Business

Startup fills climate data gap with AI intelligence to boost decarbonisation

Szilvia Szabó — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 16:17:43 +0000

Startup fills climate data gap with AI intelligence to boost decarbonisation

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Carbon Management

Carbon Emission

Start-up

Topic

Carbon Management

Despite the skyrocketing number of net-zero emission pledges set by countries, companies, and other entities, greenhouse gas emissions still need to be reduced by 43 per cent by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050 globally, according to the United Nations' latest figures.

While carbon management is becoming increasingly a core business activity, collecting and analysing data presents challenges since emissions must be tracked across direct, indirect and value chain activities as these inputs are classified as Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions in reporting systems.

Lara Obst, Co-Founder and Chief Climate Officer at ClimateChoice, a Berlin-based climate tech company, highlights that supply chain emissions typically account for over 80 per cent of a company’s total carbon footprint.

“We chose to focus on Scope 3 emissions because they represent a significant but often overlooked part of the decarbonisation journey,” she explains, adding that this area is a critical blind spot for many organisations.

Co-Founders of climate tech startup, ClimateChoice: Dr. Rey Farhan, Lara Obst and Yasha Tarani (left to right)

“With upcoming regulations like the European Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) requiring over 50,000 companies to report and address Scope 3 emissions starting in 2025, taking action is no longer optional — it’s essential.”

ClimateChoice provides an AI-first climate intelligence platform specifically designed for procurement and climate teams to empower businesses to accelerate Scope 3 decarbonisation through informed climate choices.

Lara had her “climate aha moment” in 2014 when studying the IPCC* report, which made her realise that 50% of global emissions are concentrated in just eight international supply chains.

She says this recognition fuels her daily work since she firmly believes that addressing this area can transform an overwhelming challenge into a manageable one.

“Our goal is to empower sustainability and procurement leaders with the tools and support they need to overcome these complexities and achieve their Scope 3 reduction targets.

This involves gathering data from hundreds or thousands of suppliers, assessing their climate maturity, accelerating sustainable procurement processes, and implementing structured decarbonisation roadmaps.”

Climate data management presents various challenges, as Lara describes that decision-makers struggle with insufficient input on supplier emissions and climate efforts, which leads to a lack of transparency.

Relying on manual methods like emails and Excel sheets also makes data collection inefficient and prone to errors, slowing progress. In addition, suppliers are often overwhelmed by repetitive requests and unclear processes, leading to lower participation and slower adoption of climate initiatives.

“Our platform automates data collection from publicly available sources, such as sustainability reports, websites and other databases, to create initial climate profiles for suppliers. Companies can then invite their suppliers to enrich these profiles, avoiding the need to start from scratch,”

Lara explains what makes ClimatChoice unique.

“This approach eliminates inefficiencies, enhances transparency, and fosters effective supplier engagement, setting the stage for collaborative decarbonisation efforts.”

ClimateChoice is building a global network of climate-conscious businesses, already having users from over 140 countries, and expanding its reach through an expert-led peer learning initiative, which currently includes 40 leading companies.

One of their recent collaborations with global tech giant Lenovo demonstrates the power of joint climate action through innovative, data-centric approaches as they engaged the multinational company`s international network in decarbonisation efforts.

Leveraging their AI-driven data platform, Lara and her team first analysed a vast amount of public data, typically covering over 100 detailed data points per supplier, to create individualised ClimateChoice Scorecards for each partner, followed by activating accounts that offered secure additional data sharing – including emission metrics, relevant initiatives and climate targets.

“This two-way data flow provided all participants with real-time climate performance benchmarks and tailored feedback, fostering transparency and collaboration across the supply chain,” Lara recalls.

“As a result, Lenovo achieved a Gold rating for climate leadership, while its partners collectively reached a Silver-equivalent rating.“

She adds that companies cannot comply with regulations, effectively track improvements, or build trust with stakeholders without accurate and transparent data, so ClimateChoice strives to turn transparency into action.

Apart from constantly developing and improving their platform, Lara shares that raising awareness and promoting the potential in managing Scope 3 emissions is also an important part of their work.

Winning the Green Startup Slam competition at the Greentech Festival (GTF) Los Angeles event in November was an outstanding opportunity for her to connect with sustainability leaders and impact investors overseas.

Reflecting on this achievement, Lara says: “Being able to share our mission on stage was already a highlight, but winning the competition against such innovative changemakers was beyond anything I anticipated.

This recognition reaffirms that we’re addressing a pressing global problem – one that resonates with many seeking impactful, scalable solutions.”

Lara Obst, Co-Founder and Chief Climate Officer at ClimateChoice pitching at the Green Startup Slam competition at the Greentech Festival (GTF) Los Angeles event in 2024.

Milestones like this further inspire ClimateChoice as a startup to continue driving meaningful action and contributing to the collective effort of turning climate ambitions into tangible results.

“The entire experience at GTF was very inspiring, and it reinforced the importance of knowledge sharing and global networks in achieving our shared climate goals.”

ClimateChoice also offers white papers such as the Scope 3 Strategy Canvas or the Best Practice Guide as part of their educational outreach, in addition to hosting learning programmes and fostering a community of practitioners.

