This metric is intended to capture if the operations or activities of the organization affected any threatened species during the reporting period.
A threatened species is a type of animal or plant that is likely to become endangered in the near future.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has a classification system for threatened species, which includes three categories: vulnerable, endangered, and critically endangered. Vulnerable species are those that are at high risk of extinction in the wild, endangered species are those that are facing an extremely high risk of extinction, and critically endangered species are those that are considered to be facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the immediate future.
Operations and activities refer to the processes and actions that an organization undertakes in order to produce goods or services and achieve its goals and objectives. This can include everything from product development and manufacturing, to marketing and sales, to supply chain management and logistics.
Business operations and activities can affect threatened species in a variety of ways. Some examples include:
Habitat loss and degradation: Business activities such as logging, mining, and urban development can lead to the destruction or fragmentation of natural habitats, making it difficult for threatened species to survive.
Pollution: Industrial and agricultural activities can lead to the release of pollutants into the environment, which can harm or kill threatened species.
Over-exploitation: Some business activities, such as hunting or fishing, can lead to the over-exploitation of threatened species, which can push them closer to extinction.
For more information on biodiversity standards, see the following resource: https://www.globalreporting.org/standards/media/1011/gri-304-biodiversity-2016.pdf