Nature takes a seat in the boardroom: new analysis finds growing momentum of corporate action on nature
As global leaders prepare to meet at COP30, dubbed “The Nature COP”, new analysis from Business for Nature reveals how the world’s largest businesses are integrating nature into their core business strategies.
The It's Now for Nature Pulse (Pulse) is an analysis of 32 nature strategies among businesses representing over USD $700 billion in revenue and over 1.6 million employees. It shows that despite global geopolitical headwinds, there is growing momentum of corporate action on nature.
The Pulse finds that companies are increasingly recognizing nature as an enabler of climate action and long-term resilience. 94% of the companies analyzed include climate change targets within their nature strategies, evidence that the focus on protecting nature at COP30 is aligned with an increasing recognition among businesses that successful corporate strategy relies on working, healthy, and biodiverse ecosystems.
“Integrating nature in your business strategy isn’t just about managing risks; it’s about unlocking opportunities for growth, value creation, and resilience,” said Eva Zabey, CEO, Business for Nature. “These companies prove the business case for a nature-positive world is strong. Now, we must collectively accelerate action to make this the universal standard.”
The Pulse also finds that companies are bringing nature oversight into C-Suites and boards, and some are beginning to tie executive pay to nature-related targets. However, it points to a critical next step: the business community must accelerate the shift from primarily managing short-term risk to embracing long-term restoration and transparently disclosing nature dependencies to unlock full competitive advantage.
Key findings from It’s Now for Nature Pulse
Businesses are increasingly assessing and disclosing their nature-related impacts, but dependencies, risks and opportunities are less consistently reported leaving companies with blind spots across the value and distribution chains
Climate and freshwater are the most frequently identified nature-related areas, but businesses are missing wider nature-related impacts and dependencies due to knowledge gaps and assurance capacity leading to missed opportunities and co-benefits.
Companies prioritize short-term harm reduction targets, with limited focus on longer-term restoration opportunities.
Nature-related governance is moving into the boardroom, with 50% of the strategies analysed having board-level oversight, and some companies are leading the way by linking executive remuneration to the achievement of nature-related targets.
“To fully realize the business value of nature, companies must transparently assess and disclose their dependencies on it. This not only strengthens risk management but also unlocks a powerful source of competitive advantage.” said Rennie Meyers, Global Policy Lead, Orsted.
One year ahead of the UN CBD COP17 in Armenia, the Pulse also collected survey data from over 130 companies across 30 countries and sectors, finding differences among regional approaches to nature-focused target setting and drivers of corporate action. In Europe and Latin America, over half of the companies surveyed have nature strategies in place. In Asia and Africa, 27% and 10% of businesses surveyed were found to have set nature strategies, respectively.
“We see a future where our business actively restores the ecosystems we depend on. Our restoration projects in Chile are not just isolated efforts, they are a core part of a strategy that proves you can build a resilient business while helping nature thrive.” said Luis Patricio Herranz Hewitt, Head of Sustainability and Conservation, Empresas CMPC.
As momentum builds on recognizing nature as an enabler of climate action, the It’s Now for Nature campaign is helping companies turn intent into impact. Through the It’s Now for Nature Accelerator, companies can receive practical support to help them think about how to embed nature in their business strategy and decision-making. The Accelerator has so far engaged 80 businesses this year, with many due to publish their nature strategies ahead of CBD COP17 and more joining each month.
Businesses of all sizes can get started today: download the Nature Strategy Handbook, enroll in an Accelerator program, and publish a nature strategy to signal leadership and drive real-world outcomes.