Looking into the future, Lara shares: “Securing $2 million in funding in 2023 has enabled us to scale our platform across industries and geographies, significantly expanding global supply chain coverage. Our next big goal is establishing climate-smart supply chains as the industry standard, driving systemic change and accelerating decarbonisation at scale.”

* IPCC report - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change produces assesment reports on climate change

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World’s largest corporate sustainability initiative opens chapter in Ireland

Climate Journal reporting — Tue, 19 Nov 2024 09:47:22 +0000

World’s largest corporate sustainability initiative opens chapter in Ireland

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SDGs

Climate Action

Business Sustainability

Topic

Business Sustainability

A special initiative of the UN Secretary-General, the United Nations Global Compact, will officially launch its Irish chapter on November 28th at Dublin’s Exo Building to accelerate actions towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) by 2030.

Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General and CEO of the UN Global Compact will open the exclusive event where senior representatives from business, government, academia, and civil society will explore how ambitious change can be implemented for a more sustainable future in Ireland.

At the current COP29, the UN Climate Change Conference held in Baku, Azerbaijan, Ojiambo emphasised that the world is “so far off in terms of climate targets and where we need to be" and that providing clear pathways for the private sector is crucial.

The launch event will provide more insights about the UN Global Compact and programmes such as the Forward Faster initiative, a global platform for credible, ambitious corporate action to guide companies on where to make the most significant impact the fastest.

Nessa Whelan, United Nations Global Compact Ireland Country Manager, highlights that Ireland needs forward-thinking leaders from the private sector committed to prioritising sustainability.

Nessa Whelan, United Nations Global Compact Ireland Country Manager

“The official launch of the network in Ireland marks a groundbreaking milestone towards driving positive, sustainable change. New members can expect to join like-minded organisations that will advance their business beyond mere regulatory compliance towards sustainable actions that add true value through longevity and profitability.”

She adds that since only 17% of the United Nations’ SDGs are on track to be achieved by the 2030 original deadline, introducing the Forward Faster initiative in Ireland to increase accountability and transparency is a major step in accelerating change.

“The Forward Faster initiative will be adopted in Ireland by focusing on key areas where businesses can drive rapid progress on the SDGs. These include gender equality, climate action, living wages, water resilience, and sustainable finance,”

Whelan explains.

The Forward Faster initiative by UN Global Compact aims to accelerate actions to deliver on SDG targets by 2030.

The launch event will feature high-level discussions with national and international speakers, including David McRedmond, CEO of An Post, and Noel Keeley, CEO of Musgraves Ltd and other influential figures, to provide insights, facilitate the exchange of ideas and foster collaborations.

To join the UN Global Compact Network Ireland, businesses must align their operations with the Ten Principles covering human rights, labour standards, environment, and anti-corruption. This requires a public commitment from their CEO and submitting an annual Communication on Progress (CoP).

Regarding benefits for businesses, Whelan says: “Participants receive access to a range of training sessions, workshops, and best practice resources that guide them in embedding sustainability into their operations. Furthermore, they gain visibility for their leadership in sustainability and are supported in meeting emerging regulatory requirements related to sustainable business practices, helping them remain competitive in a changing global economy.”

The UN Global Compact Network Ireland will provide companies with tailored support, resources, and learning opportunities to accelerate their progress while encouraging them to take bold action and lead the way in creating a more sustainable and resilient economy.

To make membership accessible to businesses of all sizes, the annual fee is tiered based on company size and revenue so new registrants can join the network of existing Irish members such as An Post, DAA, Smurfit Kappa, Ryanair, ICON plc, and AIB.

With over 15,000 companies and 3,000 non-business signatories based in over 160 countries, involving 69 Local Networks, the UN Global Compact has become the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative since its launch in 2000, accelerating change at scale to deliver on the SDG targets by 2030.

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Climate tech conference advocates for change in the US despite expected regressive anti-environmental policies

Climate Journal reporting — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 12:06:28 +0000

Climate tech conference advocates for change in the US despite expected regressive anti-environmental policies

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The GTF Connect international event series, initiated by leading global climate innovation platform GREENTECH FESTIVAL, will host two days of thought-provoking discussions, networking and awards to advocate for the green transition in Los Angeles at the iconic Avalon Hollywood on November 14th and 15th.

This year's central theme is “Business as Usual is Dead,” aiming to emphasise the need for a new era where green innovation and leadership drive the economy, and profit-only priorities are in the past.

Nico Rosberg, Sustainability & VC Entrepreneur and co-founder of GREENTECH FESTIVAL, commented: “This year’s GTF Connect in Los Angeles is about uniting to transform today’s unprecedented challenges into opportunities for a better tomorrow.

Business as usual is Dead, and we’re eager to dive deep into what this means for the future of sustainability, innovation, and green technology.”

Nico Rosberg, Sustainability & VC Entrepreneur and co-founder of GREENTECH FESTIVAL

With two main categories, the ‘Start-up’ and ‘Changemaker`, GREEN AWARDS will present exciting US-based climate innovators on the first day.

The lineup for nominees includes start-ups such as Ascend Elements, Twelve, and Lyten, which are making waves by drastically lowering emissions in the battery and jet fuel spaces using innovative materials and technologies.

