Biodiversity conservation actions as a tool to improve the management of sustainable corporations and their needs ecosystem services

• Published in: Journal of cleaner production 2019-05, Vol.219, p.1-10
• Main Authors: Reale, Ricardo, Magro, Teresa Cristina, Ribas, Luiz César
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Climate changes; Ecosystem services; LIFE methodology; Natural areas; Sustainability
• ISSN: 0959-6526; 1879-1786
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.02.039

In the Anthropocene era, ecosystem productivity decreasing due to Global temperatures increasing and the biodiversity loss. Thus, are imperative that natural areas be explored under sustainable precepts, respecting and stimulating, the resilience and resistance of the ecosystems. To examine the relation of sustainable companies and the ecosystem services, we investigated all companies listed in the Corporate Sustainability Index (ISE) of Brazilian stock exchange (B3), considered as having as best sustainable practices of the Brazilian market. We analyzed if corporations dependently of provisioned ecosystem services recognizes the importance of sustainable practices for restocking the ecosystem services of natural areas that they explored. Data were collected reading socio-environmental reports. The LIFE certification methodology (Lasting Initiative for Earth) was used as guide-reading, making possible qualify and quantify the externalities and mitigations of each company. From seven companies examined, six not developed sufficient actions to mitigate their externalities. One company, from the forest sector, mitigated 40% of entire externalities calculated for all companies. Therefore, introduce biodiversity conservation actions in management systems contributes to achieving sustainable principles and the environmental conscious exploration. Additionally, the LIFE methodology can be used to improve sustainable policies of companies, mitigating their externalities, and approximating companies to achieve more easily the Paris Agreement through recompose the ecosystem services. •Quantification of environmental actions developed by companies directly dependents of ecosystems services.•Data collected in sustainability reports of companies listed on portfolio ISE of Brazilian stock exchange.•The LIFE certification methodology used to measure biodiversity conservation actions.•Only one company develops more biodiversity conservation actions to restock ecosystem services in the environment.•Potential to achieve Paris Agreement efficiently mitigating calculated externalities.