University of Vaasa - Vaasan yliopisto

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The sample was selected from three sources: (i). a company list compiled by Aston
University’s Environmental Systems and Safety Management Research Group –
from an undergraduate assignment to assess environmental policies and statements;
(ii) A Business in the Community (2006) top 100 companies list for corporate
responsibility; and (iii) from CorporateRegister.com, a web-based directory of
corporate non-financial reports. The sample was chosen to include 40 companies in
each of three Biodiversity Risk Zones (material risk to companies), as defined by the
Earthwatch Institute (Europe) and ISIS Asset Management, on behalf of F&C Asset
Management (2004): high (Red), medium (Amber) and low (Green) biodiversity risk
by sector zones - see Table 1. Within each zone, sectors are presented in alphabetical
order. The ordering does not reflect different levels of risk.
Table1 Level of Biodiversity Risk by Sector
Source: F&C Asset Management (2004, p13)
RED ZONE
High-Risk Sectors:
Most companies
exposed to
Risk. Risks likely to be
significant
Construction and
Building Materials
Electricity
Food and Drug Retailer
Food Producers
Forestry and Paper
Leisure and Hotels
Mining
Oil and Gas
Utilities
AMBER ZONE
Medium-Risk Sectors:
Some companies exposed
to
Risks. Risks may be
significant
Beverages
Chemicals
Financial Services
General Retailers
Household Goods and
Textiles
Personal Care and
Household Products
Pharmaceuticals and
Biotech
Support Services
Tobacco
Transport
GREEN ZONE
Lower-Risk Sectors:
Risk variable and
significance unknown
Aerospace and Defence
Automobiles and Parts
Diversified industries
Electronic and Electrical
Equipment
Engineering and
Machinery
Health
Information technology
and Hardware
Media and Entertainment
Software and Computer
Services
Steel and Other Metals
Telecom Services
In the analysis of the survey results the F&C risk by sector table is used only as a
general guide of industrial sectors most likely to have an impact on biodiversity. It is
recognised that sectors in all 3 biodiversity risk zones can have varying impacts on
biodiversity and that their position is not fixed to a particular zone. As the F&C
report (F&C Asset Management, 2004) points out, biodiversity may not only be a