The conference will take place on the second day and is jam-packed with inspiring leaders and influential creators sharing insights, as well as the GREEN START-UP SLAMS and GREEN INVESTORS CRUNCH sessions with various networking opportunities.

Debates on stage will explore topics like “Can the LA Olympics be a Movement for Good?” and “Is Sustainable Hollywood just another Fairytale?” besides discussing equitable cities, energy transformation, and accessible mobility for all.

One of the renowned speakers, Erin Simon, VP and Head of Plastic Waste at the World Wildlife Fund, says:

“We need to design solutions for the future we want, not the reality we are in. I am not saying we don’t need to be grounded, but we need to think outside of today’s barriers if we want actual change.”

GTF panel discussion, Berlin. Image: GREENTECH FESTIVAL

Attendees will have the chance to hear from changemakers, including Adam Lenz, Head of Sustainability at Waymo, Conyers Davis, Global Director of USC’s Schwarzenegger Institute and Nurit Katz, Chief Sustainability Officer, UCLA, to name a few.

After hosting GTF Connect events in London and Singapore in 2024, the Los Angeles conference will welcome approximately 600 guests, including a 50-person business delegation from Germany led by the Governing Mayor of Berlin, Kai Wegner.

Marco Voigt, Co-Founder of GREENTECH FESTIVAL, shares what drives them to advance the green agenda:

“… green leadership deserves to be recognised, and we want to play our part by providing the platform and inspiration for business leaders to see what’s possible when green business innovation, technology, and leadership unite.

We have learned a lot from our peers across the globe on our 2024 tour, and we’re excited that GTF Connect has the opportunity to return to Los Angeles a second time, especially given that we aim to celebrate and promote green change across the entire planet.”

Those interested in joining the GTF Connect event in Los Angeles can avail free tickets on the event`s website.

The GREENTECH FESTIVAL is a leading global platform for business sustainability, uniting innovators, changemakers and communities to showcase cutting-edge green technologies, share actionable insights and accelerate the decarbonisation of industry.

By expanding globally, the festival aims to celebrate and promote green globally, as organisers firmly believe this world urgently needs sustainable transformation.

Read more insights with Erin Simon, Vice President and Head of Plastic Waste and Business at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), a participant in the "Creating Change" panel discussion at the GTF Connect Los Angeles event on 14-15 November:

Read the article >>

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The Durability Myth: How Fast Fashion Is Rebranding As High-Quality.

UTOPIA-The-Edit — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 17:02:50 +0000

The Durability Myth: How Fast Fashion Is Rebranding As High-Quality.

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Story from: UTOPIA-The-Edit

It seems simple to separate the fast from the fashion: SHEIN is the devil incarnate, and your local earth-toned boutique that stocks small designers is the only way forward.

However, there exists a foggy middle ground, littered with brands attempting to convince consumers of their high quality.

Polished merchandising, sleek mannequins and vague marketing copy are all employed in an attempt to point towards the direction of our favourite buzzword: sustainability.

Fast fashion brands like Zara, H&M, and Abercrombie & Fitch have re-marketed themselves in recent years as higher-quality alternatives to the demonised brands that first spring to mind when we hear the words ‘fast fashion.’

Consumers should not be so easily convinced, since the perception of these garments as durable is antithetical to the push for sustainability in fashion.

...

Read the full article on UTOPIA-The-Edit online magazine>>

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Resetting the economic game in nature’s favour

Szilvia Szabó — Wed, 05 Jun 2024 10:35:04 +0000

Resetting the economic game in nature’s favour

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Nature-positive Economy

Nature Conversation

Sustainable Business

Topic

Sustainable business

Although companies are generally more aware of the climate crisis and are starting to set strategies to manage their carbon footprint, considering nature in goal setting and solutions should be equally essential to their plans.

The UN Environment Program estimates that declines in nature and biodiversity at current trajectories will threaten to reach at least 35 out of 44 of the targets of SDGs.

Eva Zabey, CEO of Business for Nature, a global coalition of more than 90+ partner organisations driving credible business action and policy ambition to achieve a nature-positive economy for all by 2030, says:

“Nature and climate action go hand in hand, and this is why we see nature becoming increasingly central to climate discussions.”

With more than twenty years of working at the nexus of business and nature, her expertise furthers Business for Nature's mission to encourage corporate leaders to accelerate their commitments to biodiversity and support governments in setting ambitious national and global policies in favour of nature.

They collaboratively work on advocacy projects while empowering business action with the support of their partners and leading companies.

Eva Zabey, CEO of Business for Nature

Their campaigns are making a tangible difference, such as the `Make it Mandatory` initiative, which rallied over 400 businesses with over $2tn in revenues to join forces prior to COP15, the UN`s Biodiversity Conference in 2022.

Supported by its partners, the organisation collectively called on governments to pursue a more ambitious `deal for nature` in designing the Global Biodiversity Framework, also known as the Biodiversity Plan, by making nature-related assessments and disclosure mandatory.

Their success and the result send a clear message to large businesses and financial institutions to start assessing and disclosing their risks, impacts, and dependencies on biodiversity, as governments will require them to do so by 2030 at the latest.

The upcoming COP16 will be held in Colombia in October 2024, and Eva explains why it will need to delve deeper into how nations will meet the targets adopted at COP15.

