Biodiversity and business and their link to water protection

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Biodiversity and business and their link to water protection

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Integrating biodiversity into a business context

In this document, Multinationals with Spain proposes recommendations aimed at companies and the administration to continue advancing in the improvement of biodiversity and water management.

Regarding measures aimed at companies, firstly, the association proposes an understanding of the importance of biodiversity. On the one hand, it is essential for companies to understand the relationship of their sector of activity and the interaction of their company with nature and biodiversity, both in terms of the impacts they generate and their dependence on natural processes. 

Secondly, it considers an internal evaluation to be a priority , to identify and ensure national and international regulatory compliance; to determine and quantify the impacts, dependencies, risks and opportunities associated with their activity and that affect biodiversity; assess the financial risk associated with biodiversity loss and the impacts produced by the company; as well as identifying operations near areas of special protection, protected species, critical ecosystems and areas of water stress or at risk of flooding.

Thirdly, the authors are committed to water management, starting with the implementation of procedures and controls to guarantee good water quality; ensuring a sufficient quantity and quality of water for the subsistence of the affected ecosystems; promoting and carrying out restoration projects in affected ecosystems, such as the rehabilitation of degraded habitats, the revegetation of deforested areas, the restoration of rivers and wetlands and the recovery of marine and coastal ecosystems; and establishing offset projects to achieve a neutral water balance and mitigate negative impacts on water resources.

Fourth, it advocates for internal and external management, with the integration of biodiversity management into the decision-making process and internal and external communication on the importance of the interconnection between biodiversity and business. Likewise, the design of a policy that addresses the risks associated with biodiversity is considered key, clearly defining the roles and responsibilities of each area of the company, along with the development of internal procedures and manuals to avoid damage. Establishing action plans for biodiversity-related emergencies, applying the mitigation hierarchy in the company's internal strategy and aligning with international reference frameworks on biodiversity, through participation in global initiatives and programmes, are other proposals of Multinationals with Spain for companies.

Regarding the proposals aimed at the administration, Multinationals with Spain is in favor of strengthening strategic alliances with companies from various sectors, as they can facilitate the implementation of restoration projects and compensation of environmental impacts, while obtaining additional financial, technical and logistical resources to carry out conservation actions. such as the restoration of degraded habitats, the reforestation of deforested areas or the recovery of aquatic ecosystems.

To complement existing guidelines focused on nature conservation, the association proposes the creation of a Manual of Good Practices for Biodiversity Conservation, which will provide detailed guidance on concrete actions that can be taken to preserve and protect biodiversity, including habitat restoration strategies, measures to prevent biodiversity loss and sustainable natural resource management practices.

Another of the measures aimed at the administration urges the exploration of a sustainable financing framework specifically dedicated to the conservation and restoration of biodiversity. 

It is also considered appropriate to enhance the value of information relating to biodiversity and the state of nature, through the collection, systematisation and making available to the public all available information on biodiversity and the state of nature. 

Promoting biodiversity restoration and land use plans that follow the principles of prevention, mitigation, compensation and restoration, as well as training administration staff and designating specific managers in charge of ensuring regulatory compliance and monitoring of nature protection measures derived from business projects is essential for Multinationals with Spain.

The publication includes initiatives and projects carried out by companies that are part of Multinationals with Spain such as Accenture. Altadis, Amazon, AWS, Bayer, Beam Suntory, Carrefour, HEINEKEN Spain, HP, IKEA, L'Oréal, Leroy Merlin, P&G and Siemens, evidencing the commitment already acquired by them.

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