Most important results

Over 90% of the enterprises/persons interviewed stated that they had already heard of the term “biodiversity”, and more than 80% asserted that they also knew what it meant. About 62% of those interviewed said that their company had an impact on nature respectively on biodiversity. 46% felt that that impact was positive or rather positive, respectively. Only 6% stated that their company’s influence was rather negative. It is also interesting to note that, according to the opinion of those interviewed, the influence that biodiversity and the output of our ecosystem have on corporate success will increase within the next ten years. 72% of the companies who participated in the survey stated that they had already taken steps to implement a sustainable handling of natural resources or to maintain biodiversity. 15% have not implemented any measures whatsoever up to now, but 90% of these are willing to become more involved in this aspect. There is a potential in this respect which encompasses mostly measures like promoting nature on their own premises or integrating biodiversity into existing concepts of sustainability (CSR). An additional goal is some kind of specific collaboration with nature reserves and/or organisations that protect nature.

Motivation

The reasons why companies are willing to get involved are first and foremost customer retention and customer acquisition and improving the company‘s positive image (through media reports and awards granted by the province of Lower Austria). Another important aspect for companies lies in motivating their staff, strengthening regional ties and remaining true to their corporate traditions. All of these motives mentioned here are also part of the LIFE+ project Business & Biodiversity in Lower Austria. The results of this survey are encouraging since they clearly indicate that companies are willing to take action and initiate specific projects.

You can find the full results of the survey here (mainly in German).

Contest

We congratulate Sylvia Polt (Poltconsultik, Mödling), Alfred Grand (Vermigrand Naturprodukte, Absdorf) and Christoph Odwody (Henkel Beiz- and Elektropoliertechnik, Waidhofen/Thaya) for winning a prize. These prizes have been provided by So schmeckt Niederösterreich (“This is what Lower Austria Tastes like”). We would like to thank all those who participated in the survey and are looking forward to further cooperation.

From now on, we can – thanks to the LIFE project Business & Biodiversity in Lower Austria – develop joint activities which are specific, goal-oriented, and viable.