Together with large organizations such as KPMG and One Earth, the €150,000 initiative offers dialogue on social, environmental, and economic impacts based on the revision of the Biodiversity Standard
By Equipo de Redacción
Posted in June 14, 2021
Ambipar, together with KPMG and One Earth, supports the revision of the Biodiversity Standard (GRI 304) of the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI). The development of an updated biodiversity standard for sustainability reporting was assessed as necessary as the crisis related to the topic shows that corporations need to take the lead and be more responsible for their impacts on the world.
Funding of over €150,000 (R$920,000) has already been secured as a special project under the Global Standards Fund, allowing GRI to begin planning for the initiative. Together, the international services company KPMG, the Brazilian company and leader in environmental management Ambipar, and the One Earth Foundation, based in the United States (in addition to an individual private donor) committed to supporting the Global Reporting Initiative, safeguarding the neutrality of the GRI Standards definition process.
The Global Sustainability Standards Board (GSSB), the independent body responsible for defining the GRI Standards, identified as a priority in its work plan 2020-2022 the revision of the GRI Standard 304: Biodiversity (2016). With initial resources now guaranteed, the GRI 304 update process and schedule will be released in due course by the GSSB.
All funding arrangements adhere to the GSSB Due Process (GSSB Due Process), which ensures that the Standards are developed independently and transparently, serving the public interest
According to the sustainability director, Onara Lima, the company is committed to practices that enable the circular economy to redefine the common future and use the GRI Standards for credibility, impartiality, and trust in its processes. “We believe that, through the implementation of the GRI Standards, it is possible to materialize our ESG targets and indicators recognized worldwide, enabling transparent communication with our stakeholders. For this reason and because we believe in the importance of biodiversity for the planet, a responsibility of all of us, we support the new GRI Standard on Biodiversity”, she says.
“Ambipar is supporting the GRI project with the objective of standardizing the report for biodiversity, increasingly reinforcing corporate transparency and the commitment to the Preservation of Biodiversity”, completes Onara.
For GRI Chief Development Officer Marco van der Ree, not only is the planet suffering from the loss of biodiversity, but organizations are financially affected in various ways. “In fact, a recent Swiss-Re survey found that 55% of our global GDP depends on well-functioning ecosystems. Therefore, the incentive for companies to contribute to global solutions has never been greater. Understanding its impacts is the first step towards that goal”, he says.
According to Marco, GRI is committed to providing the common global language for sustainability reporting, serving as a catalyst for change. The Global Sustainability Standards Board (GSSB) regularly reviews and updates the Standards to reflect leading global practices in social and environmental impact reporting. “I am grateful to the four initial funders for contributing to a new Biodiversity Standard, which will illuminate the urgent challenges we face,” comments the GRI Chief Development Officer.
The GRI Standards are made available as a free public good, providing a common global language for dialogue on social, environmental, and economic impacts. Still, funders are needed to enable GRI to complete the costly process of researching, developing, and delivering a revised Biodiversity Standard.
About KPMG IMPACT
KPMG IMPACT is a platform to help clients fulfill their purpose, and contribute to the SDGs, including Life on Earth and Life on Water. KPMG is a founding member of the Informal Working Group that develops the Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosures.
About One Earth
One Earth is a philanthropic organization working to accelerate collective action to limit the global average temperature rise to 1.5°C. One Earth supports academic institutions, and NGOs working at the forefront of science for climate and energy, mapping biodiversity, and sustainable agriculture.
About GRI
Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) is the independent international organization that helps companies and other organizations take responsibility for their impacts by providing the common global language for reporting those impacts – the GRI standards.
About Ambipar
Ambipar is committed to practices that enable the Circular Economy to redefine our common future, uniting the Climate, and Biodiversity agendas through innovation for circularity, providing sustainable regenerative recovery, with a focus on actions for preservation. The company is a leader in environmental management, with the mission to contribute so that companies, and society are sustainable, preserving the world for future generations. The commitment to the environment is intrinsic to its business model and its initiatives align environmental preservation with the reduction of the impacts of climate change.
