Executive Summary

As global ecosystems face unprecedented pressure, biodiversity has emerged as a critical business imperative alongside climate action. With wildlife populations declining by 73% since 1970 and $44 trillion of global GDP—more than half the world's economic output—dependent on nature, companies can no longer treat biodiversity as a peripheral concern. The interconnected crises of climate change and nature loss demand integrated corporate responses, supported by emerging frameworks, regulatory mandates, and innovative financing mechanisms.

The Rio Trio Initiative, launched by the presidencies of COP29 (Azerbaijan), CBD COP16 (Colombia), and UNCCD COP16 (Saudi Arabia), represents a paradigm shift toward coordinated action across climate, biodiversity, and desertification agendas. With COP30 in Belém, Brazil positioning nature and biodiversity to dominate the 2025 global sustainability agenda, corporations face mounting pressure to translate commitments into measurable outcomes.

This comprehensive guide examines how forward-thinking companies are integrating biodiversity into their sustainability strategies through science-based target setting, conducting rigorous baseline assessments, implementing nature-positive interventions, and leveraging innovative financing mechanisms. Drawing on frameworks from the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN), Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), and real-world corporate implementations, this article provides a strategic roadmap for organizations seeking to align business value with planetary health.

The Biodiversity-Climate Nexus: Why Integration Is Non-Negotiable

The Business Case for Biodiversity Action

According to the World Economic Forum, 60% of global GDP—$44 trillion—depends on nature's diverse services, from clean water supplies to pollination. Yet one in five companies could face significant operational risks due to collapsing ecosystems, manifesting as supply chain disruptions, increased raw material costs, litigation exposure, and reputational damage.

The scientific consensus is unequivocal: limiting global warming to 1.5°C cannot be achieved without halting and reversing nature loss. Nature absorbs approximately half of the planet's carbon emissions annually, making ecosystem conservation and restoration essential climate mitigation strategies. This interdependence means that companies pursuing climate targets must simultaneously address biodiversity impacts—a reality reflected in evolving regulatory frameworks and stakeholder expectations.

Council Fire recognizes that the interconnection between climate and biodiversity requires organizations to move beyond siloed approaches. Our integrated sustainability strategies help clients understand how their operations affect—and depend upon—natural systems, enabling them to build resilience while contributing to global environmental goals.

The Regulatory Imperative

The regulatory landscape for biodiversity disclosure and action is evolving rapidly:

European Union Leadership The EU's Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), effective since 2024, requires companies to report not only on financial risks posed by biodiversity loss but also on their operational impacts on the environment through double materiality assessment. ESRS E4 (European Sustainability Reporting Standard 4) specifically mandates comprehensive biodiversity and ecosystem reporting for companies operating in Europe.

Global Framework Alignment Nearly half of companies with climate disclosures now also report on biodiversity—representing a remarkable 165% increase in one year according to 2025 CDP data. This surge reflects growing recognition that biodiversity regulations will likely follow a similar trajectory to climate policies, with potential future alignment between the two domains.

Target 15 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework Adopted by 196 parties in December 2022, Target 15 calls for legal and policy measures ensuring that large transnational companies regularly monitor, assess, and transparently disclose their biodiversity impacts, dependencies, and risks.

Council Fire helps organizations navigate this complex regulatory environment by developing compliance strategies that meet current requirements while positioning companies to adapt to emerging standards. Our expertise in stakeholder engagement ensures that biodiversity initiatives align with both regulatory mandates and community needs.

The Rio Trio Initiative and COP30: A Unified Agenda for Nature and Climate

Understanding the Rio Trio Framework

The Rio Trio Initiative represents an unprecedented collaboration between the presidencies of three major UN conventions to foster integrated action on climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation. Launched in 2024, the initiative brings together:

• Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) – protecting global biodiversity

• UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) – combating climate change

• UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) – protecting land and soil

As Dr. Osama Faqeeha, Deputy Minister of Environment for Saudi Arabia, stated: "The return to Brasil at COP30 is not just symbolic. It is a powerful reminder of the common ground that gave rise to the three Rio conventions. This shared basis drives us to act with greater coherence, efficiency and urgency on the climate, biodiversity and land use agendas."

