- The new Pact for Biodiversity and Natural Capital offers different participation formulas adapted to the degree of ambition that the associated companies wish to assume
- A Community of Practice is launched, open to small, medium and large companies. It aims to be a knowledge centre and a space for dialogue between the public and private sectors that will organise forums and workshops, to help companies incorporate biodiversity into their management
The new Global Biodiversity Framework, which aims to reverse biodiversity loss by 2030 and ensure a future in harmony with nature, requires large companies, multinationals and financial institutions to identify and disseminate their risks, impacts and dependencies on nature. This should accelerate the incorporation of the private sector into the conservation and restoration of biodiversity and will be an opportunity for business actions with a positive impact on nature. In this context, and after ten years of existence, the Spanish Business and Biodiversity Initiative (IEEB), coordinated by the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, is renewed, providing itself with tools to respond to the current regulatory framework and the progress made by the business sector. This change has been the result of a consultation process with the private sector and with other actors involved in civil society and academia. On the one hand, a new membership model has been designed. The IEEB Biodiversity and Natural Capital Pact has been redefined to allow large, medium and small companies that want to join to publicly endorse the objectives of the new Global Biodiversity Framework and make commitments adapted to the degree of ambition they wish to assume. In addition, to accommodate all types of entities interested in the field of business and biodiversity, the IEEB offers another formula for participation that, without requiring adherence to the Pact, allows access to all the activity and knowledge that is generated. Regardless of the formula chosen, participation is subject to a code of conduct that supports companies committed to greenwashing practices. On the other hand, in this new stage, a Community of Practice has been created, open to all participants, which offers a centre of advanced knowledge and a space for dialogue between the public and private sectors where opportunities for public-private collaboration can be explored, updated information on the regulatory context, initiatives and tools of interest and good practices exchanged. In the coming months, within the framework of the Community of Practice, the IEEB will organize webinars and workshops that will allow progress in three priority lines. The first will focus on promoting the integration of biodiversity issues into the decision-making processes of companies and financial bodies. Specifically, in this area, it is planned to address issues related to deforestation-free forests, ecological restoration and conservation, and sustainable investment. The second will address methodologies and tools for the measurement and assessment of impacts and dependencies of nature and the assessment of risks and opportunities for companies. The third will be aimed at providing information to companies on opportunities and implications arising from the regulatory context associated with the post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework. ABOUT THE SPANISH INITIATIVE BUSINESS AND BIODIVERSITY
The IEEB is a public-private collaboration platform that seeks to add the business sector to the improvement and maintenance of biodiversity and natural capital. It is aimed at entities in the business sector that want to know, explore opportunities, advance and show their commitment to nature conservation.
Promoted by the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, the IEEB is part of the European Business and Biodiversity Platform and the Global Business and Biodiversity Alliance. It also participates in international projects (SUSTAIN, BIODIVERSA+ and ALIGN) to generate and transfer knowledge that helps identify, assess and evaluate the impacts and dependencies of biodiversity and coordinates with other business and biodiversity initiatives through its strategic partners (Spanish Group for Green Growth, CEOE, Forética, Club of Excellence in Sustainability and Global Nature Foundation). All the information about this new stage and how to participate can be consulted on https://ieeb.fundacion-biodiversidad.es/.
