Letter to CEOs everywhere
15 June 2020
To CEOs everywhere,
This year, the first in the ‘decade of action’ to deliver the UN Sustainable Development Goals, should have seen strides towards a new deal for nature and people that protects the natural resources we all depend on. The international policy forums on nature and climate have been postponed to next year, but the issues they will focus on remain critically important today.
Currently, over half the world's GDP, $44 trillion of economic value, is exposed to risks from nature loss. Before Coronavirus, the need to create more resilient economies and societies was clear, now it is inescapable. Healthy societies, resilient economies and thriving businesses rely on nature.
The natural resources and ecosystems that power your businesses and underpin the economies and communities you are part of are under huge strain. The global pandemic has forced all of us to rethink the world we want to live in. Many of you have already shared and supported ideas for how we rebuild our economy and society. We now also need to emphasize that nature is the beating heart of a ‘green recovery’ and the foundation to ‘build back better’.
Many companies are already making nature a priority through the way they sustainably use natural resources across their supply chains, create clean jobs, and produce greener products. Now, those leadership efforts need to be scaled up through further voluntary action complemented by ambitious, transformative government policy. This is in line with what scientists tell us is needed to mitigate climate change and for the world to thrive within nature’s limits.
As political leaders plan the path out of this crisis, they must hear from business leaders that a healthy natural world remains a critical priority. We look to you, the leaders of companies, to add your voice to those speaking up for nature and people.
Nature is everyone's business. Add your voice to ours and support Business for Nature’s call on governments to adopt policies now to reverse nature loss in this decade.
Yours sincerely,
Diane Holdorf, Managing Director, Food & Nature, World Business Council on Sustainable Development (WBCSD)
Majda Dabaghi, Director, Inclusive & Green Growth, International Chamber of Commerce
Dr. María Mendiluce, CEO, We Mean Business
Eva Zabey, Executive Director, Business for Nature
Mark Gough, CEO, Capitals Coalition
Marco Lambertini, Director General, WWF
Dr. Grethel Aguilar, Acting Director General, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Jennifer Morris, CEO, The Nature Conservancy
Seema Arora, Deputy Director General, Confederation of Indian Industry
Claire Tutenuit, Director, Entreprises pour l’Environnement – act4nature international
Ms. Lila Karbassi, Chief of Programmes, United Nations Global Compact
Naoko Ishili, CEO and Chairperson, The Global Environment Facility (GEF)
Jessica Fries, Executive Chairman, Accounting for Sustainability
Pascal Bunk, Deputy Chairman, ‘Biodiversity in Good Company' Initiative
Mardi McBrien, Managing Director, Climate Disclosure Standards Board
Dr. Sally Uren, OBE, Chief Executive, Forum for the Future
Sandra Brandt, Director, International Platform for Insetting (IPI)
Rolf Hogan, Executive Director, Roundtable on Sustainable Biomaterials (RSB)
Adrian Greet, Director General, SAI Platform
Ana Gargollo, AMEBIN Secretariat, Alianza Mexicana de Biodiversidad y Negocios (AMEBIN)
Andrew Petersen, CEO, BCSD Australia
João Wengorovius Meneses, Secretary-General, BCSD Portugal
Mikko Routti, Chief Executive, CR Network FIBS
Marzena Strzelczak, President of the Board, Responsible Business Forum in Poland
Germán Granda, Director General, Forética
Maria van der Heijden, Director General, MVO
Olmar Albers, CEO, öbu
Ioannis Paniaras, President, SEV-BCSD Greece
Marie Delvaulx, Director, The Shift
Margaret O'Gorman, President, Wildlife HC
Erin Billman, Executive Director, Science Based Targets Network
Paul Simpson, CEO, Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP)