CSR and regeneration glossary

154 terms on CSR, climate, nature, work and reporting, defined in a few sentences and linked to a reference source.

A

An approach that applies ecological principles to the design and management of agricultural and food systems, building on interactions between plants, animals, soils and people. FAO describes it through ten elements (diversity, synergies, recycling, resilience, efficiency, responsible governance, etc.); it is at once a science, a set of practices and a social movement.

B

Biodiversity Biodiversity

The variability among living organisms from all sources and the ecological complexes of which they are part, as defined by the Convention on Biological Diversity (1992). It covers three levels — genetic diversity within species, diversity between species and diversity of ecosystems — and the interactions among them.

E

Ecological connectivity (green and blue network) Biodiversity

A network of biodiversity reservoirs and terrestrial (green) and aquatic (blue) ecological corridors that allows species to move, reproduce and adapt. Established in France by the Grenelle laws (2009–2010), the “trame verte et bleue” is implemented through regional schemes and local land-use plans.

F

Farmers’ seeds Biodiversity

Seeds selected, multiplied and conserved by farmers in their own fields, often from heterogeneous, evolving population varieties that are generally not listed in the Official Catalogue. They contribute to cultivated biodiversity and the local adaptation of crops; their exchange and sale remain governed by seed legislation.

H

Hedgerow Biodiversity

A row of trees, shrubs and herbaceous vegetation, often on a bank or alongside a ditch, that structures the bocage landscape. It hosts significant biodiversity, limits erosion and runoff, stores carbon and shelters crops and livestock. France’s Hedgerow Pact (2023) targets a net gain of 50,000 km of hedgerows by 2030.

I

Invasive alien species Biodiversity

Species introduced by humans, intentionally or not, outside their natural range, whose establishment and spread threaten ecosystems, habitats or native species, with economic and health consequences. Regulation (EU) No 1143/2014 establishes a list of species of Union concern subject to bans on trade, keeping and release into the environment.

L

Living soil Biodiversity

Soil considered as an ecosystem hosting a large share of terrestrial biodiversity (bacteria, fungi, earthworms, etc.), whose activity provides fertility, structure, water infiltration and storage, nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration. Directive (EU) 2025/2360 on soil monitoring and resilience aims for healthy soils across the Union by 2050.

N

Natural capital Biodiversity

The stock of renewable and non-renewable natural resources (plants, animals, air, water, soils, minerals) that yields a flow of goods and services to people. The Natural Capital Protocol (2016) provides a framework for organisations to identify, measure and value their impacts and dependencies on this capital.

R

Regenerative agriculture Biodiversity

A set of farming practices aimed at restoring soil health, biodiversity and the water cycle rather than merely limiting their degradation: permanent soil cover, reduced tillage, diversified rotations and integration of livestock. The term has no legal definition or common standard, so claims based on it should rest on measured outcomes.

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