“It will be a key milestone in taking stock of progress and setting the standard for all countries to deliver the Biodiversity Plan. It will be an implementation COP, with countries publishing and showcasing updated National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs).”

She adds that once published, NBSAPs will be implemented through national legislation and regulation that will have direct impacts, opportunities and obligations for businesses.

Business for Nature will collectively urge the adoption of a whole-of-society approach to delivering the mission of the Biodiversity Plan, which aims to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030.

On a practical level, the organisation has developed tools, guidance and campaigns to encourage more companies to transform their business models and value chains.

Developed in collaboration with leading organisations, including the Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosures framework (TNFD), the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), they published the `high-level business actions`, also known as the ACT-D Framework, which stands for the Assess, Commit, Transform and Disclose method.

It provides a structured approach for companies seeking to embed nature in their decision-making, minimise their impacts, and contribute to transforming our economic and financial systems.

Building on the ACT-D framework, they also collaboratively developed tailored guidance for 12 distinct sectors, highlighting each sector’s impacts and dependencies on nature, including hands-on examples and recommendations

A joint global campaign, `It`s Now for Nature`, was launched to amplify their message and get more companies involved in developing and sharing credible strategies using a Nature Strategy Handbook that spotlights best practices and provides practical step-by-step guidance.

Eva explains the importance of this campaigns:

“Rewriting our global economy’s ‘rulebook’ is essential to create a level playing field and enable business and finance to take action at the pace science demands.”

Nature Strategy Handbook highlights best practices and practical guidelines. Image: Business for Nature

Eva strongly believes that companies should act immediately, highlighting that developing nature strategies takes time but that companies that start now will stand to benefit vs those that wait.

“There is a huge amount of help and support out there, and delaying action will lead to more acute risks, and making changes will become even harder to implement. The Biodiversity Plan sets the goal and roadmap, and with new tools and leadership from pioneering companies, every business can now join the collective shift to a nature-positive, net-zero and equitable future."

"Becoming nature-positive is a global goal aiming to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030 on a 2020 baseline and achieve full recovery by 2050, which is practically the nature equivalent to climate’s net zero goals."

She further explains that nature-based solutions can provide a third of the climate mitigation needed, and the world’s oceans, plants, animals, and soils are estimated to absorb half of the human-related carbon emissions over the past decade.

Therefore, valuing and embedding nature in their decision-making will help businesses and economies reach their net-zero goals.

A strong movement gaining momentum is the Nature Positive Initiative, which aims to preserve the integrity of ‘Nature Positive’ as a measurable 2030 global goal for nature for business, government, and other stakeholders. They provide tools and guidance besides advocating for the full implementation of the Biodiversity Plan, otherwise known as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, by governments and other stakeholders.

Illustration of becoming nature positive by the Nature Positive Initiative. Image: Nature Positive Initiative

According to Eva, there is a growing community of companies that recognise they need to scale and speed up their action on nature and want to be open and transparent about their efforts.

She believes their 'It's Now for Nature' campaign offers a public platform to get more engaged.

“Indeed, voluntary business action is and will remain insufficient.

The transformation needed in our economy and within the private sector will only happen if governments urgently adopt, implement and enforce the policies, legislation, regulations and incentives needed for businesses to effectively support the implementation of the Biodiversity Plan by 2030.”

She says that aligning financial flows to nature-positive outcomes is crucial.

This should include a rapid increase in the volume of investment and realising new avenues for revenue creation, such as tax shifts and green finance.

Regarding their plans, Eva shares what she and her team at Business for Nature are working towards: “I would like us to play a key role in raising the urgency and driving action on nature to the same level as climate. This means an ever-greater recognition of the critical relationship between biodiversity loss, climate change, and sustainable development. These are interconnected issues that must be addressed together by business and government.”

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Building success on strong relationship with the land

Bronagh Loughlin — Thu, 16 May 2024 17:19:07 +0000

Building success on strong relationship with the land

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Sustainable Agriculture

Sustainable Business

Sustainable Food

Topic

Sustainable Agriculture

Agriculture is intertwined with nature, and to ensure long-term production, it is vital to adopt practices that keep the soil and surrounding ecosystems healthy.

As a family business located in Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford in Ireland, Slaney Farms has built a reputation for producing high-quality potatoes and leading the way in sustainability under the management of John Stafford and colleagues, led by Farm Manager Ed Tobin since it was established in 1996.

They run their operation on 1,000 acres of land with a fully integrated potato processing system, from planting, growing, and harvesting through to marketing and distribution.

Kylie Doran, Senior Sales Administrator at Slaney Farms, proudly shares: “Our farm operates under the Sustainable Horticulture Scheme. Since 2016, 100% sustainably sourced and recycled paper has been used, and we have reduced the plastic microns in packaging by 20% and the plastic microns in pallet wrap by 52%.

We have measures in our manufacturing process to reduce energy, improve overall vehicle efficiency, reduce general waste, and increase recycling. We also have a rainwater harvesting, recycling, and conservation system in place.”

John Stafford, Managing Director, Slaney Farms

She assures that sustainability is deeply important to Slaney Farms and that the business is committed to opening its eyes to new things and measuring what practices it already has in place to best navigate a path for its farmers and producers to maintain productivity and profitability while embracing practices to protect soils and habitats that enable them to provide fantastic Irish produce.

