Climate change, dwindling resources, the loss of biological diversity and the increasing number of biodiversity related demands of various stakeholders require effective strategies for the preservation of the livelihoods of future generations.
In four plenary meetings pioneering views on climate change, the dependence of industry on biodiversity, as well as the valuation of ecosystem services within industry will be demonstrated. In the plenary sessions, the future of a European renewable energy system and the sustainable economic development within the meaning of the Rio + 20 Conference will be discussed. The main speakers from industry will include not only Hans-Otto Schrader, CEO of Otto Group, and Gavin Neath, SVP Sustainability, Unilever but also Dr. Hartmut Wurster, Executive Vice President Technology, UPM-Kymmene Corporation and Jim O–Brien, President European Aggregates Association (UEPG).
In further workshops, speakers will present practical examples and opportunities for action to businesses. These range from supply chain management, biodiversity financing, cooperation between companies and NGOs to the anticipation of environmental regulations and the use of synergies between energy efficiency, climate protection and biodiversity management.
The two-day Summit, which attracts approximately 500 participants, is set to show business representatives how their organisations can secure their competitive advantages through the protection of biological diversity while at the same time reducing costs. At the Summit in Stuttgart, businesses will discover how they profit in a sustainable way from the capital that is made available to them by the natural environment.
The European Biodiversity Summit will take place on April 17th and 18th, 2012 in Stuttgart, Germany. It is an integral part of the 8th German CSR-Forum. For further information, please visit: http://summit.business-biodiversity.eu and www.csrforum.eu
For further inquiries:
Stefan Hörmann, European Business and Biodiversity Campaign Project Leader, Global Nature Fund, Bonn, Germany. Tel.: +49-228-18 48 69 411; Mobile: +49-160-532 10 52; E-mail: hoermann@globalnature.org
Fritz Lietsch, Campaign Communications Leader, ALTOP Publishing House, Munich, Germany, Tel.: +49-89-746611-11; E-mail: f.lietsch@forum-csr.net