Published by IRICE — Independent third-party certification body ISO/IEC 17065 (Cofrac accreditation No. 5-0655, scope available at www.cofrac.fr)
Biodiversity performance, finally measured with ESG-grade rigour.
BPS — Biodiversity Performance Score — is a multi-criteria assessment tool operated by IRICE. Site ecological assessment, objective design scoring, operational consistency. A defensible score, a signed report, an individual attestation.
BPS is a scoring tool, distinct from any certification process.
Key Facts
- Assessment phases
- Baseline · Design · Operations
- Total criteria
- 70+ multi-theme criteria
- Deliverables
- Evaluation report · IRICE attestation
- Target audience
- Project owners & Biodiversity Partners
Who It's For
Three audiences, one method.
Current biodiversity schemes often amount to a marketing distinction. BPS was designed for a different ambition: making biodiversity comparable across assets, defensible before an ESG regulator, and actionable for professionals.
Project Owners
Developers, social housing providers, land developers, local authorities, real estate investors. A flexible tool that adapts to your construction, renovation or development projects, without locking you into a rigid grid. A score that is easy to communicate, an IRICE-signed report to present to your stakeholders.
For new developments seeking accredited certification: Effinature — accredited certification. To model the carbon footprint of 2026 construction contracts: Efficarbone — article 35.
ESG Officers
CSR directors, compliance teams, CSRD teams, SFDR Article 8 and 9 fund managers. An auditable, quantified indicator that feeds into your non-financial reporting and DNSH biodiversity assessments (EU Taxonomy, Objective 6). An evaluation report that withstands statutory auditor or ESMA audits.
Ecologists & Consultants
Environmental consultancies, biodiversity advisors, independent ecologists. A qualifying pathway (IRICE Biodiversity Partner), a modern referential to add to your service portfolio, a way to differentiate your practice from the rigid approaches on the market. Training eligible for vocational training fund coverage (OPCO) via Qualitel Formation.
Why measure biodiversity
Biodiversity is becoming a mandatory metric for real estate portfolios.
CSRD, SFDR, EU Taxonomy, French Climate & Resilience Act, National Biodiversity Strategy 2030: ESG and regulatory frameworks now require objective biodiversity performance indicators. A qualitative commitment is no longer enough — a score, a report, a documented methodology are needed. BPS makes biodiversity measurable, comparable and defensible.
CSRD
Non-financial reporting
ESRS E4 requires structured biodiversity reporting: sites, pressures, action plans, indicators. The BPS score directly feeds the quantitative data points.
SFDR
Article 8 & 9 Funds
ESG funds declaring a biodiversity contribution must produce auditable metrics. BPS provides a quantified indicator per asset.
EU Taxonomy
DNSH biodiversity
The Do No Significant Harm criterion on biodiversity (Objective 6) requires an impact assessment. BPS provides the methodological framework.
ZAN
Net Zero Land Take
Under the ZAN framework, scoring the ecological quality of a site before and after intervention becomes a recurring exercise. BPS standardises the grid.
What BPS does
A quantified assessment, a documented methodology, a signed report.
BPS is designed so that the score produced is objective, reproducible and auditable. Each criterion is populated from field data or documentary sources; each data point is timestamped and linked to its contributor.
Site ecological assessment
Criteria covering the baseline state: vegetation layers, observed fauna, wetlands, heritage value, ecological corridors. The qualified Biodiversity Partner completes the assessment from field visits and documentary sources.
Design scoring
Criteria assessing siting choices, materials, green spaces, dark corridors, co-design between architect and ecologist. Each criterion carries a documented weighting.
Report & IRICE attestation
Once data entry is complete, the platform produces a structured evaluation report and an individual attestation signed by IRICE. These documents can be used for ESG reporting or in support of an Effinature certification.
Cross-asset comparison
Scores aggregate naturally at portfolio level. A housing provider or land developer can compare the biodiversity performance of multiple assets or projects against a consistent grid.
Assessment pathway
A 4-step process, co-built between the ecologist and the project owner.
Qualification
The ecologist applies as a Biodiversity Partner, completes the IRICE training and obtains their qualification number. The project owner can also create an account directly and choose their Biodiversity Partner from the directory.
Project creation
The Biodiversity Partner creates the project on the platform, invites the project owner and defines the assessment scope (phase, site, referential).
Collaborative data entry
The Biodiversity Partner enters technical criteria; the project owner provides project data (plans, materials, schedule). Each data point is timestamped and linked to its contributor.
Report & attestation
The platform generates the evaluation report and the signed IRICE attestation. Deliverables can be downloaded, shared and reused for ESG reporting.
BPS Referential
Three assessment phases
Each phase produces its own score and feeds into an overall biodiversity score.
Baseline
Ecological assessment of the site before intervention
Baseline criteria assessing the ecological quality of the site: vegetation layers, observed fauna, wetlands, ecological corridors, heritage value. Reference baseline for measuring the pre/post-intervention delta.
Design
Design choices & co-design
Design criteria covering siting choices, materials, green spaces, dark corridors, biodiversity-friendly structures, architect/ecologist co-design.
