Should businesses focus on profit or biodiversity?

That is not our core business”. “It is CSR, alright, but it is not romantic enough for our business”. “We don’t have money or time for that at the moment”. “How is that connected to our business”? “What is the return on investment”?

The foregoing are hypothetical questions and statements but having worked with and for CEOs over the years, I can say that they are not very far from the actual statements made on the corridors and in boardrooms of many businesses. CEOs often find it difficult to find a direct linkage between biodiversity and their businesses. Even where resources are available for a CSR initiative, many CEOs would rather support football or rugby or even music extravaganza for budding artistes than commit resources to the protection of biodiversity.