While 87% of consumers surveyed worldwide want companies to adopt sourcing policies that respect biodiversity, only 27% of the top 100 beauty and personal care companies actually mention biodiversity on their websites or in their corporate sociability reports.

Further, the newly launched 2014 Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT) Biodiversity Barometer suggests that more than 85% of surveyed consumers want companies to provide more information on the concrete actions they are taking to respect biodiversity in their sourcing policies. Conducted in February 2014, some 7,000 consumers in Brazil, China, Colombia, Germany, France, UK, USA and Vietnam participated in the survey. The 2014 Biodiversity Barometer also confirmed that biodiversity awareness is particularly high in emerging markets. More than 90% of respondents in Brazil, Colombia, Vietnam and China have heard about biodiversity, with 49% of respondents able to correctly define biodiversity, twice the number of that in developed countries."Consumers in emerging markets show a good understanding of biodiversity and a high interest in ethical sourcing. With market growth increasingly realized in these countries, these findings are of strategic importance for companies investing in emerging markets," says UEBT Executive Director Rik Kutsch Lojenga. "Consumers are also increasingly looking for transparency. In 2014, 87% of consumers surveyed for UEBT say they buy cosmetic products that use natural ingredients, while 77% pay attention to the origin of such ingredients," adds Remy Oudghiri, Director of Trends and Insights at Ipsos. Aichi Biodiversity Target 1 of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 aims to ensure that by 2020 people are aware of the values of biodiversity and the steps they can take to conserve it and use it sustainably. The 2014 UEBT Biodiversity Barometer finds that biodiversity awareness has increased since 2009. However, since 2012, growth in understanding of biodiversity has slowed down. To reach the 2020 targets additional awareness raising efforts are required. "84% of respondents say it is important to personally contribute to conserving biodiversity. This highlights the importance placed on biodiversity and provides us with a tremendous opportunity to work together to conserve and use biodiversity sustainably and in a fair and equitable way and address the biodiversity loss and its benefits to society," says Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, CBD Executive Secretary. <link http: www.uebt.org _blank external-link-new-window external link in new>A summary of the 2014 Biodiversity Barometer offering further insights into global biodiversity awareness is available.

About the UEBT Biodiversity Barometer

By 2020, the world's citizens should be aware of biodiversity, according to the United Nations' 2020 targets. The UEBT Biodiversity Barometer helps measure progress. This is important for the UN and for governments, which are rolling out policies to meet these targets. It is also valuable for companies needing to understand how growing biodiversity awareness affects purchasing decisions and reporting requirements. Assigned by UEBT, global research organisation Ipsos, surveyed 38,000 consumers in 13 countries between 2009 and 2014.

The Union for Ethical BioTrade

The Union for Ethical BioTrade (UEBT) is a member based non-profit association that promotes the 'Sourcing with Respect' of ingredients that come from biodiversity. Members commit to ensuring that their sourcing practices gradually advance sustainable business growth, local development and biodiversity conservation. UEBT was created in 2007 as a spin off from the United Nations to promote business engagement in BioTrade.