Since signing the leadership declaration in May 2008, the Ricoh Group has been working on the development of its own corporate guidelines for the preservation of biodiversity. On March 31 of this year, this guideline, consisting of eight key points, was put online in the Japanese language. The English edition will follow soon.

According to the guidelines, the subsidiary companies of Rico Group are not only required to reduce their effect on biodiversity to a minimum, but also to make an active contribution to conserving the variety of species in different ecosystems. Consequently, the guidelines include: integrating the protection of biodiversity into corporate management, analysing the impact of operational activities on biodiversity, selecting suitable and efficient measures for the preservation of biodiversity, and to develop necessary and seminal technologies. The potential of additional costs and an increased use of resources are aspects that Ricoh is willing accept in accordance with their understanding that biodiversity is a foundation of our society and economy.

Moreover, in its guidelines, Ricoh Group is calling upon their companies to expand their circle of activities on various levels to incorporate the preservation of biodiversity. This requires raising awareness about the preservation of biodiversity among the company staff, as well as strengthening the collaboration with customers, suppliers, other companies, NGOs, international organisations, local residents, and administrative bodies. In addition, by publishing the various measures taken by Ricoh, other parts of the community are being motivated to conserve biodiversity.

Ricoh Group wants to make a contribution to the formation of a sustainable society with their active policy on conserving biodiversity.

Source: Ricoh Group

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Bionade counts on purchases from regional suppliers and the traceability of its production line to safeguard the raw materials for its organically produced drinks. Hence, Bionade is also making a contribution to support the future of many regional farmers in the Bavarian Rhön region.  

Bionade, a family-run business from Ostheim, produces the fastest growing product in the booming market for organic produce: non-alcoholic refreshment drinks. In order to safeguard the acquisition of organic raw materials from domestic suppliers, and to guarantee the traceability of origin, Bionade launched the extensive “Organic Farming Rhön” project in 2006.  The aim is to convince as many local farmers as possible to convert their farms to organic farming and to produce raw materials for Bionade on a sustainable basis.   

Organic farming manages farmland without deploying synthesised pesticides and easily dissolvable nitrogen fertilisers. This type of land management has a lower impact on natural resources, water, soil and air. In addition, by supporting the fertility of the soil, the plant nutrients are used as required, which prevents eluviation in ground and surface water and protects drinking water. At the same time organic farmers create small biotopes, and preserve old and rediscovered plant and animal species by planting hedges on the boarders between the fields. Organic farming enhances, through various measures, the abundance of species of flora and fauna.

An adequate choice of crops and location are fundamental to organic farming. This is why there are different types of plant species being tested in the Rhön. The aim is to find out which types of crops can be grown in the future to enable a profit-yielding cultivation adjusted to the climatic conditions of the Rhön region. Bionade believes organic farming is an active contribution to the preservation and sustainability of biodiversity.

Dr. Ulrich F. Schneider, Bionade

For further information, go to:

Organic Farming Rhön at Bionade Webseite

Bionade-Profile on B&B Website

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What is biodiversity? And what does ‘Business and Biodiversity’ mean? Although biodiversity is an exciting and pressing topic, hardly anyone knows what this term actually means. Hence, it is hardly surprising that when the words business and biodiversity are used together the confusion increases.

For this reason - along side the practical work with member companies integrating biodiversity into their management systems - raising awareness about the topic business and biodiversity is one of the main activities of the B&B Initiative. The aim is to not only raise awareness of the topic in member companies - from the board of directors to the individual employee - but also in politics, throughout the business sector, and the community.

To this end, the B&B companies have decided to develop a 'touring exhibition' about business and biodiversity. Up to three exhibitions will travel the EU, Brazil and Japan beginning in autumn.

Over the course of a year the exhibitions will visit B&B companies, public buildings and other hosts.  The exhibition offers an interesting and visual introduction to the topic of biological diversity.  The B&B initiative, its members, and their activities will also be presented in the exhibition.

A number of renowned exhibition-agencies had been invited to take part in a competition to develop a concept for the exhibition. The most interesting and original concept was presented by Archimedes, a German company specialised in exhibition design. One highlight of the exhibition will be a so-called Multitouch Sessiondesk. This is an interactive presentation system that has a motion-sensitive surface which enables you to access and find information in a surprising and unique way. You can easily switch, drag, zoom-in, and change information and pictures by simply touching the table.

We will keep you updated about the development of the exhibition.

