Executive Summary

Nature-positive business has shifted from emerging concept to strategic imperative. With 733+ organizations across 56 countries now committed to the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) and the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) validating its first corporate nature targets in January 2025, companies face clear expectations to assess, disclose, and act on their biodiversity dependencies and impacts.

The business case is compelling: over half of global GDP—approximately $58 trillion—depends moderately or highly on nature. Yet wildlife populations have declined 73% on average since 1970, creating material risks across supply chains, operations, and market access. Organizations that proactively integrate biodiversity into strategy position themselves for regulatory readiness, stakeholder trust, and the $10 trillion opportunity that nature-positive transformation represents.

This guide provides a framework for understanding the biodiversity landscape, navigating disclosure requirements, and building practical strategies that protect natural capital while strengthening business performance.

The Business Case for Nature-Positive Strategy

Nature Dependencies Are Universal

Biodiversity underpins every sector of the global economy. 85% of the world's largest companies have significant dependencies on ecosystem services—from pollination and water purification to climate regulation and soil health. These dependencies create tangible business risks:

• Supply chain disruption: Agricultural commodities, timber, and natural ingredients face sourcing instability as ecosystems degrade

• Operational constraints: Water scarcity, soil degradation, and changing conditions affect manufacturing and resource extraction

• Market access barriers: Customers, investors, and regulators increasingly require biodiversity performance

• Stranded assets: Properties and infrastructure in degraded ecosystems face devaluation

Financial Materiality Is Clear

Nature-related risks have reached the boardroom. According to TNFD's 2025 survey, 63% of organizations believe nature-related risks are as significant as—or more significant than—climate risks. This recognition reflects growing evidence:

• The biodiversity financing gap reaches $598-824 billion annually by 2030

• Nature-positive business could generate $10 trillion in annual opportunities and 395 million jobs by 2030

• Companies with strong biodiversity performance show improved access to capital and reduced insurance costs

Investor Expectations Are Rising

Financial institutions representing $22.4 trillion in assets under management have committed to TNFD adoption. Asset managers, banks, and insurers now expect portfolio companies to demonstrate:

• Understanding of nature dependencies and impacts

• Integration of biodiversity into risk management

• Credible targets and transition plans

• Transparent disclosure aligned with emerging standards

Understanding the Framework Landscape

Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD)

The TNFD provides the leading framework for corporate nature-related risk management and disclosure. Modeled on the climate-focused TCFD, TNFD helps organizations identify, assess, manage, and disclose nature-related dependencies, impacts, risks, and opportunities.

Adoption momentum (November 2025):

• 733+ organizations committed across 56 countries

• 179 financial institutions representing $22.4 trillion AUM

• 500+ TNFD-aligned reports published

• 1,800+ organizations in the TNFD Forum

ISSB integration: In November 2025, the International Sustainability Standards Board announced that upcoming nature-related disclosure standards will align with TNFD recommendations, signaling convergence toward a global baseline.

Science Based Targets Network (SBTN)

SBTN extends the science-based target methodology from climate to nature, enabling companies to set measurable biodiversity targets aligned with planetary boundaries.

2025 milestones:

• First validated corporate targets disclosed (January 2025)

• GSK, Kering, and Holcim among early adopters

• 150+ companies in pipeline representing $5.5+ trillion market cap

• Ocean targets pilot launched Fall 2025

SBTN targets address three realms—land, freshwater, and ocean—with specific metrics for:

• No conversion of natural ecosystems

• Land footprint reduction

• Landscape engagement

• Freshwater quantity and quality

• Ocean stewardship

Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF)

The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted at COP15 in December 2022, establishes global targets including:

• 30x30: Protect 30% of land and ocean by 2030

• Target 14: Integration of biodiversity into policy and planning

• Target 15: Business assessment and disclosure of biodiversity impacts

Over 700 businesses representing $4.3 trillion in revenue have committed to supporting GBF implementation, signaling private sector alignment with global biodiversity goals.