COP30's Nature-Positive Vision

COP30 in Belém, Brazil, dubbed the "Amazon COP," positions nature and biodiversity to dominate discussions with 30 key objectives spanning energy, biodiversity, agriculture, and social development. The conference emphasizes:

• Systemic Integration: Strengthening integration across environmental agendas—climate, oceans, land, and biodiversity—not merely as a social imperative but as a strategic approach to maximize returns from shared investments

• Nature-Based Solutions: Emphasis on ecosystem-based approaches and greater private sector engagement, recognizing business's substantial utilization of planetary resources

• Indigenous Leadership: Indigenous leaders present in unprecedented numbers, with emphasis on channeling resources to communities who have safeguarded biodiversity-rich lands for centuries

As Rachel Biderman of Conservation International emphasized: "We cannot halt climate change without protecting nature. This is not just another climate conference in another city. COP30 is the Amazon COP—a generational opportunity to elevate and strengthen the relationship between people, nature, and our climate."

Council Fire's approach to sustainability planning reflects this integrated vision. We help organizations develop strategies that address climate and biodiversity synergistically, ensuring investments deliver co-benefits across multiple environmental objectives while strengthening community partnerships.

Conducting Biodiversity Baselines: The Foundation for Action

The TNFD LEAP Approach

Over 500 companies representing more than $6.5 trillion in market capitalization have committed to implementing the Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) framework. The TNFD's structured LEAP approach provides a systematic methodology for biodiversity assessment:

L – Locate: Identify sectors, value chains, and geographic locations with moderate and high dependencies and impacts on nature. Prioritize potential nature-related issues and determine if locations are ecologically sensitive.

E – Evaluate: Conduct detailed analysis of potentially material dependencies and impacts on nature. Measure the scale and scope by quantifying impact drivers, changes to ecosystem state, and likelihood of occurrence.

A – Assess: Identify and assess nature-related risks and opportunities. Determine materiality using financial and non-financial criteria, considering strategic, operational, financial, and reputational dimensions.

P – Prepare: Develop strategy and allocate resources to respond to material nature-related risks and opportunities. Prepare disclosures aligned with TNFD's 14 recommendations across governance, strategy, risk management, and metrics and targets.

Key Assessment Components

Dependencies Mapping Organizations must identify critical ecosystem services that support business operations. Companies should assess both direct operational dependencies and supply chain reliance on natural resources, from water provision to pollination services.

Impact Measurement The TNFD framework enables businesses to measure their impacts on nature at the asset level, aggregated to the issuer level. This granular approach allows companies to:

• Identify facilities in areas of high biodiversity sensitivity

• Assess contribution to deforestation and habitat conversion

• Measure total biodiversity footprint across operations

Geospatial Analysis Advanced tools now integrate data across ~3 million asset locations, combining biodiversity-sensitive area metrics with Mean Species Abundance (MSA)-based indicators. This geospatial intelligence enables location-specific risk assessment and targeted intervention planning.

Council Fire's biodiversity assessment services combine technical rigor with practical applicability. We help organizations implement the LEAP approach efficiently, translating complex ecological data into actionable business intelligence that informs strategic decision-making and stakeholder communication.

Setting Science-Based Targets for Nature (SBTN)

The SBTN Framework Evolution

Launched in May 2023, the Science Based Targets Network provides the first formal framework for companies to set goals for preserving nature and biodiversity. Building on the success of the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) for climate, SBTN extends science-based target setting to freshwater, land, ocean, and biodiversity.

As Erin Billman, SBTN Executive Director, explained: "We are in the midst of interconnected crises. We cannot limit global warming to 1.5°C without addressing nature loss, and we cannot halt and reverse nature loss without a stable climate."

