Dear Governments of the World,
As business and financial institutions, we have a unique opportunity to work with you to respond to the climate and ecological crisis.
By acting together now to hold those responsible for unlawful or wanton destructive practices to account, we can create better and fairer ways of doing business that are firmly supported by international legal frameworks.
Mass damage and destruction of nature and vital ecosystems has been taking place for decades as a grievous consequence of rapid economic development. For the most part, no-one has been held responsible for this serious harm, increasingly known as ecocide¹.
By affecting the very life-support systems of the Earth, this cumulative damage has led us to the climate and ecological crisis we now face, and it has profound implications for people, nature and - inevitably - for business.
Ecocide, means 'unlawful or wanton
acts committed with knowledge that
there is a substantial likelihood of
severe and either widespread or long-term
damage to the environment
being caused by those acts'
Businesses, like everything else, depend on healthy ecosystems.
For the first time in human history, we face a stark
truth: the future of the living world entirely depends
on the decisions and actions we take today.
That’s why, as members of the business and finance
community, we are standing up and calling for
urgent action.
We are all obliged to operate within the parameters of the law. However, current regulatory provisions alone are not proving adequate to prevent severe and either widespread or long-term harm; neither are they supporting the stability that business needs to thrive. In order to create lasting protection for the ecosystems that sustain all life, something stronger is needed to underpin and reinforce existing frameworks.
Towards a climate-safe future and a healthy business environment.
As members of the business and finance community, we believe it is now essential for an international law of ecocide to be introduced to ensure lasting protection for all life on Earth.
Recognising ecocide will provide a legal safety rail to deter and prevent the worst harms, strongly encourage adherence to protective regulation and fill gaps left by the existing, fragmented body of environmental laws. It also presents numerous benefits for businesses and financial institutions, in alignment with a sustainable future.
These include: unlocking innovation; stimulating investment in new, regenerative business models; levelling the playing field for sustainable enterprise; stabilising operational and reputational risk; and providing a steer towards more sustainable business practices working with rather than against nature.
Time for governments to stand up.
We, the undersigned, as members of the business and finance community, therefore call on our governments to support the recognition of ecocide at the International Criminal Court and, where relevant, in national and regional legislation, and to positively engage in the growing global conversation to make this a reality.
1. Consensus legal definition of ecocide drafted by the Independent Expert Panel, convened by the Stop Ecocide Foundation. www.stopecocide.earth/legal-definition, June 2021
Endorsing businesses include:
United Kingdom
Julie Jamis
France
Taiwado Ben Kimura-Gross
Germany
Ekofemina, Nis
Serbia
If Not Now
United Kingdom
Stroud Brewery
United Kingdom
Sanitree
United Kingdom
Ecosia
Germany
Bodywise (UK) Ltd - Natracare
United Kingdom
Reach-MC
United Kingdom
Sohost
United Kingdom
Belmont Estate Farm Ltd
United Kingdom
VoicePresence Ltd
United Kingdom
Global Sustainable Enterprise
Netherlands
Landing Point
United Kingdom
Greenhouse Communications
United Kingdom
ING bank
Netherlands
Terra Advocati
United States
VWalker EcoStrategies
Australia
Beam partners
Belgium
Green Universe
Switzerland
Angie Spencer Paintjngs
United Kingdom
MMOUK Studios
United Kingdom
Banka BioLoo Limited
India
Richard Thomas and Co Hydro Ltd
United Kingdom
Bossche Milieugroep
Netherlands
Envisionation
United Kingdom
Transition Crich
United Kingdom
Els Services
Canada
Sustainable Business
United States
The Hidden Gem
New Zealand
Neofren
Greece
Tails A Wag Inn
United States
Ramis Health & Fitness
United Kingdom
Charlie Greene P.E.
United States
Married in the Forest
United States
Bury St Edmunds Yoga
United Kingdom
HUNTER FYSIOTERAPI
Denmark
Mapayoga
United Kingdom
The Roots of the Mother
France
Foundation Firmm
Spain
Artizen
Australia
Triarchy Press Limited
United Kingdom
Tradewind Books
Canada
OLIO
United Kingdom
Warrior Group Consulting
United Kingdom
Ipsa Consulting Limited
United Kingdom
Pure Bold
United Kingdom
RD Studios
United Kingdom
Element Four
United Kingdom
Ashleyphillips.art
United Kingdom
Compare Your Footprint
United Kingdom
Dundee Industrial Heritage Ltd
Scotland
Earthly Limited
United Kingdom
DecarbonEaser
United Kingdom
One-to-One Consulting
United Kingdom
GA Interiors
United Kingdom
Wildya
France
Ecoswap
United Kingdom
United Kingdom
Circular Future
Netherlands
PanX Prokect
Egypt
Ecopreneur.eu
België
Entreprendre Vert
France
Triodos Bank
Belgium
Fractal Creative, Unipessoal, Lda.
