The year 2021 is the year of biodiversity, like the One Planet Summit. However, it is still complicated for companies to integrate biodiversity into their CSR practices. SYNABIO, via a working group made up of around ten companies, proposes 18 indicators for progress on this crucial subject.
The SYNABIO (national union of organic agri-food companies) has published 18 progress indicators to advance the practices of companies in the sector in terms of biodiversity, beyond the European organic regulation.
The topic emerged from a simple observation: biodiversity is an element that is difficult to grasp using traditional indicators such as LCA. Companies were seriously lacking in indicators and information to take it into account in their risk analysis. This work seeks to fill this gap.
Following this observation, it was within the framework of an internal working group at SYNABIO, made up of around tencommitted organic companies on this subject (Biolait, Biocoop, Bodin, Coteaux Nantais, Léa Nature, Les près rient bio, Nutrition et Santé and Triballat Noyal), that this collaborative work was able to be carried out. In addition, this work also called upon the expertise of the SOLAGRO firm and the consultation of around twenty partners as well.
For SYNABIO, it is important to remember that organic stakeholders have always integrated respect for living things at the heart of their values, and encourage a systemic approach to biodiversity. By banning synthetic pesticides and fertilizers, organic farming induces a profound change in agrobiological practices and produces direct benefits on abundance (number of individuals) and diversity (number of species). On average, there are 30% more species and 50% more individuals in organic farming plots.
But, faced with the brutal collapse of biodiversity and the constant development of industrial agriculture, SYNABIO considers that it is time for the organic sector to get back ahead by advancing its practices beyond the requirements of the European organic regulation.
A total of 18 indicators have been defined, 10 of which are aimed at producers and 8 at processors and distributors, who represent the vast majority of Synabio members. For each indicator, quantified short-term (2023) and medium-term (2030) objectives are defined.
The main impacts of an organic food product on biodiversity occur at the agricultural production stages. As sponsors, the role of processors is to encourage and support their sectors towards greater consideration of biodiversity.
Here are 10 progress indicators that SYNABIO encourages, from now on, to be deployed among organic producers:
The role of organic product processors and processors is very important in supporting and promoting producers' efforts in terms of biodiversity but also in embodying a form of exemplarity.
Here are 8 progress indicators that SYNABIO encourages, from now on, to be deployed within organic companies:
The SYNABIO will soon publish an educational guide « Organic businesses and biodiversity » to help companies better understand the challenges of preserving and restoring biodiversity specific to the organic sector and to support them in improving their practices. This guide will be accompanied by a training course for sector managers starting in October 2021, for companies that are members of SYNABIO.
Article written by the team SYNABIO