Tools and Mechanisms

The companies organised in this French initiative are united by a commitment to the environment and to sustainable development. The businesses come from various sectors: steel, aluminium, automobile, chemicals, cements, energy, industry.

The Business Guide to Development Actors is a guide for business managers looking to work with development organizations. This document provides business-oriented profiles of organizations in the sustainable development community. The profiles are prefaced by an analysis of the expanding scope for collaboration between the private sector and development organizations.

A Gateway to Payment for Ecosystem Services (PES): Using payments for ecosystem services for livelihoods and landscapes

Designed to help companies operating in emerging markets better understand their relationship to biodiversity issues and how they can effectively manage those issues to improve business performance and benefit from biodiversity.

The mission of the ACS Green Chemistry Institute® (ACS GCI) is to enable and catalyze the implementation of green chemistry and engineering principles into all aspects of the global chemical enterprise.

The African Biodiversity Conservation and Innovations Centre (ABCIC) was established in 2010 as a non-profit making regional organization enhancing the conservation and sustainable utilization of biodiversity for posterity, environmental preservation and sustenance of livelihoods for the African rural communities. ABCIC primarily focuses on agrobiodiversity and adopts an integrated approach that carefully balances conservation imperatives with the sustainable use through facilitating and promoting production, product development and enhancing marketing of biodiversity products through a value chain approach. ABCIC implements its mandate through applied research, technical advice and strengthening of African institutions involved in agrobiodiversity conservation and use, value chains and capacity building. ABCIC develops strategic partnerships and works in close collaboration with a network of partners for synergy and making the best use of competitive advantages.

Improves the regulation of fishing vessels on the high seas by strengthening ‘flag-state responsibility'. Parties to the Agreement must ensure that they maintain an authorisation and recording system for high seas fishing vessels and that these vessels do not undermine international conservation and management measures.

Standards for fair-trade artisanal gold, silver and platinum. Standard Zero for fairtrade artisanal gold and associated silver and platinum (2009).

WWF works with farmers, retailers, NGOs, scientists and other aquaculture industry stakeholders worldwide to develop standards for responsible aquaculture. The standards will minimize the key environmental and social impacts associated with aquaculture.

Responsible for working with independent, third party entities to certify farms that are in compliance with the standards.

Encourage citizens to appreciate architecture as a matter of public interest and as an essential element in the creation of quality in the built environment. They have specific policies related to sustainable construction that include promotion of sustainable design for resource conservation, energy efficiency, and ecologically and socially sensitive land-use.

ANSAB is a civil society organization committed to biodiversity conservation and economic development through community-based, enterprise-oriented solutions. ANSAB works across South Asia and places community empowerment and economic incentives at the heart of its approach, believing that as people benefit from natural resoruces they become more motivated to protect them - and vice-versa.

ADB is an international development finance institution whose mission is to help its developing member countries reduce poverty and improve the quality of life of their people in the Asia and Pacific region.

A construction industry association operating in partnership with its nationwide network. It provides a range of services in order to improve the quality of construction and protecting the public interest. It has produced a toolkit for recycling materials.

A non-profit organization that restores and researches biodiversity of Satoyama and waterside. They created accreditation system of 環境再生医 (environmental restoration doctor.) and assist environmental education, enlightenment, research and human resource training with Japanese government, local authorities and companies.

This program provides the assurance that audited lodging facilities have met environmental best practice standards that are required for a rating of one to five Green Leafs.

This business section of the A-Z provides a detailed analysis of the business relevance of the different areas of biodiversity importance included in the A-Z. This information is intended to supplement the information on business relevance provided for each type of area on their specific pages. The areas and designations listed in this guide are all important to biodiversity and its conservation to varying degrees. They present a range of risks and opportunities to business, which operate at several scales, from local to global. In order to understand the relative relevance of these areas to businesses that are, or are anticipating, operating in or near such areas, there is a need to carefully examine various characteristics of areas that can influence how an individual company operates. Here, we provide an analysis of three of these characteristics – legal status and compliance, biodiversity, and socio-cultural values.

The Global Aquaculture Alliance Best Aquaculture Practices standards in a certification system that combines site inspections and effluent sampling with sanitary controls, therapeutic controls and traceability. By implementing BAP standards, program participants can better meet the demands of the growing global market for wholesome seafood produced in an environmentally and socially responsible manner. Best Aquaculture Practices offers a primarily "process" certification. Successful participation in the Best Aquaculture Practices program is visually represented by limited use of the BAP certification mark.

Provides principles and criteria for cotton production that include general biodiversity considerations, and works with farmers and other stakeholders in the supply chain to share best practice and knowledge.

Multistakeholder collaboration working to provide standards and a certification scheme that enables farmers to produce sustainable sugar. The standard contains specific reference to biodiversity and was finalised in November 2009.