3Bee combines corporate sustainability and biodiversity

Corporate sustainability goes beyond a green commitment. Having environmental protection strategies is fundamental for any company that wants to move towards sustainability, but it is not enough. To be truly sustainable, it is also necessary to take into account two other aspects: the wellbeing of people and the pursuit of ethical profit. Being environmentally aware means, for example, rethinking production processes, containing emissions and reducing the exploitation of natural resources. Social sustainability, on the other hand, is the ability to ensure decent living and working conditions and to have a positive impact on the community. Finally, being economically sustainable does not mean not making a profit, on the contrary, it means generating income in a way that is not harmful to people and the environment. To conclude, environment, society and economy are the 3 pillars of sustainability that any company aiming to be sustainable must make sure to balance.

The beacon of corporate sustainability is the Agenda 2030, the framework set out in 2015 by the UN that defines global commitments to jointly address, among other things, climate change and biodiversity loss. This is encapsulated in 17 goals (or SDGs) that everyone - from companies to public sector entities - must commit to achieving by 2030. For companies, adopting sustainable practices almost always results in achieving a competitive advantage. Thanks to such practices, companies are able to achieve a better strategic positioning in the market, be perceived as 'responsible', build customer loyalty and satisfy the demands of new potential consumers, who are increasingly aware of the sustainability of the products/services they buy/use and are also willing to pay more for them. Moreover, sustainable companies also have a greater ability to attract and retain top talent.

As mentioned, social sustainability is a fundamental pillar of sustainability and encompasses the practices a company adopts to achieve benefits for itself and the context in which it operates. In 2001, the European Commission defined Corporate Social Responsibility (or CSR) as "the voluntary integration by companies of social and environmental concerns in their business operations and in their relations with their stakeholders".The Socialis Observatory Report shows that, despite the crises linked first to the pandemic and then to the war, investments in CSR are increasing in Italy. 96% of Italian companies with more than 80 employees strongly believe in the impact and effectiveness of CSR actions (they were 92% in 2019 and 44% in 2001) to the point of having invested, on average, almost 300 thousand euros, for a total of 2 billion and 162 million euros in 2021 alone.

Also according to the Socialis Observatory Report, 50 per cent of CSR investments concern employee initiatives. The CSR actions that companies can take internally are diverse and are aimed at creating a positive working environment. Promoting CSR in the company also (and especially) means involving its employees in broader projects that embrace environmental protection issues. And this reflects what Niccolò Calandri, the CEO of 3Bee, says: "Any company that is sensitive to environmental issues and wants to increase its impact by integrating sustainability into its activities will have better results by involving its employees in each of these activities". Nowadays, it is really hard to imagine CSR projects that do not have biodiversity conservation at heart and, fortunately, companies are increasingly willing to involve their employees in this. Let us take a closer look at what this is all about.

In our view at 3Bee, there can be no sustainable development without taking real action to protect biodiversity. Therefore, it is important that the path towards greater corporate sustainability also includes the adoption of CSR practices for the protection and regeneration of ecosystems. Thanks to the companies that have joined 3Bee's projects, we now monitor 60 million bees in 1000 hives. What do bees have to do with CSR? Since bees and other pollinators are key to the survival of 75 per cent of food crops and 90 per cent of wild plants, it is also from their preservation that we must start on a path towards greater sustainability. As one of our partner companies puts it: "Bees are highly endangered due to climate change and the enormous impact that human activities have on the environment. We collaborate with 3Bee to protect pollinators that play a vital role in regulating ecosystems".

The 3Bee Academy was born from the belief that a company is, first and foremost, a reflection of its employees. Since any opportunity to share company values and make employees the real protagonists is essential, the Academy helps you to raise your employees' awareness and make them conscious professionals and citizens capable of being spokespeople for a much-needed positive change. All the activities proposed - both educational and interactive - focus on defending the environment and combating the loss of biodiversity. For example, by adopting a forest, your employees can plant trees and spend a whole day in nature. By choosing the "Beekeeper for a day" event, you will give them a unique experience in an apiary - in total safety - to spend in contact with bees. There will also be a honey tasting and a themed aperitif.