The Five-Step SBTN Process

Step 1: Assess Conduct integrated assessment to identify key issues and locations for target setting. Companies must evaluate their environmental footprint across direct operations and upstream supply chains, prioritizing areas where business activities disproportionately affect nature.

Step 2: Interpret & Prioritize Using SBTN's technical guidance, companies prioritize their impacts on nature, focusing on material issues across pressure categories including freshwater use, land use change, and ecosystem conversion.

Step 3: Measure, Set & Disclose Establish baseline measurements and set quantitative targets for priority impact areas. Companies must disclose both their assessment methodology and target commitments.

Step 4: Act Implement interventions to achieve targets. Guidance on specific actions is being developed, with expected availability in 2025.

Step 5: Track Measurement, Reporting, and Verification (MRV) expectations are under development, with full guidance anticipated in 2025.

Target Categories and Examples

Freshwater Targets Companies set goals for reducing freshwater withdrawal and pollution in water-stressed basins. GSK, one of the first validated adopters, committed to reducing freshwater net withdrawal in its direct operations in the Upper Godavari basin by 100% by 2030.

Land Use and Conversion Zero-conversion commitments represent a critical target category. GSK pledged zero conversion of natural ecosystems in its direct operations by 2025, with remediation of any past conversion occurring between 2020 and 2025.

Ecosystem Restoration Targets extend beyond harm reduction to active restoration. Companies commit to regenerating degraded ecosystems within their operational footprint and supply chains.

Pilot Program Results

In October 2024, SBTN announced the first companies publicly adopting science-based targets for nature. The pilot program's success is underscored by 60% of participating companies receiving validation for some or all of their targets.

Leading Corporate Adopters Include:

• GSK (global biopharma): As Claire Lund, VP of Environmental Sustainability stated: "Climate change and nature loss are an urgent threat to human health. At GSK, we are getting ahead of disease by taking action on both climate and nature, across our value chain."

• Kering (global luxury group): First luxury conglomerate to receive validated SBTN targets, demonstrating applicability across diverse sectors

• Holcim (building materials): Nollaig Forrest, Chief Sustainability Officer, noted: "Having participated in SBTN's pilot program, Holcim is now equipped with a gold standard approach to comprehensively assess our biggest impacts on nature, measure those impacts accurately, and set targets to address key drivers of nature loss."

• Arla Foods (dairy cooperative): Achieved 88.3% subnational or better traceability for upstream volumes across all pressure categories, demonstrating supply chain transparency

Council Fire supports organizations through every stage of the SBTN process, from initial assessment through target validation and implementation. Our expertise in stakeholder-centered planning ensures that biodiversity targets align with operational realities while meeting the rigorous standards required for validation.

Nature-Positive Strategies: From Ambition to Implementation

Ecosystem Restoration at Scale

Ecosystem restoration has emerged as a cornerstone of corporate nature-positive strategies, offering measurable biodiversity benefits alongside carbon sequestration and community co-benefits.

The UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration Ecosystem degradation affects 3.2 billion people globally and drains over 10% of annual global gross product through loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services. Investing in ecosystem restoration can generate returns well above (tenfold) the cost of initial investments, making it economically attractive alongside environmental benefits.

Corporate Implementation Models

Restorasi Ekosistem Riau (RER): A decade-long initiative in Indonesia exemplifies successful private-public-NGO partnerships. Anderson Tanoto, Managing Director of RGE, emphasized: "RER is important not only because it is one of the last intact peatland forests, but as an example of the successful integration of biodiversity, community, and climate strategies and actions."

Forest Restoration for Climate Goals: Forward-thinking companies are partnering with biodiversity-focused carbon project developers as committed long-term carbon buyers or as early-stage funders of project development. Native reforestation projects deliver substantial co-benefits: biodiverse forests are more resilient than monocultures to threats like drought, severe weather, and invasive species.

Council Fire specializes in developing ecosystem restoration strategies that integrate biodiversity conservation with climate resilience and community development. Our project design approach ensures restoration efforts deliver measurable ecological outcomes while supporting local livelihoods and strengthening social license to operate.

