Almost all organisations, including businesses, non-government organisations, government agencies, and local municipalities have a role to play in helping to conserve biodiversity. For many organisations, it may not be obvious that their activities do have an impact. But because so many of our actions have a number of indirect impacts on systems, habitats and species, most organisations will, one way or another, have an effect.

Any business that erodes our natural wealth — for example, by wasteful use of water or careless land use — is, in effect, being subsidised by the rest of society. In the long run, only businesses that use inputs wisely, minimise waste and are sensitive to their local environment are sustainable businesses. Businesses can become more sustainable by building concern for biodiversity into their business ethos.

Building biodiversity conservation into organisational policy and practice
Organisations whose activities significantly affect biodiversity can build support for biodiversity conservation into their statements of business objectives. Such commitments would demonstrate that biodiversity conservation is viewed as a serious business issue. From the organisation’s point of view, it indicates a belief that customer awareness of the organisation's approach to the issue will matter. A statement of commitment would also provide the basis for Victorians to compare and evaluate each organisation's performance against stated intentions.

It is however, important to go beyond broad statements of good intentions and look at design, production processes, market developments, and so on. One approach, which some larger organisations are adopting, is to introduce an environmental management system (EMS). An EMS can conform to and international standard. ISO 14001 is a particular type that is increasingly used.¹²

Where and organisation's actions do make a direct difference to biodiversity - for example, in the way the organisation uses its site, and the effects on the surrounding land and habitat - its environmental management practices and processes.

Other desirable steps are for the organisation to provide training and investment to shape organisational practice and culture, and to undertake a biodiversity life-cycle assessment (covering both direct and indirect impacts) of its activities and products.

Within an organisation, the actions of individual workers and contractors can materially affect the environment.

One way to ensure that they act consistently within the spirit of the organisation's objectives is to establish and maintain organisation-wide environmental standards.

These can cover everything from purchasing to production and waste disposal.

Monitoring performance

Large organisations which have, or potentially have, a significant impact on biodiversity can conduct environmental audits and produce annual reports in which efforts to reduce impacts on biodiversity or any efforts to conserve it are noted. These are more helpful if they contain relevant targets for improvement. Any reasonably large organisation could afford to report on how its actions have contributed to sustaining biodiversity.

Using other business tools
Examples of other means through which organisations can sustain biodiversity include adopting business codes of practice, and developing environmental improvement plans. For example, the Victorian forestry sector’s Code of Forest Practices for Timber Production lays down state-wide principles that apply to timber harvesting and related activities, to ensure that operations are compatible with the conservation of a wide range of environmental, including biodiversity, values.¹³ Organisations can also participate in business networks that promote ecological sustainability.