Nature Positive was appointed by a large distribution network operator (DNO) to carry out a biodiversity footprint of its business, gather insight into the environmental impacts of its main commodities, develop an action plan to reduce its impacts and produce a combined biodiversity and carbon offsetting strategy.
Background
A large DNO is in the process of reducing its environmental impact after making a commitment in its environment strategy to minimise the effects of its business on biodiversity. Nature Positive was appointed to support this work and to help the DNO achieve this goal.
Nature Positive looked at the impacts and dependencies on nature that occur from the DNO’s direct operations, i.e., those activities it has direct financial and operational control over, and indirect operations, i.e., those that are created through its value chain, including upstream suppliers and downstream distribution and products.
We undertook an initial biodiversity footprint to provide the DNO with information on its biodiversity impacts and dependencies. This involved a detailed desk-based assessment across the two primary areas of biodiversity impact and dependence.
- The commodities that are used to create and maintain the DNO’s asset base
- The DNO’s general operations, including work on-site, maintenance and management of assets
Commodities
We carried out an analysis of commodities and products within the DNO’s supply chain and recycling and disposal methods in its downstream value chain. DNOs have a long supply chain, which provides a range of services that are essential to the business’ activities. The end-of-life decommissioning of assets can have negative impacts on biodiversity as a result of greenhouse gas emissions and pollution, depending on whether an asset is reprocessed, landfilled or incinerated.
Direct operations
We used a combination of biodiversity analysis tools, literature review and primary qualitative research to assess a subset of the DNO’s permanent sites (offices, depots and substations), way leaves across its network and a selection of its major projects.
The outputs of this work will be used to develop a bespoke biodiversity strategy for the DNO and has put the foundations in place to set science-based targets for nature and to disclose its nature-related financial risks and dependencies using guidance from the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD).
In addition, Nature Positive produced a combined biodiversity and carbon offsetting strategy to help the client take advantage of potential synergies and cost savings.
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