Biodiversity as a project lever
At a time when biodiversity is becoming an integral part of the extra-financial criteria of many real-estate groups, a discreet flaw with far-reaching consequences is appearing in certain decision-making chains. Some projects, despite being presented as committed, become ineligible for sustainable investors, Article 9 funds or SFDR compliance audits. Why is this? Because the right reflex was not made when choosing the biodiversity assessment or certification method. And this seemingly minor technical decision may be enough to remove the operation from the ESG consolidation scope.
🟦 1. Biodiversity: an ESG criterion that has become strategic
- The inclusion of biodiversity in ESG analysis grids is now structural.
- AMF (article 29 doctrine), SFDR (European regulation), SRI or Greenfin labels: all reference systems expect proof of measurable, traceable and comparable environmental actions.
- Real estate, as a sector that both emits energy and occupies land, is directly exposed to this requirement.
🟦 2. A silent flaw in governance chains
- Many developers and project owners show a sincere desire to take biodiversity into account.
- In the field, however, the choice of benchmark or approach is often delegated to the MOEX, an AMO or a technical partner, without any real ESG compliance validation.
- The result: out-of-frame projects that the CSR department is unaware of.
🟦 3. What ESG financiers and auditors really check
A biodiversity benchmark is considered ESG-compatible if it meets the following conditions:
- it is backed by an independent third-party organization,
- it is based on a transparent, reproducible method,
- it enables public verification (audit, independent assessment),
- it is recognized by leading institutions (ADEME, CDC, public labels, article 8/9 funds),
- it can be documented within the SFDR framework (PAI criteria, biodiversity indicators).
Any tool that does not meet these conditions cannot be consolidated for serious ESG reporting.
🟦 4. The risks of a wrong choice
- ❌ Inconsistency between corporate CSR report and project practices
- ❌ Loss of credibility with institutional partners
- ❌ Blocking or withdrawal of long-term financing
- ❌ Project questioned by investment committees
- ❌ AMF non-compliance in the event of group control
🟦 5. Effinature: a framework designed to meet ESG requirements
- Developed and supported by IRICE, an independent certification body, Effinature is the only biodiversity certification framework designed to meet ESG criteria in the real estate sector.
- Divided into 4 operational standards (New Construction, Evolution, High Ecological Value, Horizon), it enables : rigorous assessment, complete traceability, institutional compliance, clarity for investors.
- a rigorous assessment,
- full traceability,
- institutional compliance,
- clarity for investors.
- Each certified project can be included in a consolidated ESG article 8 or 9 report.
🟨 Conclusion: a decision that engages the entire chain
Biodiversity is no longer an environmental afterthought. It has become a structuring criterion for ESG compliance. Choosing a non-independent method with no recognized framework means exposing an entire project - and sometimes an entire group - to regulatory and financial risk.
Effinature is not an alternative. It's a foundation. Those who are seriously committed to biodiversity can no longer do without a certifying framework.