Consumers Value Biodiversity, Says Barometer Survey

02 Jun 2017 --- Biodiversity has been cited as a source of inspiration and innovation essential to connect to consumers turning to natural ingredients.

Leading companies have been interviewed for the 2017 Union for Ethical BioTrade UEBT Biodiversity Barometer - and they stress the importance of biodiversity in terms of product innovation, for assuring long-term access to natural raw materials, and for responding to consumer interest in naturalness.

“Biodiversity is a key area of work for us. It is not only a matter of sourcing; biodiversity is also a source of innovation, nature is an inspiration for L’Oréal to develop new applications for our consumers,” said Laurent Gilbert, Sustainable Innovation Director, L’Oréal on the importance of biodiversity.”

Strong Consumer Interest 
Non-profit organization and member-based association, (UEBT), commissioned global market and research specialists IPSOS to carry out the survey which included several different countries. The findings show there is strong consumer interest in ethical sourcing and biodiversity.  
 
Of the 5,000 surveyed consumers in 2017, 79% state that companies have a moral obligation to assure they have a positive impact on people and biodiversity. 
 
On top of that, 72% believe that consumers can positively impact society by buying products from companies that respect people and biodiversity. A majority (73%) of consumers feels good when buying such products, but fewer (34%) are confident that companies pay sufficient attention to ethical sourcing of biodiversity.

To address these trends, companies are changing their sourcing practices, paying increasing attention to the traceability of natural ingredients, and promoting approaches that respect people and biodiversity along the supply chain.
 
“For the growing number of companies aiming for positive impact, biodiversity offers a unique opportunity,” said Rik Kutsch Lojenga, UEBT Executive Director. “A focus on biodiversity means projects that protect and restore plants and animals, as well as promote local development, in sourcing areas. This allows companies to engage their consumers, offering transparency about biodiversity based innovation, product performance, and positive local impact.”

According to the survey, consumers in the UK, Germany, US, Brazil and France indicate that they are likely to reward brands that promote such positive impact, provided that their efforts are sincere and can be backed up with broader company commitments and evidence of concrete actions in sourcing areas.

Another, closely linked trend is the rapid evolution of rules on biodiversity-based R&D. Following the adoption of the Nagoya Protocol, countries like Brazil, China, France, India, Morocco and South Africa are adopting or revising rules on how natural raw material may be accessed and used for activities such as research and product development. 
 
“Companies relying on biodiversity-based innovation will need to respond quickly to this changing landscape, moving to legal compliance and best practices, such as those promoted by UEBT,” said Maria Julia Oliva, international ABS expert at UEBT.

The UEBT Biodiversity Barometer is one of the instruments used to track progress Target 1 of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which seeks to ensure that by 2020 ‘people are aware of the values of biodiversity and the steps they can take to conserve and use it sustainably’.

“The results of this year’s Biodiversity Barometer show a growing awareness of the value of biodiversity by consumers around the world” said Dr. Cristiana Pasca Palmer, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity. “Businesses should increase their efforts to sustainably use biodiversity.”

“The Secretariat of the Convention is excited to continue working with the Union for Ethical BioTrade, and raising awareness of biodiversity, its values for human well-being, and the ways that people and companies can protect it,” said Dr. Cristiana Pasca Palmer, Executive Secretary of the CBD.

The UEBT Biodiversity Barometer was presented at the annual UEBT Beauty of Sourcing with Respect Conference, held earlier this month.