Kylie says: “For the past 15 years, we have practised minimum tillage in conjunction with cover cropping. We are dedicated cereal and potato growers and we have seen the benefits of incorporating organically produced Irish seaweed in the nutritional growing plan for both its potato and cereal crops.”

Slaney Farms became an Origin Green member in 2017, an initiative run by Bord Bia to empower sustainable farming practices.

Since then, they have set targets in several different business areas, including supplier certification, packaging, energy, fuel, waste, and community engagement.

Managing Director John Stafford says: “We are immensely proud of the targets and goals that have been achieved through the scheme, and we feel the Origin Green journey has helped build on the sustainability measures Slaney Farms has aimed to achieve in the past, the present, and into the future.”

Slaney Farms has achieved gold status for their Origin Green for the last number of years. Image: Slaney Farms

In recognition of their work, they also won first place in the ‘Excellence in Sustainability’ category of the Wexford Chamber Business Awards 2023.

Slaney Farms has recently begun utilising the farm building roof space with solar power.

Kylie explains: “The efficiency of how we use energy is very important, and we have just completed a “Green energy audit” through the Local Enterprise Office Wexford. This has allowed us to highlight some changes that we can make, such as converting some of our lighting over to LED, assessing our insulation and carrying out leak tests on our fridge units.”

Plans for their field practices are changing slightly as well. They recently switched their cover cropping mix to produce higher levels of biomass and also retain N levels in the soil through the use of legumes. They expect to see gains in soil structure and nutrient retention with this change.

Kylie says: “The continued use of crop rotation with root crops, cereals, and cover crop mix has allowed us to reduce our chemical fertiliser, weed control, and disease control applications and rates. Building on this has been vital to our business and sustainability goals.

We expect to see a reduction of approximately 25% for fertiliser this season through this and a significant reduction in our chemical applications to crops.”

Aerial view of Slaney Farms based in Co. Wexford, Ireland. Image: Slaney Farms

Speaking on one measure food producers could implement to enact meaningful change and drive the green transition, Kylie cannot understate the value of embracing the changes in cropping and cropping practices to align with the ever-changing climate.

She emphasises the importance of addressing social and environmental sustainability.

Kylie explains: “Social sustainability and the role we play in our wider community is central to our plans. Since 1996, we have sponsored the local Davidstown/ Courtnacuddy GAA club. We also donate regularly to staff-related charities and events and also local community events.”

She adds: “Through an annual donation to VITA in Ethiopia (an Irish development partner that supports farmers and communities in Africa to facilitate thriving rural climate-smart economies), we help support communities further afield.”

Recognising the importance of a healthy local economy to the community and its people, Slaney Farms strives to support local suppliers, building relationships with them and sourcing more local fruit and vegetables from them each year.

Annually, they support local Wexford strawberry growers by sourcing over half a million euros worth of strawberries for their Slaney brand to supply large retail multiples across the country.

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Why should businesses aim for a nature positive and net-zero economy?

Szilvia Szabó — Thu, 16 May 2024 14:37:42 +0000

Why should businesses aim for a nature positive and net-zero economy?

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Net-zero Economy

Sustainable Business

Nature Positive Economy

Topic

Nature Positive Economy

Companies' net zero targets surged more than 40% between 2022 and 2023, which means that, based on Net Zero Tracker's latest analysis, 66% of the annual revenue of the world’s largest 2000 companies are now committed to net zero goals.

Since it has become inevitable for businesses to set climate agendas, most sustainability strategies and finance are driven by a climate-first approach, sidelining other important areas, such as biodiversity.

“There is a need to emphasise that climate change and loss of nature are inextricably linked since both drive each other, and neither can be solved in isolation,”

says Thomas Ball, Director of Nature and Land Use at KPMG’s Sustainable Futures.

The concept of creating a nature positive economy is gaining momentum in the business, policy, and finance sectors and becoming more recognised as a way to address global ecological and societal challenges.

Based on the definition promoted by the global Nature Positive Initiative, it practically means that we ‘halt and reverse nature loss by 2030 on a 2020 baseline and achieve full recovery by 2050’, also known as the Global Goal for Nature.

As Thomas explains, nature positive is " a world where nature - species and ecosystems - is being restored and is regenerating rather than declining.”

This initiative is directly linked to the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), signed by 190 countries at the COP 15 UN Biodiversity Conference in 2022.

The Nature Positive Initiative advocates for the full implementation of the Biodiversity Plan to reverse nature loss by 2030. Image: Nature Positive Initiative

“Target 15 under the GBF is particularly important for businesses: `Businesses Assess, Disclose and Reduce Biodiversity-Related Risks and Negative Impacts`.

However, it is still challenging to translate these global goals and definitions into tangible actions,” adds Thomas, noting that this will happen sooner rather than later.

Although it is tempting to say that my business is unrelated to nature, very few companies can function in complete isolation from ecosystems, and it is becoming more expensive to keep problems away and pay off rather than address root issues.

He highlights that forward-thinking businesses are already integrating nature and climate strategies and that ready-to-use resources are available to help companies design meaningful plans and outline required steps.

