Canadian Business and Biodiversity Council

Website

www.businessbiodiversity.ca

The Canadian Business and Biodiversity Council (CBBC) is a business-government-NGO-academia partnership that was initiated by business and government leaders following a Business and Biodiversity Planning Conference in Montreal on June 8, 2008. The need for this conference was stimulated by recognition of the importance of business leadership in the conservation of Canada’s biodiversity.

The role of the CBBC is to assist Canadian business in conserving biodiversity in Canada, as well as through their operations globally, by encouraging the development and implementation of good environmental stewardship practices based on sound science, by sharing experiences and lessons learned and by showcasing best practice results. As a result of its involvement, Canadian business will have an enhanced understanding of biodiversity issues and values. It will incorporate this understanding into their planning documents and activities to reduce the rate of biodiversity loss from both a domestic and global perspective. This will be accomplished through internal management practices as well as by cooperating with community groups and other agencies and organizations.

The CBBC will also help Canadian business to show leadership in biodiversity conservation and to bring more Canadian businesses on board as knowledgeable biodiversity conservation practitioners. In addition, development of biodiversity friendly business depends on a conducive enabling environment. This includes the framework of laws, regulations, taxes, subsidies, social norms and expectations and voluntary agreements within which companies operate.

The conservation of Canada’s biological resources will not only be critical to maintaining healthy ecosystems, but important in maintaining economic, social and cultural sustainability.

Secretariat The Canadian Business and Biodiversity Secretariat was created to administer to the needs of the CBBC. The Secretariat receives direction from a multi sectorial Board of Directors that includes resource and non-resource-based businesses, government, and environmental non-government organizations as well as educational and other institutions. The Board helps in providing guidance in developing the tools and programs needed to help Canadian business to integrate biodiversity conservation in their activities.

Initiatives

• Canadian business will need a variety of products and tools to assist in managing for biodiversity conservation. The Secretariat has developed a series of initiatives that will help business meet these needs and includes:
• Business and Biodiversity Needs Assessment
• Business and Biodiversity Data Needs Assessment
• A Guide to Biodiversity Conservation for Canadian Business
• Incorporating Biodiversity Conservation into the Management of Small to Medium Enterprises.
• Canadian Business and Biodiversity Case Studies
• Lessons Learned
• Workshops and Conferences
• Corporate Biodiversity Awards
• Leadership Declaration

Contact Information
39 McArthur Ave., Level 1-1
Ottawa, Ontario, K1L 8L7, Canada
Tel: +1-613-203-0063

Contact Person
Mr. Reg Melanson
Executive Director at Canadian Business and Biodiversity Council
melansonr@ns.sympatico.ca

Annual Reports

Please see the link below for progress reports on this initiative
2015