Executives Increasingly View Biodiversity as Key to Business Growth

An increasing number of corporate executives, particularly in biodiversity-rich nations of Latin America and Africa, view declines in biodiversity as a challenge to business growth, according to a new study by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). More than 50 percent of chief executive officers surveyed in Latin America and 45 percent in Africa expressed concerns about the loss of “natural capital,” the study found. Only about 20 percent of executives in Europe share those concerns. The report says business leaders who do not address sustainable management could see profits suffer as consumers become increasingly concerned about the loss of ecosystems and biodiversity. According to the study, more than 80 percent of consumers surveyed said they would stop buying products from companies that do not use ethical practices when sourcing materials. Yet despite increasing corporate awareness — and some successful regional responses — rates of biodiversity loss worldwide have not slowed, the study said.