A practical tool he recommends is the LEAP framework, a four-step practical process set out by the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, which stands for Locate, Evaluate, Assess and Prepare.

It starts by locating the company`s direct and indirect interface with nature and biodiversity, then evaluates nature-related impacts and dependencies from the business model and activities, assesses related risks and opportunities, and concludes by disclosing the findings in a report.

The next phase is to develop an integrated climate and nature transition plan with clear, actionable steps to achieve science-based targets in order to build resilience and contribute to a more sustainable economy.

Although it might all seem very logical, it is far from being the business-as-usual practice.

“Nature, in some quarters, continues to play second-order priority to climate change and other ESG topics, but in the main, it is rapidly rising on the agenda,”

shares Thomas.

He adds that "in general, leaders are familiar with nature-related issues but it is a challenge for them to prioritise, make it tangible and divert funding towards this area as it doesn`t seem to have the same urgency as addressing the climate crisis.”

Thomas Ball, Director Sustainable Futures KPMG in Ireland and Lead of the Nature, Biodiversity and Land Use service

“If you don`t consider nature in your decarbonisation process and take the services it provides for granted, you are missing something vital.”

He explains that driving finance into nature protection and restoration is critical.

"Investors should look for co-benefits for nature, climate and people. For example, it's important to plant the right trees in the right place to restore biodiversity, sequester carbon and provide amenity value to communities. This requires a landscape-scale approach and engaging local stakeholders in decision making is critical to that process."

It is also a question of positioning nature-related investments and business strategies to identify new potential growth areas.

Changing the optics on how acceptable it is to exploit or sideline nature could also spark change.

“You would not hear a company disclosing that modern slavery is just an inevitable consequence of running their business - they would know this is unacceptable and needed to be tackled immediately.

We need the same to happen for nature so a company knows that it is unacceptable for their business to be associated with deforestation in the Amazon or in biodiversity rich regions such as Borneo."

However, he notes that “The list of requirements and challenges for businesses is immense, and so many don’t have the capacity or personnel to take on what is regarded as a separate or less important issue.”

Education and collaboration are the key components Thomas thinks will be critical to making the necessary changes, especially in the field of connecting the finance sector with environmental conservationists, as they are generally very different communities.

Despite the challenges, some encouraging progress has been made in Ireland, such as the recent Citizen’s Assembly on Biodiversity Loss or the publication of the 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan in Ireland.

“The tone and scope of the conversation have changed, and there is more openness and willingness to learn and consider the importance of the topic. This has yet to translate into any radical shifts in how we do business in Ireland or globally, but we are starting to see some positive signs.”

We need to build up the skillset that allows people in various roles to understand business and nature alike so they can connect the dots and drive projects that integrate both.

A great example is building the Peatland Finance Ireland initiative that offers an innovative model for funding and rewarding peatland restoration while engaging multiple stakeholders in aligning the carbon, water and biodiversity agendas with opportunities for communities and regional development.

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Building the business case for biodiversity in Ireland

Szilvia Szabó — Thu, 16 May 2024 13:56:42 +0000

Building the business case for biodiversity in Ireland

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The World Economic Forum warned in 2020 that, based on the New Nature Economy Report, approximately $44 trillion of economic value is at moderate or severe risk due to nature loss.

The continued loss of biodiversity and degradation of nature is a looming threat to businesses and communities alike.

“Businesses have a critical role in nature stewardship, but it is challenging to bring their attention to biodiversity and make the link between their operations and impacts visible,” says Lucy Gaffney, Platform Manager at Business for Biodiversity Ireland.

She adds that while some companies are more dependent on and related to nature than others, most have some relationship with it regardless of size or industry.

“A bank, an agribusiness, or a mining company has a completely different relationship with nature.”

According to Lucy, one standard practice is that organisations tend to externalise their impact, which can give the illusion of minimal responsibility and impact.

“It`s the case with Ireland, where you often hear the argument falsely claiming that we are such a small island, so we have no significant impact on biodiversity. In reality, we are very good at using supply chains, leaving the troubles outside the country.”

Lucy Gaffney, Platform Manager at Business for Biodiversity Ireland

But the risks and responsibilities are real, adds Lucy when she explains why businesses should care about this issue more.

She highlights that even though the latest CSRD reporting (Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive) will not directly apply to most SMEs, they will be forced to deal with sustainability issues as they are part of bigger organisations' supply chains, which will include nature-related issues.

Business for Biodiversity Ireland focuses on creating a safe space and an inspirational community where companies can learn how to connect their operation and strategy with nature.

They are building a multi-sector platform on the pillars of raising awareness, facilitating collaboration, influencing policy, and inspiring action so businesses can mitigate nature-related risks while maximising opportunities and integrating nature into their decision-making.

The organisation aspires to bring together leaders through active participation to share learnings with a learn-as-you-go approach since adopting meaningful biodiversity strategies can be even more complicated than carbon management.

“When you are experimenting with new ideas, there is a fine line between being courageous and being accused of greenwashing. This can lead to greenhushing, a term for consciously concealing sustainability efforts.”

Lucy points out that learning always includes making mistakes, and they try to encourage open and honest discussions that could lead to better solutions.