Operations
Coming soon — Design/delivery consistency
Long-term measurement of consistency between design choices and actual use: maintenance, fauna monitoring, management plans, ecological upkeep.
For ecologists
Become a Biodiversity Partner
Ecologist, environmental consultancy or advisory firm: obtain your Biodiversity Partner qualification from IRICE and access the BPS platform to support your clients in assessing the biodiversity performance of their projects.
- Full access to the BPS assessment platform
- Project creation and client (project owner) invitations
- Generation of IRICE attestations and evaluation reports
- Listing in the public Biodiversity Partner directory
- Individual qualification number
How to become a BP?
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1
Apply
Complete the application form with your references and qualifications.
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2
Train
Complete the BPS referential training — delivered by Qualitel Formation (Qualiopi-certified) in partnership with IRICE, eligible for vocational training fund coverage.
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3
Get qualified
Receive your individual BP qualification number and access the platform.
Biodiversity Partner Training — BPS Pathway
Trained by Qualitel Formation, funded through your vocational training fund (OPCO).
The BPS pathway comprises two levels, delivered by Qualitel Formation (Qualiopi-certified body) in partnership with IRICE. Training is eligible for vocational training fund coverage — limited out-of-pocket costs for consultancies and advisory firms.
BP-N1 — Awareness
Entry into the Biodiversity Partner network: biodiversity ESG framework, IRICE methodology. Prerequisite for all pathways.
BP-BPS — BPS Qualification
Qualifies for work on the Biodiversity Performance Score (ecological assessment + design scoring). Prerequisite: BP-N1.
The Effinature pathway (BP-N2 to BP-N4) is separate — see effinature.fr.
Frequently asked questions
Understanding BPS in 6 questions
Answers to the most common questions from project owners and ecologists.
What is BPS?
BPS — Biodiversity Performance Score — is a biodiversity performance assessment tool for building projects, operated by IRICE. It produces an objective, documented score based on criteria covering three phases: Baseline (ecological assessment of the site before intervention), Design (design choices, materials, co-design) and Operations (long-term consistency). BPS is a scoring tool, distinct from any certification process.
Is BPS a certification?
No. BPS is a scoring and assessment tool, not a certification. It produces an evaluation report and an individual attestation signed by IRICE, but does not issue a certificate. BPS falls outside the scope of Cofrac accreditation. Its score can feed into a biodiversity certification application (Effinature), ESG reporting (CSRD, SFDR, EU Taxonomy) or an operational action plan.
Who is BPS for?
BPS serves two audiences. On one hand, project owners — developers, social housing providers, local authorities, real estate investors, land developers — seeking an objective assessment of the biodiversity performance of an asset or project. On the other hand, ecologists, environmental consultancies and advisory firms — who access BPS by qualifying as Biodiversity Partners with IRICE.
How does a Biodiversity Partner use BPS?
The Biodiversity Partner applies to IRICE, completes the BPS referential training, obtains their individual qualification number and gains access to the platform. They can create projects, invite their clients (project owners) for collaborative data entry, generate IRICE evaluation reports and attestations, and appear in the public Biodiversity Partner directory.
What criteria are assessed?
The BPS referential covers over 70 criteria across three phases. Baseline groups criteria assessing the ecological quality of the site before intervention — vegetation layers, observed fauna, wetlands, ecological corridors, heritage value. Design groups criteria on siting choices, materials, green spaces, dark corridors, co-design with the ecologist. Operations will cover consistency between design and long-term use.
How does BPS relate to Effinature certification?
BPS and Effinature are two distinct tools operated by IRICE. Effinature is an accredited certification that issues an enforceable certificate following an assessment against four referentials (NCO, EVO, HOR, HVE). BPS is a scoring tool that produces a score and an evaluation report, usable upstream, in parallel or independently of a certification process. A project can be scored with BPS without being Effinature-certified, and vice versa.
How does BPS differ from other biodiversity schemes?
BPS was designed to address three recurring limitations of current biodiversity schemes: the rigidity of closed grids, the difficulty of producing defensible ESG reporting, and the primarily marketing-driven (rather than analytical) nature of most approaches. BPS positions itself as a quantified measurement tool, auditable line by line, suitable for CSRD, SFDR and EU Taxonomy reporting. It is operated by IRICE, an independent third-party certification body under ISO/IEC 17065, which guarantees its methodological independence.
How is Biodiversity Partner training funded?
The BPS pathway comprises two levels: BP-N1 (common core, awareness) and BP-BPS (BPS-specific qualification). Training is delivered by Qualitel Formation, a Qualiopi-certified body, in partnership with IRICE — making it eligible for vocational training fund coverage (AKTO, OPCO EP, Atlas, OPCO 2i, OPCO Mobilités, etc.). The Effinature pathway (BP-N2 to BP-N4) is separate and not required for BPS work. The full catalogue and pre-registration details are available at irice-certification.com/formations.
Ready to measure the biodiversity performance of your project?
Create an account in minutes to explore the platform, or apply as a Biodiversity Partner to support your clients with a rigorous and recognised tool.