The Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Environment, Miguel Arias Cañete, has presented the Spanish Business and Biodiversity Initiative (IEEB) at the Genoa Financial Club in Madrid, a project based on connecting environmental conservation with sustainable economic development.

The Minister of Agriculture, Food and the Environment, Miguel Arias Cañete, has presented the Spanish Business and Biodiversity Initiative (IEEB) at the Genoa Financial Club in Madrid, a project based on connecting environmental conservation with sustainable economic development.

At the event, Arias Cañete was accompanied by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Federico Ramos and the Director of the Biodiversity Foundation, Sonia Castañeda. In addition, the CEO of Ferrovial, Iñigo Meirás; the Co-President of CEPSA; Santiago Bergareche as well as the President of the Club of Excellence in Sustainability, José Longás.

The presentation coincided with the celebration of International Biodiversity Day, where the Biodiversity Pact was signed by the presidents and CEOs of twelve renowned Spanish companies (ABB, BSH Electrodomésticos España, CEMEX España, CEPSA, Endesa, FCC, Ferrovial, Grupo Mahou San Miguel, Heineken España, Holcim España, ISS Facility Services and REE). Gas Natural Fenosa, Grupo Zeltia and Iberdrola have also joined.

Iñigo Meirás, CEO of Ferrovial, pointed out that “it is urgent to find long-term financing formulas that ensure the sustainability of our heritage, guaranteeing the principle of ‘no net loss of biodiversity’, regardless of whether it is in public or private hands”.

For his part, Santiago Bergareche, Co-President of CEPSA, said that “we can be proud, not only to have established policies in our Group in these matters, but also to have been able to materialize with great internal conviction and external support actions in various areas where the company operates.”

Finally, José Longás, President of the Club for Excellence in Sustainability, indicated that they have prepared a Catalogue of Good Business Practices in Biodiversity Management, highlighting the activities that are being carried out in this area by more than forty companies from various sectors of activity that operate in Spain.

The objective of the IEEB is to include the conservation and management of biodiversity in the business strategies of the different business sectors of the Spanish economy. The initiative offers companies an avenue to identify alternative and innovative opportunities and projects.

Thanks to the IEEB, companies will be able to integrate natural capital into business policy and management, value its contribution to the conservation of natural heritage and channel private financing in defence of biodiversity. It is aimed at companies committed to sustainable development, whose objective is to position themselves as leaders in responsible and innovative business management.

To learn more about the Spanish Business and Biodiversity Initiative (IEEB) click here.