EWT report shows SA companies need to elevate biodiversity disclosure

Key findings from the Endangered Wildlife Trust's (EWT) second Biodiversity Performance Rating of SA Companies show that average scores for JSE-listed companies have improved from 2018, but remain low, underlining the fact that biodiversity has not been recognised as a material issue for disclosure by most South African companies.

21 Feb 2020

EWT report shows SA companies need to elevate biodiversity disclosure

The results were releases at the Biodiversity and Business Indaba hosted by the EWT National Biodiversity and Business Network.

The assessment included 320 JSE-listed companies and 28 state-owned enterprises and was undertaken as part of a greater Biodiversity Disclosure Project (BDP). The EWT says that while it is encouraged by the increased level of engagement resulting from the research, progress and reporting disclosure needs to be improved as the focus on biodiversity impact and losses comes under the spotlight in 2020. The need to focus on mitigating biodiversity losses is further evidenced in the latest World Economic Forum (WEF) Global Risks Report which places emphasis on biodiversity losses within the top global risks facing organisations.

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4 Feb 2020

Annual assessment

The EWT has been tracking changes in South African companies’ level of biodiversity mainstreaming readiness for two consecutive years, and work has already started for the 2020 assessment, as it strive towards making this an annual initiative.

The EWT also released a set of guidelines to help support companies in improving their rating scores. Constant Hoogstad, EWT senior manager: industry partnerships, says, “The guidelines aim to help companies understand why biodiversity matters to their business, identify their biodiversity dependencies and impacts, measure and assess these dependencies and create strategies and policies to manage, monitor and disclose activities and progress.”