Portugal
Glartique Ltd
United Kingdom
Gaia Guest House & Garden Gallery
Australia
Charlie Greene P.E.
United States
Tails A Wag Inn
United States
Green Universe
Switzerland
RISE
United Kingdom
The Ink Brolly
United Kingdom
Grondrecht
België
PC Techniques
United Kingdom
Village Therapies
United Kingdom
Avant Garde Science
United Kingdom
Cosmic Crush Media
United KIngdom
Angus Media Ltd
United Kingdom
GCBR and TCSL Campaign
United Kingdom
CO2logic
Belgium
Stedem srl
Belgium
Evoke Renovations Ltd
New Zealand
Switchfoot Accounting limited
United Kingdom
Overstory Finance
United Kingdom
Effectualness (Pty) Ltd
South Africa
Jardin Musical
Belgium
Ecocable Sports sa
Belgium
Pharadigm Management
Belgium
Shared Values
Belgium
Beelieve srl
Belgium
Climact
Belgium
Springtime srl
Belgium
Urbike
Belgium
E-net Business
Belgium
SERVIPLAST
Belgium
Allianceimmo
Belgium
Elluga SRL
Belgium
BERHIN
Belgium
Théâtre de Namur
Belgium
ITS WOOD
Belgium
Convergence Point
Belgium
Points de suite / Teal
Belgium
Inspire dc srl
Belgium
MULOGO SRL
Belgium
Artts
Belgium
The Markitects
Belgium
Unburdened Limited
Belgium
TRAIT DECO
Belgium
EVM
Congo-Brazzaville
Climbing Trees
United Kingdom
Green Element Group
United Kingdom
Materialise Interiors
United Kingdom
Brand New Story
United Kingdom
House of Hackney
United Kingdom
Blue Futures Studio
United Kingdom
Faith In Nature
United Kingdom
Denmark
Set to Sail Productions
Australia
MA-VIDA
Germany
PC Techniques
United Kingdom
Vukubhinqe Mfazi NPC (VKB)
South Africa
Leap
United Kingdom
Values Industries
United States
Madhatter Creative Limited
Scotland
Double Loop Marketing
United States
Repattern ltd
United kingdom
Decarbonify
Norway
Shine Coaching and Consultancy
United Kingdom
Casadobe
Spain
Highvisioned GbR
Germany
Force of Nature
United Kingdom
Glartique ltd
United Kingdom
FotraEcoTrinity
Australia/Europe
Toast Ale
United Kingdom
NSE Global
United States
AJT
United Kingdom
Kri Skincare
United Kingdom
Hemmings House Pictures Ltd
Canada
purpose AMPLIFIED
United Kingdom
Bcnsound
Spain
bio-bean
United Kingdom
Higson
United Kingdom
Triodos Bank
Netherlands
The Climate App
United Kingdom
Switchfoot Accounting
United Kingdom
Switchfoot Wealth
United Kingdom
Oddbox Delivery LTD
United Kingdom
Akiimo
Estonia
Atmire NV
Belgium
CORE
Belgium
Goden Pavilion Company
Nigeria
Tilman SA
Belgium
La Grange Verte ASBL
Belgium
Exuberant Animal
United States
Kaya
Belgium
Ethical Business Marketing
United Kingdom
Major21
Netherlands
Silva Ecosystem Consultants Ltd
Canada
4 Pachamama CIC
United Kingdom
Innergic
Belgium
Good Energy
United Kingdom
Make It Good
United Kingdom
Nil
United Kingdom
Art of Navigation Ltd.
Ireland
Aspey Associates
United Kingdom
OpenFlow coop
Belgium
Business Declares
United Kingdom
Effectualness Store
South Africa
B Other Wise
United Kingdom
Expatriate Tax Advisory Service Limited
United Kingdom
Climate Communicators Ltd
Ireland
BrandB Radio
United Kingdom
Made to Last Ltd
United Kingdom
Dimecev Foundation
Spain
Plockhugget AB
Sweden