Albaeco recently held a two-day training session on the Corporate Ecosystem Services Review (ESR) at Stockholm Resilience Centre. In total, 16 new participants are now ready to advise companies and organizations about the importance of ecosystem support to business’s viability. 

The Ecosystem Services Review is a methodology to help companies understand the linkages between nature and business performance and development. During the course, participants had a chance to experiment with the ESR tools, and listen to invited speakers who presented different views on the ESR concept. A broad variety of information was given, from basic knowledge including the basics of ecosystem services, the government view, and case studies from industries where the ESR methodology has been implemented in order to understand future risks and opportunities in the context of the way they do business.One example came from Sveaskog who has developed a new way to protect young plants from bugs of the Hylobius genus. In the coming years there will be a ban on the earlier used chemical pesticides.

According to Pontus Schultz, Publisher of Veckans Affärer, a Swedish business magazine, it’s imperative for decision-makers to be able to see a price on ecosystem services. Then industry is quickly able to transform, in the sense of having nature in mind when making new decisions. It’s also important for business leaders to start thinking beyond quarterly earnings and take account of the social-ecological systems in which they are embedded and rely upon.

The ESR methodology was explained through the practical example of what Swedish food industry giant Coop has done, in cooperation with Peter Wrenfeldt at U&W. Coop have taken their green responsibilities seriously by setting stronger demands on their marine product suppliers and the fishing methods used by those suppliers. It showed that knowledge and the way in which way this knowledge is presented and communicated is vital for change to occur.

ESR can be adopted and implemented within an existing management system, or it can be used alone, functional on its own terms. The strongest benefits, except from providing a thorough presentation of 24 ecosystem services, are the fact that the enterprise is given a way of determining its potential risks, as well as new, thrilling opportunities. These opportunities can be realised by focusing on ecosystems, and through doing so, striving to create an environmentally sound and ecologically aware production system.

Originally the ESR was developed by the World Resources Institute (WRI) in collaboration with the Meridian Institute and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development. The WRI also managed the ‘road-testing’ phase in collaboration with five corporate members of the World Business Council for Sustainable Development; Akzo Nobel, BC Hydro, Mondi, Rio Tinto and Syngenta. The Meridian Institute brought its process design and facilitation skills to the team.

The methodology help all kinds of organizations, companies and institutions to make an analysis of dependence and influence on ecosystems. The method makes it possible for steering groups and business leaders to analyze threats for their organisation related to a change in earth’s ecosystems.

To learn more about the advantages of ESR, you may either sign up for a one day course (in Swedish), that will be held September 22 at Stockholm Resilience Centre, hosted by Albaeco, or browse through World Resources Institutes webb where all material is freely avaliable.