Archimedes webseite

more news here

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Nowadays, the internationally common measures to limit environmental damages extend from preventive and redevelopment activities to the reconstruction of the affected areas of nature. The effects which cannot be avoided with conventional approaches often remain. In a growing number of countries, including Germany, these remaining environmental effects can be subject to claims for compensation. However, in comparison with international norms, this is still the exceptional case.

The international initiative "The Business and Biodiversity Offsets Program" (BBOP) aims to motivate companies to take voluntary actions to balance their potential negative effects on the natural environment. Among the more than 40 members of this international multi-stakeholder initiative are environmental organisations such as WWF, Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy, BirdLife International, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED), the French and the Dutch Ministry of the Environment, as well as several research institutions.

BBOP has devised comprehensive guidelines for the development of Biodiversity Offsets which are now available on the internet: BBOP Website

Dr. Daniel Skambracks, KFW, member of BBOP

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Beraca is a Brazilian company with headquarters in Sao Paulo, which was previously specialised in the sale and distribution of chemicals. Today the company operates in more than 40 countries worldwide with a turnover of 50 million US Dollars. It now offers a wide range of technologies, solutions and high-performance raw materials for water treatment, animal feed and health, as well as for the cosmetics and food industries.

Since its foundation in 1956, Beraca has been aiming to harmonise social and economic development with environmental protection and has made sustainability an essential part of the company’s success. In the area of biodiversity Beraca supports indigenous communities and cooperatives in their effort to manage the resources of the forest. The abundance of the forest and its plant and wildlife is an important asset for Beraca. This asset can be managed in a fair and sustainable way by the indigenous communities who use their knowledge which has accumulated over thousands of years.

More information:

Profile on B&B Website

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Munich-based Oekom Publishers is one of the leading German-speaking publishers of literature on sustainability. The history of the publishing house is closely linked with its most important publication, the “Journal on Political Ecology”. The journal quickly became important in setting the agenda of the debate surrounding ecology and sustainability in Germany. Since its foundation in 1987 Oekom has grown continuously, publishing numerous new journals and books. Beyond its core business Oekom Publishers has also established a communications firm and an environmental rating agency.

Oekom’s activities in the area of biodiversity particularly focus on its main product and raw material: paper. Since 2008, Oekom has been using FSC certified recycling paper in order to foster the sustainable use of forests, in addition to cooperating with local FSC certified printing houses to reduce CO2 emissions.

More information:

Profile on B&B Website

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With a worldwide turnover of around 20 billion USD and more than 6,000 employees, Tokyo-based Dentsu is one of the largest advertising companies world wide and the largest in Japan. The company’s history dates back to 1906 when Dentsu produced, among other things, the first newspaper advertisements and TV commercials in Japan. Today, Dentsu has more than 6,000 clients offering a wide range of services for communication and advertisement.

Dentsu is serious about the issue of environmental protection and tries to minimise its ecological footprint. Apart from a comprehensive environmental management system which follows the ISO 14001 standards, Dentsu launched the Eco Programme and established a marketing department for biodiversity. This marketing department supports the entire Dentsu group in handling environmental issues. Moreover, Dentsu is using its communications tools to raise awareness on environmental topics within and outside the company by, for example, running a poster campaign.    

More information:

Profile on B&B Website

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On land 600m above sea level, Oak Valley Wines not only produces award winning premium wines, but also various types of fruits, greenhouse grown cut flowers, and free-range cattle and pigs. The company, based in Elgin Valley, serves as a role model for sustainable corporate management. Biodiversity is at the centre of the company’s corporate policy. Production on the 1,789 hectares of land complies strictly with environmentally friendly production guidelines. Oak Valley Wines has also become a member of the South African Biodiversity and Wine Initiative.

The estate also includes an area of more than 282 hectares of unspoiled mountain ‘fynbos’. The vegetation on this bush land, which occurs exclusively in the small region to the west of the South African cape, is very rare and has an abundant biological diversity.

Oak Valley Wines also monitors and protects the population of wild birds and simultaneously accommodates Oak Valley beehives, which are harvested in a honey-badger friendly way.  Moreover, Oak Valley is a founding member of the Groenlandberg Conservancy and the Green Mountain Eco Route, which was established to support ecotourism in the region. An annual budget provides the financial resources in the struggle against invasive species of foreign plants in the vegetation along the mountainsides above the estate.

More information:

Profile on B&B Website

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