A critical part of establishing a meaningful biodiversity strategy is identifying the company`s true influence and impact and building a meaningful, long-term plan around that.

To support that process, Business for Biodiversity Ireland created a library of resources available for businesses that would help them better understand how to contribute to a nature positive economy and what the benefits are.

Some guidelines on their website include a Nature Positive Roadmap, a Finance for Biodiversity guide, and a Nature Disclosure tool.

Lucy shares that their role, among others, is to translate and simplify complex concepts so companies can easily see the connection and take action.

“We need to present a distilled version of extensive frameworks, reports, or whitepapers to cut through the noise and make them relevant for decision-makers, providing clear steps they can take.”

Community of Practice sessions provide a safe space for businesses to earn how to connect their operation and strategy with nature. Image: Business for Biodiversity Ireland

Educational activities are also needed to translate biodiversity and make a business case for nature.

“Most people associate biodiversity with pollinators, which is a great first step but not the whole picture. Focusing only on pollinators in communication can actually become misleading since other equally important areas get sidelined because of that.”

She explains that the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan was a very successful campaign and had an overarching positive impact on preserving wildlife in this particular area.

However, Lucy sees this as drifting into dangerous territory by implying that you can tick biodiversity off your list if you are good with pollinators.

“We have so much more that we should discover and protect in Ireland.

Our marine environment is fascinating, and having a natural rainforest that could be restored and expanded along the West Coast is a unique opportunity we could embrace.

Not to mention that an iconic indicator species, the Hen Harrier, also known as the Sky-Dancer, is disappearing from our habitat, but we still have the chance to save it.”

Lucy believes we need to foster more investment-ready biodiversity projects with measurable outputs to help channel attention and finance.

Companies like An Post, Bank of Ireland, or Bus Éireann are already signing up to join Business for Biodiversity Ireland and become more involved with their work through membership, which involves participating in Community of Practice workshops that provide great learning opportunities.

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Creating scents with a difference

Szilvia Szabó — Tue, 14 May 2024 14:24:00 +0000

Creating scents with a difference

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Driving positive change can happen in every industry, and no drop is too small when it comes to sustainability.

When Benoit Nicole started his business, The Nature of Things, he was looking for key elements such as creating a line of essential oils that embody top-quality ingredients and care for the natural environment and local communities.

Building on over 20 years of experience in the perfume industry allowed him to learn from the best, know the pitfalls, and polish his senses to identify high-end raw materials and products.

Originally from the west of France, he spent decades in New York working for leading brands in the field, gathering insights on how essential oils are made, distributed or marketed for various user needs from the food industry to vitamin supplements and perfumes.

Benoit Nicole, Founder and CEO of The Nature of Things

“The best ‘noses’ in the business taught me how to smell, how oils can live together and how they can make you feel, while scientists and aromatherapists taught me the positive effects the oils can have on your health and well-being.”

He also witnessed how different strategies were built to ensure that brands were not only ahead of change but also driving change.

“In the mid-80s, sustainability was an emerging word that was not really considered in most business plans,” says Benoit.

He was inspired by other industry business leaders, like Aveeda, one of the pioneers in using organic materials.

“They pushed for organic certification before people even talked about sustainability and invested in suppliers to produce sustainably.”

He recalls that Aveeda`s founder once said, "The more we grow, the more impact we will have on the world, so it is my responsibility to ensure that we do this in a way that has a positive impact.”

After falling in love with an Irish girl and moving to Ireland in 2019, he decided it was time to put all his passion and learnings into creating his own line of essential oils that reflect his values and offer customers an extraordinary experience.

Right from the start, he understood sustainability is far too complex to be handled rigidly when it comes to managing suppliers.

“My approach is to have the best in class in my supply chain and work with distillers who care for the environment and the local community besides delivering quality materials.”

However, given that he sources ingredients from all corners of the world, such as Atlas Cedar from Morocco, Eucalyptus from Spain, Ylang Ylang from Madagascar, and Lavender from France, it is clear that a one-size-fits-all mindset won`t work.

Wherever applicable, he looks for organic and Fair Trade certificates. Still, suppliers need not be certified if their circumstances don`t allow them to.

"My extensive experience helps me decide which distillers are genuinely producing sustainable products.Visiting the sites and having conversations with owners and managers provides an opportunity to learn their true nature of business and their unique way of managing land, processes, and people.”

Instead of forcing certifications, Benoit takes the time to truly engage with suppliers, whether in person or remotely, and dig deep enough to get an overall picture of their business using different sources of information.

"For instance, if they don`t have Fair Trade, how can they offer similar assurances, like fair wages? How do they manage people who work in the fields?

All these aspects help me understand the complex system they have in place for farming the whole year round.”

He adds that these suppliers typically run smaller operations, so no big corporate policies would apply, making adapting other evaluations more sense.

Benoit explains that in these cases, looking at the environmental impact in terms of energy, water, farming practices, alternatives for pesticides like organic fertiliser, or basic solutions like plants that repel bugs can be more meaningful than being certified.

Besides managing the supply chain, he also pays attention to running a conscious company, using paper or glass packaging or higher-quality plastic that can be better recycled while minimising its impact through logistics and other operational areas.

