June 18, 2012
24 Companies Representing $500 Billion Announce Commitments Underscoring Business Value of Nature
By Amy O’Meara.
Today in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, CEF and The Nature Conservancy unveiled the groundbreaking results of the initiative first announced last September at the Clinton Global Initiative, to catalyze a globally significant set of private sector-led commitments to action that—in their aggregate—powerfully demonstrate the business logic of ramping up investments to safeguard critical “natural infrastructure” around the world.
24 major companies representing over $500 billion in combined revenues rose to the challenge. Alcoa, CH2M HILL, The Clorox Company, Coca-Cola, Darden Restaurants, Dell, Dow Chemical, Duke Energy, Ecolab, EKO Asset Management, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, FEMSA, General Motors, Hanesbrands, Kimberly-Clark, Lockheed Martin, Marriott International, Nike, Patagonia, TD Bank, Unilever, The Walt Disney Company, Xerox, and Weyerhaeuser have each brought forward bold new initiatives that make it clear that safeguarding Earth’s natural assets is a business imperative and not just a matter of philanthropy. Their work is showcased in a groundbreaking new e-report, The New Business Imperative: Valuing Natural Capital, designed to catalyze private sector action and accelerate scalable solutions globally. The report was launched today in a press conference at the Rio Earth Summit Corporate Sustainability Forum.
Designed for senior business executives, The New Business Imperative: Valuing Natural Capital illustrates the tangible value that nature provides in concise, business-friendly language. Presented in a highly readable electronic format, the report features 24 new commitments and includes 70 additional company examples across industries. It also outlines a practical action framework and highlights the best-available tools for companies wishing to incorporate ecosystems and biodiversity into business strategy.
While individual approaches of companies vary, together these commitments underscore a compelling case for safeguarding critical forest, freshwater and marine systems that produce goods and services pivotal to long-term business continuity and global economic growth. The report’s bottom-line message: taking action today to protect ecosystems can advance core business interests by reducing risks, controlling costs, protecting brands, and fueling growth.
>READ THE E-REPORT or DOWNLOAD THE OFFLINE PDF