The TNFD LEAP Approach

TNFD's LEAP approach provides a systematic methodology for nature-related risk and opportunity assessment:

Locate

Identify where your organization interfaces with nature:

• Map direct operations, supply chain locations, and market geographies

• Screen for proximity to sensitive ecosystems, protected areas, and biodiversity hotspots

• Prioritize locations with high nature dependencies or potential impacts

• Use tools like IBAT, ENCORE, and WWF Risk Filter

Evaluate

Assess dependencies and impacts at priority locations:

• Identify ecosystem services your business relies upon (water, pollination, climate regulation)

• Understand how operations affect local biodiversity and ecosystem function

• Consider both direct impacts and those embedded in supply chains

• Quantify dependencies and impacts where possible

Assess

Determine material risks and opportunities:

• Translate nature dependencies into business risks (physical, transition, systemic)

• Identify opportunities from nature-positive action (efficiency, innovation, market access)

• Consider time horizons and scenario implications

• Prioritize based on likelihood, magnitude, and strategic relevance

Prepare

Develop response strategies and disclosures:

• Set targets aligned with science and business materiality

• Integrate nature considerations into governance, strategy, and risk management

• Establish metrics and monitoring systems

• Prepare disclosures following TNFD recommendations

Setting Science-Based Targets for Nature

The SBTN Target-Setting Process

Companies pursuing SBTN validation follow a structured methodology:

Step 1: Assess

• Conduct materiality screening across value chain

• Identify priority issues (land use, water, biodiversity, pollution)

• Map dependencies and impacts to specific locations

Step 2: Interpret & Prioritize

• Analyze assessment results against scientific thresholds

• Prioritize actions based on materiality and influence

• Engage stakeholders to understand local context

Step 3: Measure, Set & Disclose

• Establish baseline metrics

• Set targets aligned with SBTN methodologies

• Disclose targets and progress publicly

Step 4: Act

• Implement actions across operations and value chain

• Avoid, reduce, restore, and regenerate

• Transform business models where needed

Step 5: Track

• Monitor progress against targets

• Report annually on performance

• Adjust strategies based on results

Target Categories

SBTN targets span three interconnected realms:

Land targets:

• No conversion of natural ecosystems

• Land footprint reduction

• Landscape engagement and restoration

Freshwater targets:

• Water quantity (sustainable withdrawal)

• Water quality (pollution reduction)

• Ecosystem condition

Ocean targets (pilot):

• Sustainable sourcing

• Marine ecosystem impacts

• Blue carbon opportunities

Nature-Based Solutions for Business

Nature-based solutions (NbS) address societal challenges through ecosystem protection, restoration, and sustainable management. For businesses, NbS offer pathways to:

Operational Benefits

• Water security: Watershed protection maintains supply reliability and quality

• Climate resilience: Green infrastructure reduces flood and heat risks

• Carbon management: Ecosystem restoration sequesters carbon while supporting biodiversity

Strategic Opportunities

• Supply chain resilience: Sustainable sourcing reduces long-term risk

• Innovation platforms: Biomimicry and bio-based materials create competitive advantage

• Stakeholder value: Community and ecosystem benefits strengthen social license

Implementation Considerations

• Prioritize high-integrity projects with measurable biodiversity outcomes

• Ensure additionality beyond business-as-usual

• Engage local communities and Indigenous peoples

• Monitor and report on both climate and biodiversity impacts

• Avoid offsetting mindsets—prioritize direct impact reduction

Supply Chain Integration

For most companies, the majority of nature-related dependencies and impacts occur within supply chains. Effective integration requires:

Mapping and Assessment

• Identify high-risk commodities (soy, palm oil, beef, cocoa, timber, seafood)

• Trace supply chain origins to specific geographies

• Screen for deforestation, water stress, and biodiversity sensitivity

• Prioritize engagement based on risk and influence

Supplier Engagement

• Establish clear expectations through codes of conduct

• Provide capacity building and technical support

• Create incentives for performance improvement

• Collaborate through industry initiatives and pre-competitive platforms

Certification and Traceability

• Leverage credible certification schemes (FSC, RSPO, MSC)

• Implement traceability systems for high-risk commodities

• Participate in landscape and jurisdictional approaches

• Support smallholder inclusion in sustainable supply chains

Disclosure and Reporting

TNFD Disclosure Structure

TNFD recommends disclosure across four pillars:

Governance: Board oversight and management roles for nature-related issues

Strategy: Nature-related dependencies, impacts, risks, and opportunities; integration into business strategy

Risk & Impact Management: Processes for identifying, assessing, and managing nature-related issues

Metrics & Targets: Metrics used to assess and manage nature-related issues; targets and performance

Integration with Climate Disclosure

Nature and climate are deeply interconnected. 78% of TNFD adopters have combined nature and climate disclosure, recognizing:

• Deforestation drives both biodiversity loss and carbon emissions

• Nature-based solutions address both climate and biodiversity goals

• Investors seek integrated sustainability performance

• Reporting efficiency improves with combined approaches

Regulatory Developments

Mandatory nature-related disclosure is expanding:

• EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) includes biodiversity metrics

• EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) requires biodiversity risk management

• National regulations emerging in UK, Australia, and other markets

• 77% of organizations support ISSB developing nature standards

Council Fire's Approach

Council Fire helps organizations navigate the nature-positive transition through stakeholder-centered strategy, systems thinking, and practical implementation support.

