival. Stakeholders therefore<br />
expect organizations to be aware of their<br />
impacts on biodiversity and to adequately<br />
manage potential impacts.<br />
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