Building Biodiversity Business

Key points in document

• This report reviews market-based approaches to biodiversity conservation with a focus on biodiversity businesses. Like conservation enterprises, biodiversity businesses pair financial returns with biodiversity benefits.
• The biodiversity businesses explored in the document are at a larger scale than most conservation enterprises, attracting major investors and reaching international markets.
• The report explains the need for market-based approaches to conservation, followed by an assessment of biodiversity business models currently in place.
• Supportive policy frameworks are identified as the most important factor leading to a successful biodiversity business.
• Factors deemed critical to business success include: multi-stakeholder participation, realistic standards linked to technical assistance, and flexible financial models coupled with business development support.
• Stakeholders such as investors (local, national, or international), and community members (entrepreneurs or customers), must be involved in the project from its inception to ensure the success of the enterprise.
• The financial technical capacity of entrepreneurs must be considered before beginning biodiversity enterprises. Business plans should be adjusted to meet the capacity of the targeted community.
• Building a business plan that includes access to financing for the enterprise and integrates continuous development of business development skills will increase the chances of a successful enterprise.

Information relevant to Learning Questions:

Are enabling conditions in place to support a sustainable enterprise?

• Access to credit/capital
• Governance
• Government requirements, policies for enterprises, business alliances
• Financial management capacity, technical capacity
• Combined strategic approaches, policies for and enforcement of resource use

Does the enterprise lead to benefits to stakeholders?

• Increased income for participants
• Non-cash benefits

Do the benefits lead to positive changes in attitudes and behavior?

• Not addressed

Does a change in stakeholders’ behaviors lead to a reduction to threats to biodiversity (or restoration)?

• Residential and commercial development
• Agriculture and aquaculture
• Biological resource use
• Human intrusions and disturbance
• Invasive and other problematic species and genes
• Climate change and severe weather

Does a reduction in threats (or restoration) lead to conservation?

• Forest ecosystems
• Freshwater ecosystems
• Marine ecosystems
• Species