Regenerative Agriculture: Transforming Food Systems

Regenerative agriculture represents a holistic solution to transform food, feed, and fiber production, delivering benefits for climate, nature, and people. [All companies defining regenerative agriculture mention improved soil health and improved biodiversity as expected outcomes](https://newclimate.org/sites/default/files/2024-09/Navigating regenerative agriculture in corporate climate strategies_sep2024.pdf).

Corporate Leadership Examples

ADM's Global Program: ADM's regenerative agriculture program was recognized by Fast Company's 2024 World Changing Ideas. In 2023, ADM delivered more than 2.8 million regenerative acres, exceeding its 2-million-acre goal, partnering with more than 28,000 growers across corn, soybeans, wheat, peanuts, cotton, and other crops.

ADM targets 3.5 million regenerative acres in 2024 and 5 million in 2025, with expansion into Europe and Latin America. The company's initiatives reduced Scope 3 GHG footprint and delivered modeled CO2 sequestration equivalent to removing more than 135,000 cars from the road annually.

One Planet Business for Biodiversity (OP2B): The coalition, convened by WBCSD, comprises 26 corporate members with collective market value of $893 billion. As Max Koeune, CEO of McCain Foods, stated: "The transition to regenerative agriculture will require continued partnership and investment across the value chain to deliver impact at scale and speed."

Nestlé's Investment: Nestlé committed $1.3 billion by 2025 to build regenerative agriculture practices across 500,000 producers and 150,000 suppliers, targeting 20% of key ingredients through regenerative agriculture by 2025 and 50% by 2030.

Measured Outcomes Syngenta Group enabled the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices on 16.4 million hectares of farmland in 2024, with 8.9 million hectares benefiting from products targeting soil and biodiversity improvements and 7.5 million hectares from 136 regenerative agriculture projects across 32 countries.

Council Fire helps organizations design and implement regenerative agriculture programs that balance environmental outcomes with farmer profitability and supply chain resilience. Our stakeholder engagement expertise ensures programs meet the needs of farming communities while advancing corporate sustainability objectives.

Biodiversity Credits: Innovative Financing for Nature

Biodiversity credits represent an emerging mechanism to channel private investment toward nature-positive outcomes, addressing the nature finance gap of over $700 billion annually.

Market Development

Despite private financing rising to over $102 billion in 2023, a $700 billion annual gap remains to adequately fund nature conservation and restoration. The biodiversity credit market is emerging rapidly, with transactions expected to exceed $10 million in 2025, though the market remains dangerously oversupplied and underdemanded.

Framework Evolution

The International Advisory Panel on Biodiversity Credits, together with the World Economic Forum and Biodiversity Credit Alliance, released a high integrity framework for biodiversity credit markets in 2024. In July 2025, the European Commission published a Roadmap towards Nature Credits, outlining strategic approaches to stimulate private investment in nature-positive actions across the EU.

Distinguishing Biodiversity Credits from Carbon Credits

Unlike carbon credits which operate on a global scale, biodiversity interventions must be localized: an impacted hectare within a specific biome must be restored in the same biome (like-for-like). This localization shortens supply chains and favors more direct, concrete impacts at local levels.

Verra's definition of a biodiversity credit represents: "A Nature Credit represents one quality hectare (Qha) of biodiversity uplift from a baseline as a result of project interventions." Unlike traditional offset schemes, nature credits focus on preventing biodiversity loss rather than compensating for damage.

Use Cases and Applications

The International Advisory Panel has listed local compensation of biodiversity impacts (under strict criteria) as a legitimate use case. However, non-compensatory biodiversity credits ("biocredits," "certificates," "tokens") are emerging, where buyers on voluntary markets do not acquire credits for directly compensatory mechanisms.

While biodiversity credits have yet to receive official approval at national and EU levels, 2025 will see growing interest as a solution to bridge the financial gap for nature-based interventions.

