SWEDISH VATTENFALL HAVE THE BEST REPORTING ON BIODIVERSITY IN EUROPE
This year, the Ecogain Biodiversity Index (EBI) examined how close to 400 of Europe's largest companies report on biodiversity. Swedish enegy company Vattenfall is at the top of the list. In second place are French Engie and Finnish Stora Enso OYJ, followed by the French luxury brand Louis Vuitton.
Last year, only the Nordic and Baltic countries were examined, and Vattenfall took home first place. The company has continued its work for biodiversity, both through direct measures and with research and development projects. The company strives to achieve a net positive impact on biodiversity by 2030 and has integrated biodiversity assessments into its business processes.
– Being in the top of this year’s biodiversity index is truly a recognition of our long-term and persistent work by many Vattenfall colleagues. It is of highest priority to continue reducing our biodiversity footprint by delivering on our climate targets and by creating positive impacts through our biodiversity projects and R&D investments. The energy transition is crucial in order to halt the biodiversity loss and we do our utmost to ensure that our investments are done in co-existence with nature, says Anna Borg, CEO Vattenfall.
There is a strong tendency for industries that have a direct impact on biodiversity to have higher EBI scores than industries where the impact is further down the value chain. But this year, more than 50% of the audited companies in the Consumer Staples industry have set goals for biodiversity. For example, British American Tobacco is high on the list.
– For this type of company, the impact and dependencies on biodiversity is less obvious than for companies with a direct land impact, for example in the forest or mining industry. The relatively high figure we now see in consumer goods therefore testifies that these companies have identified biodiversity as an important factor in their value chain. All organizations have dependencies, and impact on biodiversity somewhere in their operations. Identifying and mapping these, is the first step towards creating a strategy for biodiversity. This means that companies also can take measures to secure their business model in the long term, says Fredrik Höök, CEO of Ecogain.
The upward trend for biodiversity in the business sector continues slow but steadily upwards. In the 2020 report, none of the Swedish companies examined had set concrete goals in line with science for biodiversity. This year, that figure is 10% for Swedish companies and for the whole of Europe slightly higher at 14%.
The process of incorporating biodiversity into operations is still slow. 31% of the companies surveyed for this year's Ecogain Biodiversity Index does not mention biodiversity in their sustainability reports at all.
This fall, the report expands to include the largest companies in the United States.
The full report can be downloaded from Ecogain's website:
https://www.ecogain.se/ecogain-biodiversity-index
For more information and further comments on the analysis, contact:
Fredrik Höök, CEO of Ecogain, tel: +46 (0) 10-405 90 07
e-mail: Fredrik.hook@ecogain.se
Pictures for free publication:
Emelie Ousbäck, marketing manager Ecogain, tel: +46 (0) 10 405 90 03
e-mail: emelie.ousback@ecogain.se
https://en.ecogain.se/
Ecogain has almost 20 years of experience in creating opportunities for social and business development with nature in mind, together with the business community. It has given Ecogain a reputation as one of the country's sharpest knowledge companies in ecology, species and ecosystems. Ecogain works vertically, from strategy at the executive level to planning and carrying out direct efforts on the ground and in water. This is Ecogain's unique way of working. Some of Ecogain's customers are LKAB, Vattenfall, Boliden, Södra, OX2, Holmen Energi, Systembolaget and Svenska kraftnät. Ecogain also operates the Swedish corporate network Business @ Biodiversity Sweden.
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