Ecosystem Services
A shift is occurring in how environmental issues are understood and addressed, from a focus on discrete issues to an integrated ecosystems-based approach. The implications for business may be an expansion of corporate environmental management and performance expectations.
This group focuses on emerging risks and opportunities associated with corporate reliance on, impact to, and revenue opportunities from ecosystem services and environmental markets. We track the emergence of new environmental performance expectations associated with ecosystem services, new decision-making aids, and policy uptake of ecosystem service concepts.
Working Group Overview
Overall State of Play Reviews
- The Quiet (R)Evolution in in Expectations of Corporate Environmental Performance (2012)
- BSR Insight article: Part 2. Corporate Environmental Performance in Practice (2012)
- BSR Insight article: Part 1. The Quiet Revolution: The Changing Expectations of Corporate Environmental Performance (2012)
policy tracking
- Global Public Sector Trends in Ecosystem Services, 2009—2011 Summary (2012)
- 2009 State of Global Ecosystem Services Policy Developments (2009)
tools assessments
- New Business Decision-Making Aids in an Era of Complexity, Scrutiny, and Uncertainty (2011)
- Relevant Database-Oriented Tools for Potential Use With Multi-Ecosystem Services Tools (2011)
- BSR Insight article: Measuring Environmental Performance: The Business Case for New Tools (2010)
- Future Expectations of Corporate Environmental Performance (2010)
- Supplementary Materials for Future Expectations of Corporate Environmental Performance (2010)
- Measuring Corporate Impact on Ecosystems: A Comprehensive Review of New Tools (2008)
introductory articles on ecosystem services
Why Join?
- Connect with leading experts, ecosystem services tool developers, and policy makers through structured and facilitated meetings.
- Receive structured context for due diligence on emerging issues and potential corporate “points of view” on those issues.
- Collaborate with cross-industry groups of peers looking at similar emerging issues.
- Develop close working relationships with BSR experts who can help you think through emerging issues and their relevance to companies and industries.
Key Activities for Participants
- Collaborate with tool developers, government officials, and industry leaders at an annual forum to discuss emerging tool and policy trends.
- Synthesize corporate experiences and recommend next steps related to pilot applications of ecosystem services concepts and tools within corporate settings.
- Track and obtain analysis of global ecosystem services-related policy developments.
Participants
- AngloGold Ashanti North America, Inc.
- Barrick Gold
- BG Group
- BP p.l.c.
- Chevron Corporation
- The Dow Chemical Company
- Eni S.p.A.
- Exxon Mobil Corporation
- Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.
- Royal Dutch Shell
- The Walt Disney Company