Stakeholder Engagement

Effective biodiversity strategy requires alignment across diverse interests. Our stakeholder engagement expertise builds consensus among:

• Leadership teams and boards

• Investors and financial stakeholders

• Suppliers and value chain partners

• Communities and Indigenous peoples

• NGOs and civil society

Systems Thinking

Nature operates as interconnected systems. We help clients understand:

• Dependencies across ecosystem services

• Cascading risks through value chains

• Synergies between climate and nature action

• Landscape-level opportunities for impact

Implementation Support

From assessment through disclosure, Council Fire provides:

• Climate resilience planning integrated with biodiversity

• ESG strategy development incorporating nature

• Stakeholder facilitation for target-setting

• Communications and reporting support

Getting Started

Immediate Priorities

For companies beginning their nature journey:

1. Conduct initial screening: Use free tools like ENCORE to identify sector-level dependencies and impacts

2. Engage leadership: Brief boards and executives on nature-related risks and the evolving regulatory landscape

3. Map your value chain: Identify where your organization interfaces with nature across operations and supply chains

4. Join industry initiatives: Participate in sector collaborations and pre-competitive platforms

5. Build internal capacity: Develop expertise in biodiversity assessment and management

Building Comprehensive Strategy

For companies ready to deepen engagement:

1. Implement LEAP assessment: Systematically evaluate nature-related risks and opportunities

2. Set science-based targets: Engage with SBTN to establish credible, measurable commitments

3. Integrate with climate strategy: Align nature and climate action for efficiency and impact

4. Prepare TNFD-aligned disclosure: Develop governance, strategy, risk management, and metrics

5. Engage stakeholders: Build partnerships with suppliers, communities, and conservation organizations

Conclusion

Nature-positive business is no longer optional. With 733+ organizations committed to TNFD, validated SBTN targets setting new standards, and regulatory requirements expanding globally, companies face clear expectations to understand and act on their biodiversity dependencies and impacts.

The business case is equally compelling. Organizations that proactively integrate nature into strategy protect against material risks, unlock operational efficiencies, and position themselves for the opportunities that nature-positive transformation represents.

The frameworks, tools, and methodologies exist. What remains is the commitment to act—to move from awareness to assessment, from targets to transformation.

Ready to build your nature-positive strategy? Contact Council Fire to explore how stakeholder-centered planning, systems thinking, and practical implementation support can help your organization navigate the transition.

Council Fire is a certified B Corporation and global change agency helping organizations build sustainable, resilient futures. Learn more about our expertise and work.

FAQs

What is a nature-positive business?

A nature-positive business actively contributes to halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030. This means going beyond simply reducing harm to demonstrating measurable improvements in ecosystem health across operations and value chains. Nature-positive strategies address the root causes of biodiversity decline through sustainable sourcing, habitat protection and restoration, and transformation of business practices that degrade natural systems.

How does TNFD differ from TCFD?

TNFD (Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures) extends the TCFD framework from climate to nature. While TCFD focuses on greenhouse gas emissions and climate risks, TNFD addresses the broader dependencies and impacts organizations have on biodiversity and ecosystem services. TNFD uses a similar four-pillar structure (Governance, Strategy, Risk Management, Metrics & Targets) but adds the LEAP approach specifically designed for assessing nature-related issues across diverse geographies and ecosystem types.

What are science-based targets for nature?

Science-based targets for nature are measurable, time-bound objectives aligned with planetary boundaries and the best available science on ecosystem thresholds. Validated by the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN), these targets address land use, freshwater, biodiversity, and ocean impacts. Unlike climate targets focused on emissions reduction, nature targets consider location-specific ecosystem conditions and may include targets for no conversion, footprint reduction, and landscape engagement.

Why should businesses care about biodiversity?

