Leaders for Nature is expanding in India

The workshop, held 28-29 September, started with a field trip to Chilika Lake in Odisha to familiarise participants with the communities and the situation in the site. Technical sessions on the second day discussed topics such as opportunities for business to contribute to the sustainable development of coastal zones, and how well-managed coastal wetlands deliver important ecosystem services for people, livelihoods and businesses.

Participants representing 15 companies and industries in the area were present, including ACC Limited, Dhamra Port Company Limited (DPCL), Paradip Port Trust, Aditya Birla Chemicals, Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO) and Emami Paper Mills Limited. They were also joined by representatives from the coast guard and other government agencies.

Coastal management and marine experts discussed how industries can benefit from taking part in coastal and marine biodiversity conservation. The work of Odisha’s Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project which focused on the conservation of Chilika Wetlands was shared.

After various knowledge sessions, businesses sat in participatory group discussions which tackled:

• how protection of marine and coastal ecosystems reduce risk and increase value for business and their investment;
• perceived barriers to aligning conservation with  business interests and how to overcome these; and
• necessary enabling conditions for sustainable marine and coastal ecosystem markets.

Business decision makers who attended the sessions expressed interest in becoming part of the solution to pressing coastal issues. Following the master class, ICZM and IUCN have been tasked to take lead in defining a proposal and initiating coordination to form a business working group focused on the conservation of coastal areas in India’s east coast.

About Leaders for Nature

Leaders for Nature is a business biodiversity network initiated in the Netherlands by IUCN in 2005. The program engages multinationals and large corporations to work toward greening the economy. By offering knowledge and training, hands-on project support and inspiration, Leaders for Nature stimulates and facilitates companies to take the lead in incorporating natural capital in their core business. The project has been running in India in the past one and a half years and has gained remarkable momentum since its launch.

The program started sensitising businesses through master classes. Following the five initial companies which joined from the project’s beginnings, an additional 15 companies are now regularly attending Master Classes.

Businesses in the program enhance their understanding on biodiversity and ecosystem-related issues and commit to consider future initiatives on biodiversity conservation. Current members of Leaders for Nature in India are Wipro Ltd, Hindustan Unilever Ltd, ACC Ltd, Cairn India Ltd, Apollo Tyres, Veolia, Tata Steel and Rio Tinto Ltd. The last master class, organised in Gurgaon on 4th June 2015, looked at water stress and how companies can be part of the solution.

Aside from pulling in IUCN Member organisations and commission members into this initiative as resource persons, Leaders for Nature works together with the World Business Council on Sustainable Development (WBCSD) in India and the India Business and Biodiversity Initiative, and continues to explore convergence with other networks such as the UN Global Compact (UNGC) and TERI Business Council for Sustainable Development. At present, Leaders for Nature India is trying to outreach to new companies while supporting the World Business Council for Sustainable Development – Cement Sustainability Initiative (WBCSD – CSI) trainings of CSI member companies.

Read a related story published at http://www.orissadiary.com/CurrentNews.asp?id=61888