The world’s second largest energy company, Shell International, and the World Conservation Union (IUCN) have signed a “Heads of Agreement”, a type of pre-agreement, outlining the concepts and principles for strategic collaboration. This Agreement aims at scaling up a relationship that has been ongoing since 2000.
Based on more than seven years of working together, Shell and IUCN are embarking on a closer relationship to foster collaboration at all levels and all over the world. The overall principle will be for each party to collaborate with and assist the other in the pursuit of their respective conservation-related aspirations. To that end, the relationship seeks to:
- Demonstrate joint leadership (both in the business and conservation sectors)
- Act as a catalyst to leverage change using the combined comparative advantages of both organizations: convening power, global reach and spread, and geo-political influence
- Add value to each others’ organization
- Stimulate and induce change in their respective sectors.
Considering its large and growing environmental footprint and its leadership position in the energy sector, Shell will further strengthen its efforts to mainstream biodiversity conservation and to protect the environment not only in Shell company operations, but also, through its leadership role, will attempt to stimulate sector wide reforms. IUCN will support and partner with Shell in realising this aspiration.
Similarly, considering its leadership position in the conservation sector, IUCN will further strengthen its efforts to mainstreaming business skills and approaches in its operations, and in the policies and operations of its members and other partners. Shell will support and partner IUCN in realising this aspiration.
The strategic objectives of the collaboration over the next 5 years are to ensure that:
- Shell has the strategies, approaches and tools that will be necessary for it to be the conservation leader in the energy sector and sustain profitable operations over the long term
- IUCN and the broader conservation community have increased capacity and business skills, access to resources, and influence necessary to achieve a significant reduction in the loss of biodiversity
- Together, Shell and IUCN will have substantively contributed to changing the policy arena, both public and corporate, such that the world’s biodiversity is better conserved and sustainably used by energy businesses working to the highest conservation standards.