Over $58 trillion in global GDP—more than half the world economy—depends moderately or highly on nature and its services. Businesses face material risks from biodiversity loss including supply chain disruption, operational constraints, regulatory penalties, and reputational damage. Investors representing trillions in assets now expect portfolio companies to demonstrate biodiversity risk management. Additionally, the transition to a nature-positive economy represents a $10 trillion opportunity by 2030.

How do I start assessing nature-related risks?

Begin with TNFD's LEAP approach: Locate where your organization interfaces with nature across operations and supply chains; Evaluate your dependencies on ecosystem services and your impacts on biodiversity; Assess the material risks and opportunities these create; and Prepare strategies and disclosures in response. Free tools like ENCORE, IBAT, and the WWF Risk Filter can support initial screening before more detailed assessment.

What's the relationship between climate and nature targets?

Climate and nature are deeply interconnected. Deforestation and land-use change drive approximately 23% of global greenhouse gas emissions, while nature-based solutions can provide up to 37% of climate mitigation needed by 2030. Many organizations are integrating climate and nature strategies—78% of TNFD adopters combine their disclosures. However, it's important to avoid trade-offs: some climate solutions (like bioenergy) can harm biodiversity if not carefully managed.

Is TNFD disclosure mandatory?

TNFD disclosure is currently voluntary, but regulatory momentum is building. The EU's CSRD requires biodiversity disclosure for in-scope companies starting 2025. The EU CSDDD mandates due diligence on environmental impacts including biodiversity. National regulations are emerging in the UK, Australia, and other markets. The ISSB has announced plans to develop nature-related disclosure standards aligned with TNFD. Survey data shows 76% of organizations believe mandatory disclosure would be positive.

How do supply chains fit into nature strategy?

For most companies, 70-90% of nature-related impacts and dependencies occur within supply chains rather than direct operations. Effective nature strategy requires mapping high-risk commodities (soy, palm oil, beef, cocoa, timber, seafood), tracing supply chain origins, engaging suppliers on expectations and capacity building, and leveraging certification and traceability systems. Landscape and jurisdictional approaches can address systemic issues that individual supply chain interventions cannot.

What role do nature-based solutions play?

Nature-based solutions (NbS) address business challenges through ecosystem protection, restoration, and sustainable management. Examples include watershed protection for water security, green infrastructure for climate resilience, and reforestation for carbon sequestration. While NbS offer genuine business value, they should complement—not replace—direct impact reduction. High-integrity NbS projects demonstrate additionality, engage local communities, and deliver measurable biodiversity outcomes alongside other benefits.

How can Council Fire help with nature-positive strategy?

Council Fire brings stakeholder engagement expertise, systems thinking, and practical implementation support to nature-positive transitions. We help organizations conduct biodiversity assessments, engage leadership and boards, facilitate target-setting processes, develop stakeholder engagement strategies, integrate nature with climate strategy, and prepare communications and disclosures. Our approach emphasizes action over abstraction—translating frameworks into measurable progress. Contact us to discuss your organization's nature-positive journey.

Related Resources

Biodiversity & Nature Strategy

• Integrating Biodiversity into Corporate Sustainability Strategies

• Nature-Positive Targets: Aligning Climate and Biodiversity Goals

• From Pledges to Performance: The 2026 Guide to Nature-Positive Transformation

• Ocean and Natural Resource Stewardship

ESG Frameworks & Reporting

• Navigating CSRD & CSDDD: New Reporting Rules for 2025

• Demystifying ESG Frameworks, Regulations and Reporting

• ESG Reporting Checklist: Key Requirements for 2025

• 7 Key ESG Metrics Every Business Leader Should Track

Corporate Sustainability Strategy

• How to Build a Corporate Sustainability Strategy: A Step-by-Step Guide

• Embedding ESG into Your Core Business Strategy

• Measuring the Triple Bottom Line

• 10 Steps for Sustainability Transformation Success

Supply Chain & Circular Economy

• Sustainable Supply Chains: Transforming Operations for Resilience and Equity

• Building Circular Economy Supply Chains

• Decarbonising Supply Chains to Reach Net-Zero

• The Circular Supply Chain: A Roadmap for Manufacturers

Stakeholder Engagement

• Stakeholder Engagement Strategies: From Consultation to Empowerment

• 5 Ways to Improve Stakeholder Engagement in Sustainability

• Why Stakeholder Trust Drives Long-Term Success