Textile Exchange’s Corporate Fiber and Materials Benchmark (CFMB) program plans to launch a tool to help the fashion and textile industry take urgent action on biodiversity, reports Sourcing Journal. Known as The Biodiversity Benchmark, the tool will be launched in partnership with The Biodiversity Consultancy and Conservation International, and supported by Sappi. It will allow companies to deliver positive biodiversity outcomes and benchmark their progress.

The Biodiversity Benchmark was co-created by Textile Exchange and The Biodiversity Consultancy, technical and policy specialists in biodiversity and ecosystem services, and Conservation International, a global nonprofit working to protect nature. Generous support was also provided by bio-based materials provider Sappi, as a corporate partner.

The Biodiversity Benchmark integrates biodiversity into business strategy and operations before making commitments, setting targets, and aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It then explores the mapping of sourcing locations against the biodiversity value of the location. This helps companies make good intervention decisions, prioritize, and design actions.

The Biodiversity Benchmark was developed with the support of a multi-stakeholder advisory group, involving some 30 biodiversity experts, NGOs and representatives from across the fashion and textile industry.