Ecosystems Services for Corporate Decision Making: Stakeholder Dialogue

Hosted by the World Resources Institute, INSPIRE Institut, and UNEP

This World Resources Institute (WRI) and INPSPIRE Institute dialogue will gather a select group of experts in biodiversity, ecosystem services, and corporate sustainability to advance thinking on the integration of ecosystem services concepts into existing corporate decision making systems, tools, and procedures.

Location

AgroParisTech- 16 rue Claude Bernard- 75005 Paris

Background

Since publication of the Corporate Ecosystem Services Review (ESR) in March, 2008, an estimated 200-300 companies have used the method. They report that the ESR added value to existing environmental management tools and due diligence systems by:

1. Uncovering new risks and opportunities, mostly related to regulating ecosystem services
2. Revealing the dependence business units have on ecosystem services, not just impacts
3. Linking business activity directly with the health of ecosystems, not just measuring throughputs

Managers noted the ESR’s ability to educate staff and spur innovation, and how its flexibility allowed it to be used across sectors and departments. They also expressed interest in standardizing the use of the ESR’s core concepts by embedding them into existing corporate decision making systems, tools, and procedures.

In response, WRI, with sponsorship from the UNEP, launched the Ecosystem Services for Corporate Decision Making project to develop guidelines for this integration. The dialogue on March fifth will provide experts an opportunity to guide this project’s work. Special attention will be given to:

• ISO standards for Environmental Management Systems
• Global Reporting Initiative’s framework for Sustainability Reporting, and
• United Nations Global Compact’s Performance Model

Background materials

Relevant materials include:

• Corporate Ecosystem Services Review
• Measuring Nature’s Benefits: A Preliminary Roadmap for Improving Ecosystem Service Indicators
• Global Reporting Initiative, ISO, and Performance Model documents

Output

This dialogue will produce:

• A list of prioritized systems, tools, and procedures for the project to address
• Key concepts necessary for the integrating ecosystem services into priority systems, tools, and procedures
• A framework for developing ecosystem services-based corporate performance metrics

Agenda

8:30 - Registration & coffee
9:00 - Welcome and Introductions (Proléa Representative; Emmanuel Delannoy, INSPIRE; Cornis Van der Lugt, UNEP DTIE)
10:00 - Ecosystem services (John Finsidore, WRI)

• Review of ecosystem services concepts
• Corporate Ecosystem Services Review
• Q&A and discussion
• Gap analysis
• ESR vs. existing corporate decision making systems, tools, and processes

11:00 - Coffee & snack break
11:30 - GRI (Group 1) Integration of ecosystem services

• Review of gap analysis
• Presentation of draft guidance
• Q&A and discussion

11:30 - ISO 14,001 (Group2)
Integration into ecosystem services (Ira Feldman, Irbaris)

• Review of gap analysis
• Presentation of draft guidance
• Q&A and discussion

12:30 - Lunch
13:30 - Group 1 GRI

• Discussion of draft guidance

13:30 - Group 2 ISO 14,001

• Discussion of draft guidance (Ira Feldman, Irbaris)

15:00 - Coffee & snack break
15:30 - Report from each group (John Finisdore, WRI)
16:00 - Thank you & next steps (Cornis Van der Lugt, UNEP DTIE; Emmanuel Delannoy, INSPIRE)