The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) released on Friday, April 8th, its Guide to Corporate Ecosystems Valuation. The guide provides a framework for improving corporate decision-making through valuing ecosystem services. According to WBCSD, the guide is a first of its kind report focused on the needs of business in evaluating sustainability opportunities.
The guide was developed in conjunction with the International Conservation of Nature, World Resources Institute, ERM (lead author) and PWC. The 18-month collaborative process included "road testing" by 14 companies including Akzo Nobel, Rio Tinto, Syngenta and Veolia Environment. These partners agree that business depends on biodiversity and ecosystem services and that the guide can help business manage risk and consider new opportunities in these areas.
The WBCSD is a CEO-led, global association of some 200 companies dealing exclusively with business and sustainable development.
The Council provides a platform for companies to explore sustainable development, share knowledge, experiences and best practices, and to advocate business positions on these issues in a variety of forums, working with governments, non-governmental and intergovernmental organizations.
The Council's objectives are to:
- Be a leading business advocate on sustainable development;
- Participate in policy development to create the right framework conditions for business to make an effective contribution to sustainable human progress;
- Develop and promote the business case for sustainable development;
- Demonstrate the business contribution to sustainable development solutions and share leading edge practices among members;
- Contribute to a sustainable future for developing nations and nations in transition.
The guide is available from http://www.wbcsd.org/.