Council Fire guides organizations through the evolving biodiversity credit landscape, helping clients understand appropriate use cases, assess credit quality, and integrate biodiversity finance into broader sustainability strategies. Our expertise ensures investments deliver genuine ecological outcomes while meeting stakeholder expectations for transparency and impact.

Corporate-NGO Partnerships: Accelerating Implementation

Strategic partnerships between corporations and conservation organizations have proven essential for delivering biodiversity outcomes at scale.

Coalition Models for Systemic Change

Debt-for-Nature Leadership Six global environmental organizations—Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy, The Pew Charitable Trusts, Re:wild, Wildlife Conservation Society, and WWF—formed a coalition to scale climate and conservation outcomes through sovereign debt conversions.

As M. Sanjayan, CEO of Conservation International, reflected: "When Conservation International pioneered the first debt-for-nature swap in 1987, we never imagined what it would one day become. What was once an outside-the-box idea is now a foundational tool for protecting and restoring nature, unlocking billions of dollars for our planet's most vulnerable ecosystems."

Robert Menzi of Wildlife Conservation Society emphasized: "Sovereign debt conversions are one of the largest potential sources of funding to help achieve the global climate and nature goals outlined in the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, while also offering unparalleled return on invested philanthropy."

Sector-Specific Collaboration

Agribusiness Integration There is growing awareness and receptivity within the agrobusiness sector to incorporate biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services, though realities of incorporation are technically and practically complex. Successful integration requires engagement and collaboration of diverse actors including executives, academics, NGOs, and government representatives.

Community-Led Restoration In 2025, thirteen community-driven initiatives joined the GLFx network, led primarily by youth and women in Brazil, Bolivia, Chad, Colombia, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Madagascar, Nigeria, Philippines, Tanzania, and Vietnam. The network has expanded from 38 to 51 grassroots chapters, aiming to impact over 7,000 families while forging inclusive landscape management.

Technology and Forest Protection The 1t.org initiative has driven significant forest restoration commitments, with Ant Group in China completing its pledge early by planting 619 million trees across 4,366 square kilometers between 2016 and 2025, alongside donating CNY 719 million ($100 million) to local communities for maintenance.

Council Fire facilitates corporate-NGO partnerships that leverage complementary strengths to achieve shared conservation goals. Our brokering experience ensures partnerships are structured for accountability, deliver measurable impact, and create value for all stakeholders including local communities.

Comprehensive FAQ: Biodiversity Integration

Strategic Planning

Q: How should our company prioritize biodiversity alongside existing climate commitments?

A: Biodiversity and climate are intrinsically linked—you cannot limit global warming to 1.5°C without addressing nature loss. Rather than treating them as competing priorities, leading companies are adopting integrated approaches that recognize co-benefits. For example, forest restoration delivers both carbon sequestration and habitat protection, while regenerative agriculture reduces emissions while enhancing biodiversity.

Council Fire helps organizations develop integrated climate-nature strategies that maximize co-benefits and operational efficiency. We conduct materiality assessments to identify where biodiversity and climate objectives align, helping you prioritize investments that advance multiple goals simultaneously.

Q: What is double materiality, and how does it apply to biodiversity?

A: Double materiality, required under CSRD, means companies must report on both financial risks posed by biodiversity loss AND their impacts on the environment. This represents a fundamental shift from viewing nature only as a business dependency to recognizing corporate responsibility for environmental impacts.

Financial materiality examines how biodiversity loss could affect your business (e.g., supply chain disruptions, regulatory costs). Impact materiality assesses how your operations affect biodiversity (e.g., habitat conversion, pollution). Both perspectives are essential for comprehensive risk management and stakeholder accountability.

Q: Should we pursue TNFD, SBTN, or both frameworks?

A: TNFD and SBTN serve complementary purposes. TNFD provides disclosure recommendations for reporting nature-related dependencies, impacts, risks, and opportunities, while SBTN offers technical guidance for setting measurable targets to reduce nature impacts.

Most leading companies use both: TNFD's LEAP approach for assessment and disclosure, and SBTN's framework for target-setting and action. Over 500 companies have committed to TNFD reporting, while pilot companies including GSK, Kering, and Holcim have successfully validated SBTN targets.

