From exterior regulatory pressures to inner company commitments, there’s a myriad of explanation why an organization might start desirous about its dependencies and impacts on nature. WHC is aware of this all too effectively from 35 years of expertise supporting the personal sector in biodiversity-related efforts.
Whereas the reasoning behind a company dedication to nature positivity varies from firm to firm, WHC has recognized many commonalities throughout industries and sectors. With corporations more and more trying to interact in nature-positive actions, WHC aggregated these widespread findings right into a mannequin referred to as the Nature-Constructive Journey.
However what does this journey appear like, and the way can corporations get began? WHC specialists addressed these questions and extra in a latest webinar targeted on the how and why of company nature positivity.
Why get began now?
To be able to set the scene for the Nature-Constructive Journey, it’s essential to grasp why corporations ought to embark on this journey now. The earth is at present experiencing a nature disaster, thought-about by many to the be planet’s sixth mass extinction occasion. There was a documented 69% lower in monitored international wildlife populations since 1970, and elements like habitat loss, overexploitation of nature, invasive species, illness and local weather change are all drivers for biodiversity loss worldwide. These biodiversity losses is not going to solely influence nature, but in addition the worldwide financial system, as over half of the world’s GDP depends on nature.
Due to these impacts, governments, monetary establishments and companies are starting to take concrete motion for nature. Due partially to the Kunming-Montreal World Biodiversity Framework, which was adopted by 196 international locations at COP 15 in December 2022, governments are creating nationwide motion plans to succeed in nature-positive targets, together with necessities for companies. It’s clear that, due to the dire state of biodiversity and these rising exterior pressures, now could be the time for corporations to behave for nature.
Navigating the ecosystem of nature-related frameworks
Momentum is rapidly gathering throughout many sectors to deal with nature-positive outcomes, leading to numerous initiatives, instruments and frameworks associated to environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. Many corporations have relayed to WHC that the difficult panorama of those rising frameworks can really feel daunting, so having a clearer image of their expectations and interoperability will help corporations decide which frameworks finest match their wants.
Just a few notable frameworks embody the Taskforce on Nature-related Monetary Disclosure (TNFD) and the Science-based Targets for Nature (SBTN). TNFD focuses on nature-related threat administration and disclosure, with these disclosures serving to corporations put together for Goal 15 of the GBF, and SBTN supplies steering for place-based influence administration. Whereas each frameworks finally develop motion plans to satisfy and report on nature-related targets, TNFD focuses closely on disclosure, whereas SBTN’s focus is extra on appearing and monitoring measurable targets.
TNFD and SBTN are simply two of the various frameworks, initiatives and laws that at present exist, with extra undoubtedly on the way in which. As such, it may be troublesome to parse the connections between them and perceive the place every framework matches into an general nature-related technique. WHC is working to simplify this, utilizing a pattern state of affairs within the webinar as an instance how numerous initiatives, in addition to extra actions like WHC Conservation Certification®, every play a job in an organization’s nature-related assessments, commitments, disclosures and transformation.
Watch WHC’s free, on-demand webinar to study extra concerning the numerous nature-related frameworks.
Listening to from corporations about their place on the journey
Contemplating there are numerous frameworks and initiatives that help a purpose of reaching nature positivity, many corporations are questioning easy methods to get began. Each firm’s journey will look completely different, and there’s hardly ever a straight path to nature positivity, as exterior and inner disruptions will inevitably have an effect. Regardless of this variability, WHC has recognized six common phases on the Nature-Constructive Journey. 
An organization will usually begin within the exploration section, the place it begins to grasp its relationship with nature. As soon as an organization has decided that biodiversity is materials to its success, an inner dedication to take nature-related motion usually follows. Additional assessments and planning assist to establish particular nature-related dangers, impacts, dependencies and alternatives throughout areas, enterprise models and provide chains. Primarily based on these findings, an organization develops a nature technique to deal with these impacts, which it usually pilots and adapts at a subset of areas to gather suggestions and regulate earlier than adopting and launching it extra broadly. Armed with this nature technique, an organization can go on to constantly innovate within the face of latest laws, competitors and elevated understanding of nature – changing into an business chief.
Attendees on the webinar represented an attention-grabbing cross part of the personal sector, they usually supplied helpful information concerning the company nature-positive journey in a short ballot. When requested about their firm’s present place on the nature-positive journey, most respondents indicated they’re within the two earliest levels: Exploration (35%) or Evaluation & Planning (27%). The vast majority of respondents had been no additional than the Exploration section of their journey, with solely 10% having reached the Adoption & Launch section.
When requested concerning the boundaries they see limiting their development on the journey, monetary assets (35%) and lack of realizing the place to start out (27%) had been the highest responses. Particularly, a lack of realizing the place to start out was indicated as the most important hurdle for these in the Exploration and Evaluation & Planning phases, whereas a lack of monetary assets was the highest motive for not advancing in three phases: Dedication, Piloting & Adapting and Technique Adoption & Launch. 
These findings present that steering and help early within the journey is a high want for a lot of corporations. WHC is working to satisfy this want by creating choices that may assist propel corporations to the subsequent step on the journey. From biodiversity health screenings to framework readiness assessments to the creation of a company nature technique, WHC has created a menu of choices to help corporations in any respect phases of the Nature-Constructive Journey.
Descriptions of those choices, their placement on the nature-positive journey and real-life examples can be found in WHC’s free white paper: The Company Nature-Constructive Journey| Non-public Sector Biodiversity Methodologies, From Technique to Implementation.
Able to get began?
By embarking on the Nature-Constructive Journey and implementing a company nature technique, corporations profit in various methods. Not solely does a nature technique exhibit an organization’s dedication to each folks and planet, however it will possibly additionally help different corporate-level methods for local weather or sustainability. A nature technique helps an organization align with numerous regulatory and monetary expectations and helps enterprise decision-making by placing a deal with nature-positive actions and decreasing nature-related dangers.
As biodiversity turns into extra of a hot-button situation, and with the emergence of extra voluntary nature and regulatory nature-related disclosures and expectations, it’s clear that now could be the time for corporations to behave for nature. Need to study extra? Watch WHC’s free, on-demand webinar for extra particulars on the steps on the company Nature-Constructive Journey and to find out how, regardless of the place you might be, you can begin taking motion for nature.
