Sustainability beyond fence-lines: why landscape approaches make business sense

3 December 2016

Cancun, 3 December 2016 – The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) together with IDH The Sustainable Trade Initiative, The Forests Dialogue and the Sustainable Food Lab, are releasing a briefing paper on landscape approaches, showcasing the business case for engaging in a multi-stakeholder and cross-sectoral strategy that can help companies deliver against multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Recognition is growing that sustainability doesn’t stop at fences of individual production units or extraction sites. Risks such as water scarcity, ecosystem degradation, climate change, etc., are mutual to all actors across entire production areas. Solutions to effectively address or mitigate such risks require collective or shared efforts across the landscape, hence a “landscape approach”.

Based on interviews conducted with more than thirty companies from different sectors, the briefing paper illustrates the business case for landscape approaches by providing concrete examples by entry points and by industry sector. From securing long-term supply and building understanding of external risks to enhancing consumer confidence and identifying cost-saving opportunities, landscape approaches can provide multiple benefits.

Along with the infographic on landscapes, the briefing paper is the first publication related to our “Business Learning Hub on Landscapes” solution, a platform designed to foster collaboration by sharing success stories and helping business learn from diverse experiences as they transform corporate supply chain initiatives into impactful landscape solutions.

Download the briefing paper here

Contact us for more details.