Biodiversity & natural capital

Our efforts to support sustainable development include our commitment to preserving biodiversity. We recognize the vital need to protect the broad range of habitats and species on our planet and to safeguard natural ecological processes and the livelihoods they support. The world’s largest debt conversion for marine conservation sovereign blue bond and our annual Credit Suisse Conservation Finance Conference are just two examples of our engagement in this area.

What is biodiversity?

The term biodiversity denotes the variety of life and its processes. It includes the diversity of living organisms, the differences between them, and the ecosystems and communities in which they exist. Both ecosystems and the biodiversity contained within them provide valuable services to humankind and business: They supply food and medicine derived from plants, they filter pollution and store CO², mitigate the impacts of storms and floods and they regenerate soils and recycle nutrients.

The business case for conserving biodiversity

Biodiversity loss is extremely serious and poses significant risks to financial markets. More than half the world’s GDP is moderately or highly dependent on nature and its services, according to the World Economic Forum.

What is Credit Suisse doing about biodiversity?

At Credit Suisse, we are committed to playing our part in addressing biodiversity loss through our role as an intermediary between the economy, the environment and society.

As a trusted financial partner, we aim to help our clients understand the risks from biodiversity loss and identify the opportunities associated with the conscientious management of natural capital and the conservation of biodiversity.

Our biodiversity statement

With our Statement on Biodiversity, we describe how we address biodiversity by considering it in our risk management processes, by facilitating investments into biodiversity protection, and through managing the footprint of our operations.

To preserve natural habitats, which are vital to all life on Earth, there is a need to put significantly more capital to work. Conservation finance can play an important role in making sure that biodiversity is preserved on land and in water and in protecting the health of natural ecosystems.

Engagement is a key pillar of active ownership at Credit Suisse. We include biodiversity and species conservation in our thematic engagement activities.

Biodiversity-related issues are embedded into our sustainability risk assessments and included in our sector-specific policies and guidelines, where we prioritize high biodiversity risk sectors such as agriculture.

Rhino Conservation Project

Credit Suisse has been an early advocate of biodiversity considerations in the financial markets, focused on the creation of biodiversity research and thought leadership. This is to enable the facilitation of investments into biodiversity protection which requires collective expertise. Watch the video to find out more.

To watch the video with subtitles, please click the “CC” icon at the bottom right of your YouTube video player.

Pioneers of Progress: Mark Spalding

Can the ocean be protected? Pioneer Mark Spalding and The Ocean Foundation are on a mission to restore the health of the ocean. Our Pioneers of Progress series features outstanding sustainability shapers who are helping to solve the world's big challenges.

Biodiversity: Concepts, themes and challenges

This report examines the developments and challenges associated with biodiversity. Biodiversity – the essential natural support system for life on Earth and the foundation of our economy – is a key topic for investors. But a focus on above-ground living species and ecosystems overlooks the relevance and impact potential of soil-based biodiversity.