A European property company operating in France, Germany and Italy, Covivio has decided to step up its commitment to biodiversity from 2022. The aim is to gain a better understanding of its impact on and dependence on biodiversity, define a strategy that meets the challenges and international objectives, and align itself with nature reporting frameworks, in particular the TNFD.
UTOPIES worked with Covivio over a period of 2 years to carry out a global analysis of the company’s biodiversity issues in its 3 countries of operation and throughout its value chain. The project involved
The study carried out for Covivio identified the organisation’s main dependencies on ecosystem services (availability of water resources, climate regulation, soil stability, etc.) and also analysed its main impacts on biodiversity at the level of the following activities: development and management of residential buildings in Germany, development and management of offices in Germany, Italy and France, and management of hotels in Europe.
The analysis highlighted the key role played by upstream activities and the supply of raw materials in the Group’s biodiversity impacts (2/3 of impacts). The most impactful purchasing and construction materials (aluminium, steel, cement, etc.) were identified. The footprint of buildings and their operation (water and energy consumption by users) are two other significant impact areas. Given that Covivio develops very few new buildings, most of its impact remains linked to its existing assets. An assessment of the risks and opportunities associated with biodiversity for Covivio completed this analysis.
On this basis, and in consultation with the country teams, the main areas of commitment aimed at aligning with international objectives have been defined, along with an initial roadmap. The climate-biodiversity strategy will be published in 2024, and will cover the issues of artificialisation, resource saving and supplier commitment, as well as integrating the climate strategy.
