Businesses have an impact on biodiversity and ecosystem services. They also depend on them. Degradation of ecosystems leads to a number of risks in corporate performance (increased costs or uncertainty for businesses that depend on ecosystem services as a result of the loss of biodiversity, etc.).

Conversely biodiversity and the preservation of ecosystem could create new opportunities for business and society: new products and processes less (or sustainably) dependent on ecosystems, access to biological and geneticresources, creation of new green jobs, etc.

In order to encourage major market players to integrate biodiversity, the DG Environment, as part of the Federal Plan 2009 – 2013 for integrating biodiversity in 4 key Federal sectors (NL/FR), initiated a study in 2011: "Economic transition: Consumption and production patterns: Encouraging important market players to integrate biodiversity". Its main objective was to promote sustainable patterns of production and consumption and to fully explore the potential of sustainably using biodiversity and natural resources for a triple win: economic, social and environmental. 

The study targeted three priority sectors:

• food sector: the food processing sector and the upstream sectors (agriculture, fishery) and the downstream sector (distribution) in the supply chain;
• chemical sector: the chemical and life sciences sector and the upstream sectors (agriculture, mineral extraction etc.) and the downstream sector (distribution) in the supply chain;
• the sector of finance and insurance and the downstream sector (distribution) in the supply chain.

The study made it possible to identify various instruments that could be supported by the federal government. A french and dutch summary (NL/FR) of the study are available.

This was followed by a series of events organised by the FPS to inform and mobilise companies, including:

  • "Which market(s) for biodiversity?" in 2013 (conclusions of the conference - NL/FR and report of the discussion workshops - NL/FR).
  • "Biodiversity, an asset for your business!" in 2019 (NL/FR).