The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) recently released the Guide to Corporate Ecosystem Valuation (CEV), an innovative framework designed to enhance business understanding of the benefits and value of ecosystem services like fresh water, food, fiber and natural hazard protection.

“This guide provides companies with an effective tool to begin quantifying opportunities and risks associated with their operations and ecosystem services.” Andrew Mangan, US BCSD

This first-of-its-kind framework will enable businesses to better understand the actual benefits and value of the ecosystem services we impact and depend on. This will support improved business decision-making by creating more alignment between the financial, ecological and societal objectives of your company.

“Biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation are continuing to escalate, thereby putting business at risk, but if managed properly, can be transformed into new opportunities,” said Björn Stigson, President of the WBCSD. “CEV allows business to fully recognize and value ecosystems and the services they deliver.”

The WBCSD selected 16 projects to participate in a “Road Test” review of the guide and the US BCSD actively led two projects with its member companies: The Greater Houston By-Product Synergy project and the Cook Composites and Polymers (CCP) Ecological Stormwater Management Project.

The US BCSD partnered with the Center for Resilience at The Ohio State University to utilize Eco-LCA, a streamlined Ecological Life Cycle Assessment tool, to measure the benefits associated with resource conservation from BPS in Houston and ecosystem restoration and through ecological stormwater management with CCP.

The Guide to Corporate Ecosystem Valuation (CEV) was unveiled April 8, 2011 at a launch event in Geneva, Switzerland. For a full copy of the Guide please click here.