Council Fire guides clients through both frameworks, ensuring efficient implementation that avoids duplication while meeting all disclosure and target-setting requirements.

Assessment and Measurement

Q: How do we conduct a biodiversity baseline assessment?

A: A robust baseline assessment follows the TNFD LEAP approach:

1. Locate: Map your business interfaces with nature across direct operations and value chains, identifying ecologically sensitive locations

2. Evaluate: Measure the scale and scope of dependencies and impacts, quantifying impact drivers and changes to ecosystem state

3. Assess: Determine materiality using financial and non-financial criteria, considering strategic, operational, and reputational dimensions

4. Prepare: Develop response strategy and prepare disclosures

Council Fire's assessment services combine desktop analysis, geospatial data, field surveys, and stakeholder consultation to develop comprehensive baselines that meet disclosure requirements while informing strategic decision-making.

Q: What metrics should we track for biodiversity performance?

A: TNFD recommends core metrics related to both impacts and dependencies, including:

• Area metrics: Hectares of natural ecosystem in operational footprint, land use change rates

• Species metrics: Mean Species Abundance (MSA) scores, threatened species presence

• Water metrics: Freshwater withdrawal volumes, water stress indices

• Dependencies: Ecosystem services essential to operations, supply chain nature-reliance

SBTN requires measurement of baseline impacts before target setting, with specific metrics varying by pressure category (freshwater, land, biodiversity).

Q: How can we assess biodiversity across global supply chains?

A: Supply chain assessment presents significant challenges but is essential given that [most corporate biodiversity impacts occur upstream](https://newclimate.org/sites/default/files/2024-09/Navigating regenerative agriculture in corporate climate strategies_sep2024.pdf). Effective approaches include:

• Traceability programs: Arla Foods achieved 88.3% subnational or better traceability for upstream volumes across all pressure categories

• Supplier engagement: ADM partnered with over 28,000 growers to implement regenerative practices

• Geospatial analysis: Tools can assess nature-related risks across millions of asset locations

Council Fire develops supplier engagement strategies that build capacity for biodiversity measurement while maintaining commercial relationships and supply chain resilience.

Implementation and Action

Q: What are practical first steps for integrating biodiversity into our operations?

A: Begin with these foundational actions:

1. Conduct materiality assessment to identify priority dependencies and impacts

2. Establish baseline measurements for key indicators

3. Set no-conversion commitments for natural ecosystems in operations and supply chains

4. Engage suppliers on biodiversity expectations and support

5. Pilot restoration projects in high-impact locations

6. Build internal capacity through training and cross-functional collaboration

Council Fire's phased implementation approach ensures organizations build biodiversity capabilities progressively while demonstrating early wins that build stakeholder confidence.

Q: How can we implement regenerative agriculture at scale?

A: Successful regenerative agriculture programs require:

Farmer Support: ADM provides both incentive payments and technical support to growers implementing regenerative practices. Farmers receive payment for each hectare farmed using regenerative methods plus technical guidance on implementation.

Measurement Systems: Remote data collection and validation platforms give farmers deeper understanding of carbon footprint and sustainability performance while enabling scalable verification.

Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration: OP2B's coalition approach enables companies to harmonize measurement, share learnings, and collectively de-risk the transition for farmers.

Q: Should we invest in biodiversity credits or carbon credits?

A: The choice depends on your specific objectives and impacts:

Carbon credits are appropriate when addressing Scope 3 emissions, with some projects delivering biodiversity co-benefits. Nature-based carbon projects may include Climate, Community, and Biodiversity (CCB) certification as supplementary to carbon accounting.

Biodiversity credits are emerging for companies seeking to:

• Address impacts beyond carbon emissions

• Support specific habitat restoration needs

• Demonstrate nature-positive contributions

• Meet regulatory expectations for biodiversity action

While the market is nascent, with 2025 transactions expected around $10 million, strategic early movers can help shape market integrity while delivering conservation outcomes.

