43% Increase in Corporate Biodiversity Data Reporting, Finds CDP Report

In a recent report, environmental nonprofit CDP highlighted a 43% surge in corporate biodiversity disclosures since the adoption of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) in 2022. This increase signals growing corporate recognition of environmental dependencies, as companies worldwide face pressure to mitigate their impacts on biodiversity. The findings come as leaders gather for COP16 in Colombia to advance GBF implementation, referred to by some as the "Paris Agreement for nature."

CDP's data shows marked improvements in transparency across water and forest reporting, with a 23% increase in water data and a 10% rise in forest-related disclosures. While one-third of global stock market companies now share water usage data, contributing to a 22% reduction in corporate water consumption, fewer than 10% assess their business dependency on biodiversity. This oversight raises economic risks, as biodiversity loss is projected to cost the global economy up to $20 trillion annually.

Sherry Madera, CEO of CDP, stressed the need for further progress. She underscored the role of biodiversity in economic resilience and the urgency for companies to understand and address their environmental dependencies. Echoing this, Business for Nature CEO Eva Zabey called for stricter policies at COP16 to encourage corporate biodiversity assessment and action.

Investor interest is also climbing. French institutional investors recently announced a €100 million biodiversity fund, guided by CDP data, to back companies aiming to reduce biodiversity loss. As transparency improves, biodiversity-focused data could play a pivotal role in reshaping corporate environmental accountability.

Find the report here.