“Although about 90 per cent of our sales are to retail, we receive enquiries from our customers asking for more information on our ingredients and sourcing regarding sustainability, which clearly shows an interest in these areas. They even send back bottles to be reused.”

He adds that The Nature of Things is a small company, so they aim to focus on the most relevant areas to minimise their environmental impact.

“I like to think that we are successful and will be successful in the future because we are going for top quality and sustainability."

To him, sustainability also means profitability, so they can be fair with suppliers and partners. Their branding and visuals reflect Benoit's love for art and his desire to present their products in a way that amplifies their natural approach and inspires customers.

To lead by example, The Nature of Things is a certified member of the Irish Organic Association and also a member of 1% For the Planet, which means that 1% of their total revenues every year is donated to support environmental causes.

“This is close to my heart, and customers and retailers know that they are contributing a little bit to a good cause.”

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Harmonising nature, science, and consciousness

Bronagh Loughlin — Tue, 05 Mar 2024 14:28:54 +0000

Harmonising nature, science, and consciousness

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The beauty industry impacts the planet in a multitude of ways.

Plastic Soup researchers analysed the ingredients in more than 7,000 beauty products and discovered that just 13 per cent were free from microplastics. Additionally, experts have discovered around 70 per cent of beauty products contain some element of palm oil, contributing to staggering deforestation around our planet.

With all this in mind, it is no surprise there have been calls for the beauty industry to go green, and the number of responsible beauty brands is growing.

Niamh Hogan, Creator and CEO of Holos Skincare, explains what inspired her to set up this innovative business:

“After years working as a Holistic Therapist and using plant oils and essential oils on clients and seeing the subtle benefits of these ingredients on their well-being, I wondered how I could encourage people to use these ingredients in everyday life."

Holos Skincare is a European brand produced in the South East of Ireland.

It is made with plant ingredients containing vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and antioxidants, alongside scientifically proven plant actives, chosen carefully with the environment and sustainability at the fore of all they do.

Niamh Hogan, Creator and CEO of Holos Skincare

Niamh says that while they have sustainability at the heart of what they do, their main focus is always about improving the life of the consumer.

"When customers buy Holos Skincare, they get results due to the innovative ingredients we use, and they are secure in the knowledge they are making a more eco-conscious choice when it comes to skincare.”

Speaking on why it was so important for her to embed sustainability into her brand, Niamh says: “From the beginning, it was a top priority to create a brand that could provide value but not at the sacrifice of the environment.

Each decision we make has sustainability at its core, from the ingredients we use, the suppliers we work with, the materials we use for packaging and how we conduct our everyday business.

We use glass and aluminium in most of our packaging and paper-only components for shipping."

She adds that they hand-produce products, so there is minimal energy use, and they are also vegan and cruelty-free.

"However, it doesn’t end there because we are always looking for solutions to become an even more sustainable choice for our customers.”

Sustainability is at the heart of Holos Skincare besides creating high-quality product. Image: Holos Skincare

As the green beauty and clean beauty movements continue to grow and gain momentum, it is no surprise we are seeing more brands adopting these practices to try and secure a greener future for the beauty sector.

Niamh reflects on this:

“To be successful as a beauty brand, you will not survive on sustainability alone. At the end of the day, whether you have sustainability at your core or not, if the product does not live up to the needs of the customer, it won’t be successful.”

Niamh assures that when customers shop for skincare products, they will still choose brands without an eco-focus if the products are effective.

She says: “While we have sustainability at the heart of what we do, our main focus is always about improving the life of the consumer. When customers buy Holos Skincare, they get results due to the innovative ingredients we use, and they are secure in the knowledge they are making a more eco-conscious choice when it comes to skincare.”

Niamh shares that there is a huge divide in the skincare space between what is considered ‘natural’, ‘green and ‘eco’ skincare and skincare, which is known as cosmeceutical, which is scientifically proven to benefit the skin.

She says: “Consumers usually choose one over the other based on their own needs.

Some value making an ethical choice, but when it comes to skincare, more value results. It is seldom that the two sides of skincare meet.

At Holos, we bridge the gap between ‘natural, green’ skincare and ‘cosmeceutical’ skincare. With this in mind, the consumer is no longer forced to make a choice because they get both - results and ethics.”

Whilst Holos Skincare advocates sustainability and has embedded numerous purpose-driven initiatives, they are always learning and looking for ways to improve.

Just as the phrase ‘green beauty’ is on the rise, ‘clean beauty’ has also become a trend over the past few years.

Niamh says: “Clean beauty is not a term I like. I view it as another marketing buzzword rather than focusing on what amazing ingredients a product contains. Instead, it focuses on what it doesn’t contain and using the word ‘clean’ implies other brands are somehow dirty.”

Speaking on the latest sustainability trends within the beauty industry and what she hopes will stick, Niamh shares: “Packaging is something brands are starting to look at, and the industry is obsessed with packaging.

There is huge competition to look better than the next brand, but if you go all out on packaging and your product is only mediocre, the customer won’t repurchase your products.”

She adds: “Refill isn’t a safe option for skincare, but it is a good move away from plastic for other wash and hygiene products.

Ultimately, there is a lot of greenwashing within the industry, with big brands trying to hop on the trend of being more natural, green, or eco-friendly.”

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