Key Performance Indicators

The University of St Andrews Key Performance Indicators for Biodiversity

Mapping and inventorying species and habitats on the University estates to allow positive management for biodiversity, and to increase student and staff engagement with nature and conservation.

  • Annual (Abi): ‘Real’ KPI score for every year, scaled to 100 as the benchmark established in the first year. There are three separate measures: a species and habitat richness score, an area managed for biodiversity score and a biodiversity engagement score.
    • Use: achieving goals & identifying project allocation or success.
  • Benchmark (Bbi): benchmark average species score across all measured sites in a region.
    • Use: assess institution performance & identify successful management plans.
  • Change (Cbi): annual change at sites and is found by subtracting the present year’s Abi value from that of the preceding year.
    • Use: identify site potential/response to management & core performance number to graph rate of change.

An extensive literature review was conducted in order to develop an evidence-based, critical KPI framework for biodiversity.  Establishing indicators and assigning value to KPI components involved scrutinising biodiversity metrics [see 1 for a comprehensive summary], biodiversity action plans [UKBAP 2019; (Arcadis for) EU Business@Biodiversity Platform, 2021 e.g.2; Fife LBAP, 2013], ecological science [Holden, 20173], and relevant government body publications [e.g. NatureScot4].  A framework for university use was then produced using the direction and evaluation of corporate sustainability-orientated literature [e.g. Addison et al., 20205]. Pragmatism drove the development of the KPI to ensure usability via straightforward collection protocols and a well-defined analysis approach.  Comparing it to similar efforts by Nature England6 and the University of Cambridge, it stands its ground by emphasising performance as the key to accountability for ecological and project management.  Both the Nature England Biodiversity Metric 3.1 and the Cambridge Biodiversity Metric have obvious limitations as they focus mostly on vascular plants and human impacts on habitat, and require specialists to carry out survey. Engagement takes a more individual approach because this is not ecology-orientated: this aspect of the KPIs is work in progress.

1 Harris, M. et al. (2021) Biodiversity Indicators Review – International Climate Finance Evidence Project. JNCC, Peterborough.

2//ec.europa.eu/environment/biodiversity/business/assets/pdf/EU%20B@B%20Platform%20Update%20Report%203_FINAL_1March2021.pdf

3 https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203022177

4 https://www.gov.scot/publications/scotlands-biodiversity-strategy-consultation/documents/

5 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/bse.2573

6 http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/6049804846366720

7 https://www.environment.admin.cam.ac.uk/biodiversity

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