Biodiversity and Natural Capital

Ferrovial recognizes the key role that biodiversity plays in providing services that support the economy and social well-being.

We understand our responsibility to the natural environment and are committed to the protection and conservation of nature.

We incorporate the criteria of the mitigation hierarchy in environmental management. We follow the principle of ‘no net loss’ of biodiversity as a guideline to minimize and compensate for the negative impacts of our activities.

Biodiversity Policy

The organization has a Biodiversity Policy integrated into the management system that governs the organizational and operational processes of all its contracts. This policy aims to define and establish the principles and criteria that govern the actions regarding biodiversity in the company’s activities and in the value chain. This standard articulates the organisation’s principles on:

• Conservation and protection of species and natural ecosystems.
• Application of hierarchical criteria to mitigate negative impacts.
• Responsible use of natural resources.
• Combating deforestation.
• Application of nature-based solutions.
• Integration of natural capital in risk management.
• “No net loss”, working towards the achievement of “net positive impact”.

Commitments

We follow the principle of “no net loss” of biodiversity as a guideline to mitigate and offset the negative impacts of our activities. In line with this, we are committed to:

• Seek the net positive impact of the business and enhance the recovery of biodiversity and natural capital.
• To focus on nature-based processes and solutions that contribute to the ecological transition.
• Dialogue with stakeholders, including the public administration, to create alliances, support research and promote open innovation.

Through the Biodiversity Pact, at Ferrovial we have committed to act immediately, assessing and disseminating the most relevant impacts and dependencies of our activity related to biodiversity and natural capital. Likewise, we will develop a roadmap to avoid or reduce them following the mitigation hierarchy.

Integrated Natural Capital Assessment (INCA)

Aware of the impact that our activity has on nature, the company aims to minimize the impact on the environment and integrate its infrastructures with the landscape. Thus, in order to ensure responsible management of biodiversity, Ferrovial has developed a methodology and an internal tool for calculating the net debt of natural capital called INCA, based on the automation of the calculation of the impact of infrastructures on biodiversity and ecosystem services.

Alignment with TNFD

The Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) is a global initiative that seeks to address the crisis of biodiversity loss and ecosystem deterioration.

Ferrovial has become an Early Adopter of the TNFD recommendations. With the aim of focusing on nature-related issues and integrating natural capital into decision making, Ferrovial has become an Early Adopter of the TNFD recommendations.

Collaborations and memberships

Ferrovial participates in working groups related to natural capital such as the Spanish Group for Green Growth (GECV) and the Spanish Biodiversity Business Initiative (IEEB). These groups work to integrate and enhance the value of natural capital in organizations for an economic transition towards sustainable development models. With IEEB we have collaborated for the realization of the “Guía práctica de restauración ecológica” (2018), a methodological tool for the strengthening and recovery of natural capital.

We formed collaborations also with leading international organizations in the protection of nature and the defense of the environment such as WWF. We have prepared the Guide for the purchase of wood” (2015) after committing to responsible purchasing of wood products.
Following our “Ferrovial, Natural Capital” program to assess and mitigate the impact of our activity and anticipate market trends, we carry out projects related to biodiversity in collaboration with scientific institutions such as CSIC, URJC or USAL.

A reflection of the commitments we have made in the area of biodiversity is our adherence to the new IEEB Biodiversity and Natural Capital Pact in the formula with the greatest impact: “ACTION”.

Catalogs and guides

We prepare best practice documents related to natural capital both in collaboration with other organizations or entities and internally.

• Guide for timber procurement (2015)
• Responsible timber procurement commitment
• Practical Guide to Ecological Restoration (2018)
• Executive summary of the ecological restoration guide
• Catalog of Wildlife Initiatives (2022)
• Catalog of flora initiatives (2022)

Beyond the value chain – Nature-based solutions

Our commitment to nature goes beyond the value chain. Ferrovial has invested in the Compensa project, a nature-based solution consisting of forest restoration in degraded areas (burned or agricultural).

In this way, we are contributing to the generation of positive social and environmental impact in several areas: absorption of emissions, restoration of ecosystems, promotion of biodiversity and promotion of local employment, prioritizing groups at risk of social exclusion.

We also have a sustainable forest management project in a forest in the Amazon (specifically in Peru). This protects the ecosystem and promotes the productive activities of the local communities in a sustainable way, thereby reducing deforestation that could be generated without such a project.