#08 - Getting inspired: 3 front-runners who assessed their biodiversity impacts at the corporate level

This eight issue of The Nature Intelligence Newsletter showcases the approaches used, lessons learnt and actions implemented following Biodiversity Footprint Assessment conducted by companies from three industries. It covers:

• the first Biodiversity Footprint Assessment conducted from Upstream to Downstream - Schneider Electric & manufacturing
• identifying priority levers and moving to reduce impacts - Hermès & luxury
• conducting yearly assessments in-house - Decathlon & sporting good retailer and manufacturer
• not alone: dozens of companies following the front-runners

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Schneider Electric, the first end-to-end corporate Biodiversity Footprint Assessment

Back in 2020, biodiversity impact measurement tools at the corporate level were still in their infancy and metrics such as the Mean Species Abundance (see issue #01 of my newsletter) were totally unknown. 施耐德电气 , a company whose strategy is strongly aligned with sustainable goals related to climate, decided to use one of the emerging tool, the Global Biodiversity Score, to explore its biodiversity footprint (and more exactly its impacts on ecosystem condition) and inform its strategy.

Following the assessment, it shared its experience and encouraged other companies to follow suit, publishing a detailed document with figures from this first Biodiversity Footprint Assessment (BFA) as well as a shorter 5 pager summary. The assessment also informed its biodiversity commitments.

This first BFA was further dissected as a standardised case-study curated by the EU B@B Platform. I encourage everyone with an interest in the topic to delve into it, as it provides an excellent overview of all the key issues around corporate biodiversity impact measurement.

Hermès, quietly acting to reduce impacts on biodiversity

In a totally different industry, relying more on livestock husbandry and agriculture (in particular for the leather it uses in its products) than on mining (as Schneider Electric does for the metals embedded in its products), Hermès also assessed its impacts on biodiversity - again more precisely on ecosystem condition - relatively early on. The disclosure in its Universal Registration Document illustrates what it learned and how it started using the results to inform its strategy and its actions.

Decathlon, internalising the assessment

The third example I'd like to highlight is Decathlon : it took a different approach to its peers and trained staff internally to use the Global Biodiversity Score and assess its footprint at group level. The assessment has been repeated several times and is refined each year. Results are reported in its Non financial reporting declaration.

These front-runners are not alone: dozens of companies have followed their paths

"With this publication, our wish is to demonstrate that biodiversity quantification is possible and to invite other corporations to assess their footprint. We must fast-track the adoption of reporting best practices, and transparent disclosure is also part of the journey."

That quote originates from the white paper published by 施耐德电气 in 2020. Overall, this wish was fulfilled with dozens of companies undertaking a similar journey and assessing their impacts.

Remark: all the examples listed in this issue of the Nature Intelligence Newsletter revolve around the Global Biodiversity Score since the number of assessments conducted with the tool is more transparent. It is harder to come up with proper estimates of assessments conducted with other tools. Please let me know in comments assessments you are aware of, so that I can highlight them in future issues!

"50+ companies is at the same time great and a very low number compared to the number of companies which should assess their impacts."

At The Biodiversity Footprint Intelligence Company (BioInt) , we believe regulations, finance and demand from consumers and clients will drive companies to adopt more ambitious biodiversity strategy. These front-runners showed the path, hundreds of companies now have to follow their footsteps, assess their impacts, commit and act for biodiversity.

Please share your thoughts in comments! And please let me know if there is a topic you'd like me to cover in the future!

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Disclaimer: all views are mine and do not represent any institution or initiative's.

Access previous issues of the Nature Intelligence Newsletter:

Case studies and examples

#01 - Impacts on ecosystem integrity of a listed equity index assessed for the first time - STOXX600

Ecosystem condition definition and metrics

#02 - All you ever wanted to know about the MSA

#03 - Ecosystem condition: the indicator to watch for corporate biodiversity performance

Biodiversity measurement tools

#04 – Differences between the corporate biodiversity metrics

#05 - Charting path: navigating the biodiversity tool wilderness - part 1 - The compasses

#06 - Charting path: navigating the biodiversity tool wilderness - part 2 - The map

#07 - Charting path: navigating the biodiversity tool wilderness - part 3 - Tools for financial institutions

Credits: the cover of this issue was made using Bing Copilot Designer.