Council Fire helps clients evaluate appropriate instruments for their biodiversity strategy, ensuring investments align with impact objectives, stakeholder expectations, and quality standards.

Financing and ROI

Q: How can we justify biodiversity investments to stakeholders?

A: Build your business case on multiple value drivers:

Risk Mitigation: One in five companies face significant operational risks from ecosystem collapse, including supply disruptions, commodity price volatility, and regulatory exposure.

Market Access: Over 50,000 companies under CSRD must report biodiversity impacts, creating competitive advantage for leaders.

Investor Expectations: 129 financial institutions representing $17.7 trillion in AUM have committed to TNFD reporting, signaling capital allocation toward nature-positive businesses.

Operational Benefits: Ecosystem restoration can generate returns well above (tenfold) initial investment costs through ecosystem service provision.

Q: What funding mechanisms exist for biodiversity projects?

A: Multiple financing pathways are available:

• Blended Finance: Combining public, philanthropic, and private capital

• Green Bonds: Sustainability-linked bonds increasingly include nature targets

• Biodiversity Credits: Emerging voluntary markets for nature outcomes

• Debt Conversions: Sovereign debt-for-nature swaps unlock billions for conservation

• Results-Based Finance: Payment upon verified impact achievement

• Nature-Based Solutions Funds: Private credit and asset management focused on regenerative outcomes

Council Fire's innovative financing expertise helps organizations structure funding approaches that accelerate implementation while managing financial risk.

Partnerships and Collaboration

Q: How should we select and structure NGO partnerships?

A: Effective partnerships require:

Strategic Alignment: Identify organizations whose conservation priorities overlap with your material impacts and geographic footprint.

Complementary Capabilities: Partner with entities that bring technical expertise, community relationships, or implementation capacity your organization lacks.

Clear Governance: Establish decision-making structures, performance metrics, and accountability mechanisms from the outset.

Long-Term Commitment: Ecological restoration operates on multi-year timescales—partnerships must be structured for sustained engagement.

Council Fire facilitates partnership development from strategy through implementation, ensuring collaborations deliver measurable conservation outcomes while meeting corporate objectives.

Q: How can we engage Indigenous communities and local stakeholders?

A: Meaningful engagement follows principles of:

Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC): Respect community decision-making authority over projects affecting their territories.

Rights Recognition: Indigenous Peoples are stewards of 80% of the world's biodiversity—partnerships must acknowledge and support their rights.

Co-Design: Involve communities from project conception rather than consultation on predetermined plans.

Benefit Sharing: Ensure communities receive fair share of economic benefits generated by projects on their lands.

Council Fire's stakeholder engagement approach centers local knowledge and priorities, building partnerships that deliver conservation outcomes while strengthening community resilience and supporting traditional livelihoods.

Council Fire: Your Strategic Partner for Biodiversity Integration

Why Leading Organizations Choose Council Fire

As corporations navigate the complex intersection of regulatory requirements, stakeholder expectations, and ecological imperatives, Council Fire offers unparalleled expertise in translating biodiversity commitments into operational reality.

Integrated Strategy Development We recognize that biodiversity cannot be addressed in isolation from climate, water, and social objectives. Our systems thinking approach helps organizations identify synergies across sustainability priorities, maximizing impact while optimizing resource allocation. Whether you're beginning your biodiversity journey or scaling proven interventions, we design strategies that align with your business model while advancing nature-positive outcomes.

Technical Rigor Meets Practical Implementation While frameworks like TNFD and SBTN provide essential guidance, applying them to diverse operational contexts requires deep expertise. Council Fire's team combines ecological science, sustainability strategy, and operational knowledge to conduct assessments that are both scientifically robust and actionable. We don't just deliver reports—we build internal capacity to embed biodiversity considerations into decision-making processes.

