FTSE 100 firms lag in biodiversity efforts as net zero clutches full focus
Just 25 FTSE 100 firms have undergone biodiversity audits, with the majority of London largest listed firms distracted by net zero, according to a new report shared exclusively with City A.M.
While just 12 of these businesses assessed their biodiversity commitments across their supply chain.
More than one in three companies on the index make no mention of biodiversity on their websites or their corporate material, the report by Nature Positive found.
HSBC last week launched a new index that screens firms for their biodiversity risk, as environment, social and government (ESG) measures have shot to the top of business discussion this year.
The new Euronext ESG Biodiversity Screened Index Series marks the shift in investor awareness, which has seen biodiversity “really getting a lot more attention”, HSBC global co-head of ESG sales, Patrick Kondarjian said.
According to the new report, the sectors with that were most focused on the environmental issue were utilities, materials and energy companies – likely as these industries are more likely to cause some levels of ecological harm.
While the poorest performing sectors included information technology, consumer retail, healthcare and communication services.