How do Businesses Use Biodiversity?

Companies use biodiversity

Most businesses use natural resources, such as paper, food products and clean water, somewhere in their operations. These resources are a function of a stable environment, maintained by complex interactions between a diverse range of species. For example, bees and other insects are needed to pollinate many crops, including many tree species; pollinators in turn need an unknown number of other species of plants and animals to provide the right habitats and food types. It is impossible for anyone to replicate such ecosystems with a few species; instead, we need to maintain characteristic biodiversity so that the right conditions are created through the complex interactions of these species. The costs incurred by a company following the loss of ecosystem services, and the resources they support, are unpredictable but likely to be considerable.

Companies depend on biodiversity

Biodiversity helps to maintain a healthy and stable environment in which a business can operate; its conservation is increasingly viewed by scientists and economists as a key part of economic stability. In the short-term, biodiversity affects business success because of its contribution to maintaining stable operating conditions. For example, wetlands, home to many species, provide a natural drainage system which can reduce the risk of flooding. Safeguarding and enhancing biodiversity is a key pillar of the Government's Sustainable Development Strategy for the UK, as published in their statements on sustainable development : Securing the future - UK Government strategy for sustainable development (2005) and; One Future Different Paths - The UK's Shared Framework for Sustainable Development (2005).

The Government has clearly stated that the pursuit of sustainable development must involve all sectors of society - including business. So what is the UK Government doing about biodiversity, how is this relevant to business and what can different business sectors do to contribute? See UK Obligations to find out.

English Nature has devised a sectoral analysis to increase understanding of the ways key business and industries impact on nature conservation. For more information click here.

Photo Credit: Peter Wakely/English Nature