In this blog, IFNC Coordinator ORLAITH DELARGY announces an exciting new project on business and biodiversity in Ireland... & has a request for Forum members.
More and more businesses are waking up to the fact that their success relies on a healthy environment. They are joining global movements to halt biodiversity loss, such as the Business for Nature coalition, and investors are demanding more transparency on this topic through, for example, the call for a Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures.
Irish businesses should be a part of this global conversation.
The Business & Biodiversity Project
Now, the IFNC along with Optimize, AECOM and Micheál Ó Cinnéide are leading a study for the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht (DCHG) and the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation (DBEI) to examine how this can be achieved.
Aims
The project seeks to:
Understand business impacts and dependencies on biodiversity;
Identify the biodiversity actions that Irish businesses have taken to date (e.g. planting wildflower meadows, engaging employees, examining supply chains to minimise negative environmental impacts, etc.); and
Explore businesses’ views on potentially establishing an Irish Business and Biodiversity Platform to support further engagement and action to protect and enhance biodiversity and the natural environment.
Key sectors
We need your input to achieve these aims. The project will focus on the following eleven sectors, derived from the EU’s NACE sector codes:
Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing
Cement Manufacturing
Chemical and Pharmaceuticals Manufacturing
Construction
Energy
Food and Beverage Manufacturing
Hospitality and Tourism ICT
Mining, Quarrying and Peat Retail
Transportation and Storage
Water
Wood & Paper Products.
How can you get involved?
Well, if you are an Irish business (large or small, public or private sector), you can fill out this
quick survey. We will then conduct more detailed interviews with certain industry representatives, and towards the end of the project, we’ll publish the findings of our research and host a webinar to get your feedback.
Why should you participate?
Companies in these sectors can benefit from investing and replenishing the natural capital assets that they impact or depend on, including biodiversity. Acting to protect and enhance biodiversity can open up new markets, for example, environmentally conscious consumers. But it’s not just about improving brand value – businesses that understand their impacts and dependencies on biodiversity can improve their resilience to shocks and changes in global supply chains in an increasingly uncertain world.
Why now?
This is a critical moment for business action on the climate and biodiversity emergency, with the UN Convention on Biological Diversity currently developing its next strategy, and the EU revising its Business @ Biodiversity Platform.
Ireland should not be left behind - we look forward to engaging with you!
If you have any questions, please contact Orlaith at coordinator@naturalcapitalireland.com