One of the world’s biggest infrastructure consulting firms has released a statement backing the goals of the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) and committing to helping clients achieving nature positive outcomes.
Dallas-headquartered AECOM, with over 50,000 employees spread across some 50 countries, cleared the statement internally in November, but only released it to the public on Friday.
“We are committed to a more sustainable and resilient future, partnering with those who want to make a positive difference in the world,” the company said.
“We understand that biological diversity and healthy natural ecosystems are fundamental to human well-being and economic prosperity for all people, crucial in addressing climate change and the source of all our basic needs,” the statement said.
AECOM offers architecture and design, construction management, and engineering among its services, with the One World Trade Center in New York, Port of Los Angeles Waterfront, the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, and Warner Bros. World in Abu Dhabi in its portfolio.
However, it is also involved in a number of projects in less urban areas, such as the A8 Belfast to Larne dual carriageway, modernisation of the Croatian rail network, multiple airport refurbishments and hydro dam hazard studies, and the Flanagan South oil pipeline project across several US states.
In the statement, the company committed to supporting its clients to follow the “mitigation hierarchy” to aim to avoid damage to biodiversity, then minimise and restore, before compensating or offsetting.
It also said it would aid clients in achieving nature positive outcomes in developing and implementing their projects, and engage with external organisation that are working to support biodiversity recovery and that use frameworks such as the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD).
AECOM was one of 320 companies that last month signed up to become early adaptors of the TNFD reporting framework.
Lastly, AECOM committed to “developing an understanding of our relationship to nature, identifying opportunities that we can take to become nature positive across our operations, and reporting on our progress”.
Last June the company released a biodiversity assessment metric for Singapore, which it aims to roll out across Southeast Asia for the use of developers and civil servants.
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