On 10. 10 & 11. June 2024 the LZ Summit “Packaging and Sustainability” took place in Frankfurt/Main. Dr. Ulrike Eberle (ZNU, Project Manager BioVal) and Isabell Schäfer (Seeberger GmbH, Sustainability Officer) jointly presented results from the BioVal-Biodiversity Valueing and Valuation research project.
In her part of the presentation, Ulrike Eberle focused in particular on the objective of the project, the promotion of biodiversity along the food value chain, and the method for quantifying impacts on biodiversity (“BVI method”). She explained that the method works in the same way as calculating a product’s carbon footprint, for example. The method is based on so-called management parameters, such as structural elements on the land, crop rotations and tillage for arable crops or maintenance measures, planting density and age distribution for permanent crops. Pesticide and fertilizer use and field size, on the other hand, are equally relevant for arable and permanent crops. If the information on the management parameters is not available, it is also possible to estimate the effects on the basis of average data. She also explained what the information obtained using the method can be used for. In addition to gaining scientific knowledge, these include communicating the company’s biodiversity services, as well as product development and supplier management.
Isabell Schäfer, Sustainability Manager at Seeberger GmbH, picked up on the latter point and explained how Seeberger is incorporating biodiversity protection into the supply chain. Seeberger would like to focus in particular on an exchange with suppliers and raising awareness of the need to protect biodiversity. Seeberger visits suppliers regularly and biodiversity is one of the evaluation criteria for suppliers, along with other topics. Seeberger’s aim is to make biodiversity an integral part of supplier management. A position was created directly in Purchasing for this purpose. Isabell Schäfer explained that many of the suppliers are already involved in the protection of biodiversity and have already taken extensive measures to preserve and promote it. At the same time, she reported on the existing challenges due to the large number of products to be procured, the diversity of suppliers and the challenges in the procurement regions and the price sensitivity of consumers.
Your conclusion:
Anchoring biodiversity protection in the company requires time, patience and continuous adaptation – but: it’s worth it!
Download presentation “HOW CAN BIODIVERSITY BE IMPLEMENTED IN SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT?”
The joint research project “BioVal – Biodiversity Valuing and Valuation” is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research under the funding code FKZ 01UT2110A – F.
