Why companies choose KURBI

Don't just invest in biodiversity. Invest in a stronger and more credible sustainability policy.

Sustainable business is no longer a buzzword today. For more and more companies, sustainability forms part of their business strategy, their reputation, their relationship with customers and employees, and their long-term vision. Themes such as biodiversity are also receiving increasing attention within the Environmental component of ESG.

Yet for many companies, one question remains unanswered: How do you give sustainable business a concrete form, in a way that is visible, local, credible and professionally organised?

KURBI wants to offer precisely that answer.

A project that fits perfectly with the Voka Charter for Sustainable Entrepreneurship (VCDO)

More and more Flemish companies take part in the Voka Charter for Sustainable Entrepreneurship (VCDO). Within this trajectory, companies build a concrete action plan on sustainability over the course of a full year. They work on measurable actions, have them evaluated by independent experts, and can obtain the VCDO certificate after a positive assessment. Voka also links this trajectory to ESG and, if desired, to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

KURBI wants to help companies make such sustainability actions visible locally as well.

A biodiversity project within KURBI can, after all, fit perfectly with actions relating to, among others:

• biodiversity;

• climate adaptation;

• local social engagement;

• cooperation with stakeholders;

• sustainable value chains;

• employee involvement;

• sustainability communication.

KURBI naturally does not replace the VCDO trajectory, but it can help give concrete form to actions within a broader sustainability policy.

ESG becomes visible

Many companies invest in sustainability today. But for employees, customers and visitors, that often remains invisible. KURBI makes sustainable business tangible. Your company does not invest in an anonymous project. It invests in flower meadows, natural ponds, nesting boxes, natural grazing and other biodiversity measures that are actually realised in a local area. That makes your commitment credible. Because people mostly believe what they can see for themselves.

Your investment stays local

KURBI deliberately works from specific local project locations. As a result, every investment remains connected to a recognisable place. Your employees can visit the project. Your customers can discover it. Your business relations can see what your company helps make possible. That gives a very different meaning to sustainable business than when a contribution disappears into an international fund whose results no one ever sees.

An investment with multiple societal effects

A contribution to KURBI never supports just a single goal. One biodiversity project often contributes simultaneously to:

• more biodiversity;

• protection of pollinators;

• support for local agriculture;

• preservation of Belgian living heritage;

• more attractive walking routes;

• a more beautiful landscape;

• climate adaptation;

• local cooperation between companies, farmers and government.

That makes every investment particularly efficient.

A professional partner for your sustainability policy

KURBI wants to be more than an implementer of biodiversity measures. We want to be a reliable partner that supports companies in the practical realisation of their sustainability ambitions.

That is why we take care of, among other things:

• selection of suitable biodiversity projects;

• coordination with farmers and implementation partners;

• monitoring and quality assurance;

• photos and documentation;

• description of the measures carried out;

• support for accurate communication about the project.

This means your company does not need to concern itself with the practical organisation.

Communicating correctly about sustainability

More and more companies have rightly become cautious about sustainability claims. KURBI shares that view. We believe that credibility is more important than spectacular slogans. That is why we communicate exclusively about measures that are actually implemented. We avoid absolute statements such as "climate neutral", "full compensation" or "100% sustainable", unless there is an objective and verifiable basis for doing so. That protects not only KURBI, but also our partners.

Taxation

For many companies, the tax treatment of their contribution is also an important consideration.

The specific tax classification depends on the form of cooperation chosen and the agreed performance. Depending on the agreement, this may, for example, involve sponsorship, advertising services, or another contractual relationship. Each situation deserves a separate assessment.

KURBI strives to design its cooperation models as transparently and professionally as possible. Companies wishing to have clarity on this in advance can, of course, obtain further information or seek advice from their accountant or tax adviser.

What does your company receive?

Depending on the chosen biodiversity partnership, you receive, among other things:

• an invoice;

• a description of the supported project;

• photos of the implementation;

• ESG documentation;

• the opportunity to visit the project;

• recognition as a biodiversity partner of KURBI (if desired).

Why do companies choose KURBI?

Because KURBI:

✓ works locally;

✓ connects entrepreneurship and biodiversity;

✓ economically supports farmers;

✓ aligns with contemporary ESG principles;

✓ can inspire companies within their VCDO trajectory;

✓ is professionally organised;

✓ communicates transparently;

✓ delivers a visible result.

Sustainable business starts close to home

We believe that companies make the greatest difference when they invest in the environment in which they themselves operate. Not because they are obliged to. But because sustainable business ultimately starts with taking responsibility for the community in which a company operates on a daily basis. That is precisely what KURBI wants to make possible.

Become a biodiversity partner

Invest in a more biodiverse local environment and give your sustainability policy a concrete, visible and locally anchored form.