This metric is intended to capture if the organization had a biodiversity protection policy covering all of its operational sites (directly or indirectly owned, leased, or managed) as of the end of the reporting period.
Protecting biological diversity is important for ensuring the survival of plant and animal species, genetic diversity, and natural ecosystems. In addition, natural ecosystems provide clean water and air, and contribute to food security and human health. Biodiversity also contributes directly to local livelihoods, making it essential for achieving poverty reduction, and thus sustainable development.
A biodiversity protection policy may contain a combination of elements related to the prevention, management, and remediation of damage to natural habitats resulting from the organization’s activities. An example of this is the integration of biodiversity considerations into analytical tools, such as environmental site impact assessments.
For each operational site owned, leased, managed in, or adjacent to, protected areas and areas of high biodiversity value outside protected areas, the following content may be included as cited from the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI):
Geographic location;
Subsurface and underground land that may be owned, leased, or managed by the organization;
Position in relation to the protected area (in the area, adjacent to, or containing portions of the protected area) or the high biodiversity value area outside protected areas;
Type of operation (office, manufacturing or production, or extractive);
Size of operational site in km2 (or another unit, if appropriate);
Biodiversity value characterized by the attribute of the protected area or area of high biodiversity value outside the protected area (terrestrial, freshwater, or maritime ecosystem);
Biodiversity value characterized by listing of protected status (such as IUCN Protected Area Management Categories, Ramsar Convention, national legislation).
For more information, see the following resource: https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/media/1011/gri-304-biodiversity-2016.pdf