Stakeholder-Centered Execution Successful biodiversity strategies require alignment across multiple stakeholder groups: internal teams, suppliers, local communities, NGO partners, investors, and regulators. Our facilitation expertise ensures these diverse perspectives are integrated into strategy development and implementation. We excel at building the "radical partnerships" essential for delivering conservation outcomes at the scale and pace required.

Measurable Outcomes and Accountability In an era of heightened scrutiny around greenwashing, credible measurement and transparent reporting are non-negotiable. Council Fire helps organizations establish robust monitoring systems, set science-based targets, and communicate progress authentically. Our approach focuses on demonstrated impact rather than aspirational commitments, building stakeholder trust through verified results.

Services Tailored to Your Needs

Biodiversity Assessment and Baseline Development

• TNFD LEAP approach implementation

• Dependency and impact mapping across operations and supply chains

• Geospatial risk analysis and prioritization

• Double materiality assessment aligned with CSRD requirements

Science-Based Target Setting

• SBTN framework application for freshwater and land targets

• Target validation preparation and submission support

• Integration with existing climate and sustainability commitments

• Pathway development from baseline to achievement

Nature-Positive Strategy Design

• Ecosystem restoration project development and management

• Regenerative agriculture program design and implementation

• Biodiversity credit strategy and procurement

• Innovation in nature-based solutions financing

Stakeholder Engagement and Partnership Facilitation

• Indigenous community engagement following FPIC principles

• Corporate-NGO partnership structuring and governance

• Supplier capacity building for biodiversity measurement

• Multi-stakeholder platform design and facilitation

Disclosure and Communications

• TNFD-aligned disclosure development

• Integration with CSRD, GRI, CDP, and other frameworks

• Stakeholder communication strategy and materials

• Impact storytelling that builds credibility and inspires action

The Council Fire Difference

What distinguishes Council Fire is not just our technical expertise—it's our commitment to action over abstraction. We reject sustainability theater in favor of strategies grounded in measurable progress and long-term value. Our work is guided by:

• Systems thinking that connects policy, finance, infrastructure, and community

• Urgency balanced with optimism about achievable nature-positive futures

• Radical partnership that co-creates with those closest to the problems

• Creative leadership that brings innovation to spaces where it's often missing

Organizations working with Council Fire don't just receive strategic guidance—they gain a partner committed to their success in navigating the most urgent challenges of our time while building business resilience and social license for the long term.

Conclusion: From Strategy to Systems Change

The integration of biodiversity into corporate sustainability strategies represents far more than regulatory compliance or reputational risk management. It is a fundamental recognition that business prosperity depends on healthy ecosystems and that companies have both the responsibility and capability to reverse nature loss.

The frameworks, tools, and implementation models examined in this article demonstrate that the path forward is clear, even as it remains challenging. With COP30 positioning biodiversity alongside climate as a defining agenda for 2025, the Rio Trio Initiative driving integrated action across conventions, and over 500 companies committing to TNFD disclosures, momentum is accelerating.

Yet momentum alone is insufficient. The $700 billion annual nature financing gap will only close through bold corporate action, innovative financing mechanisms, and partnerships that transcend traditional boundaries. The 60% of participating SBTN pilot companies that achieved validation prove that science-based targets are achievable. Companies like ADM, which delivered over 2.8 million regenerative acres, demonstrate scalability is possible.

The question is no longer whether companies should integrate biodiversity into their strategies, but how quickly and comprehensively they can do so. Those who act decisively will secure supply chain resilience, maintain market access, satisfy investor expectations, and contribute to the global goal of halting and reversing nature loss by 2030.

Council Fire stands ready to partner with organizations committed to this transformation—translating ambitious goals into operational reality, building stakeholder alignment, and delivering measurable outcomes that create value for business, nature, and communities alike.

Contact Council Fire today to begin your biodiversity integration journey.

About Council Fire: Council Fire is a global change agency partnering with governments, foundations, NGOs, and visionary companies at the intersection of sustainability, justice, and economic transformation. We translate big visions into system-level results through climate resilience planning, regenerative infrastructure development, stakeholder-centered strategy, and action over abstraction. Learn more at councilfire.com