More and more businesses are considering nature in their decision making, and are creating a strategy that recognizes the direct link between future success and the ability of nature to thrive.
By doing so, businesses are not only looking to reduce their impacts on nature but are also taking advantage of the new opportunities that contributing to a nature-positive world can bring.
Still need convincing? Here are ten reasons why your business should start prioritizing nature today alongside examples from It’s Now for Nature companies who are doing it already.
1. Boost business resilience
Despite the recent political scrutiny around ESG, according to WBCSD, 91% of leaders say their businesses have maintained or increased net-zero investments over the past year, with 92% predicting the cost of inaction will be higher than the cost of transition for their organizations.
Business leaders also understand that a thriving natural world is essential for a thriving business. Managing and mitigating the nature-related risks an organization faces can help them to future-proof the business, cut costs and improve operational efficiency, and create long-term value.
2. Get ahead of regulations
The regulatory landscape on nature is maturing, providing greater clarity for businesses to invest and transform their business models. The focus is shifting from a company’s actions around climate change, to increased scrutiny of their policies around nature.
Companies need to take a forward-looking, proactive approach, anticipating emerging policies rather than simply complying with those that are already law. This is evident through the growing prominence of reports aligned with the voluntary Nature-related Financial Disclosures framework. It’s an approach that can position their businesses for success, opening up the potential to benefit from subsidies and tax incentives, as well as avoiding fines and penalties.
3. Strengthen supply chains
Global supply chains are at increasing risk of disruption from floods, water shortages and wildfires, as well as longer-term threats such as the loss of pollinators, and degraded soils and ecosystems. These all affect the security and availability of valuable commodities and natural resources.
Often, the supply chain is a company’s biggest connection with nature, and a nature strategy that involves suppliers can therefore bring a new level of sustainability to sourcing and procurement. The need to sustainably improve practices and performance is central, helping suppliers become more resilient by explaining the importance of nature to their business.
As Anni Vuohelainen, Nature Project Manager at food processing and packaging solutions company Tetra Pak says, when: “you realize just how big a percentage of your nature-related impacts are in your supply chain, it becomes clear that sustainable sourcing has to be a really big part of any actions you take.”
4. Attract investors
To an investor, a business that shows a commitment to nature is a business that demonstrates reduced risk and more responsible management. They represent an investment opportunity that is committed to a long-term, nature-positive future, helping investors create a portfolio that helps them manage their own future regulatory risks.
More than 200 financial institutions, representing over €23 trillion in assets, have now signed the Finance for Biodiversity pledge, showing how nature has moved from the periphery to the center of responsible investment. As well as traditional funding, this can often unlock new green finance such as Green Bonds, which help to fund projects with clear environmental benefits.
Rabobank, for instance, has committed to integrating nature into its core banking processes by 2030, as well as progressively adapting its policies and portfolios towards global nature targets.
5. Spark innovation and growth
Acting on nature opens up opportunities for innovation and growth and the chance to create products tailored to new and growing markets. It taps into the demands of increasingly nature-conscious customers who want products and services with solid environmental credentials.
Engineering company Ørsted, for example, has developed a new low-noise piling technology, which reduces disturbance to marine life. The company is also working with AI specialists, who can monitor, in real time, the birds that visit a potential offshore site. Another company that has already published a nature strategy is cosmetic company L’Occitane, who are developing a new generation of products that reduce its impact on water. Many of the company’s products are ‘rinse-off’ products such as shower gels and shampoos and to avoid any issue around potential pollution, by 2030, 95% of their formulas will be biodegradable.
6. Strengthen brand value and build consumer trust
The world is shifting to a situation that rewards companies that perform better on environmental and social issues. A 2024 study revealed that 64% of consumers rank sustainability as a top-three purchasing consideration, with 54% willing to pay a premium for sustainable products.
Publishing a nature strategy is a clear indication that a company is looking to make a positive impact, a move that gives consumers confidence and boosts a brand’s reputation.
7. Attract and retain talent
A key factor in a company’s long-term success is its ability to attract and retain talented employees. But as the age dynamic of the workforce has changed, so have peoples’ views on what they want from a job, and the type of organization they want to work for. Millennial and Generation Z workers are expected to make up 74% of the workforce by 2030, with a growing number clear that they want to work for companies that share their values. A recent survey revealed that nearly a quarter had researched a company’s environmental record before accepting a job, and nearly half said they had put pressure on their employers to take action on protecting the environment.
According to Verónica Andrea De la Cerda Gubler, a vice president of corporate responsibility at the Chilean paper and pulp business Empresas CMPC, the company’s nature strategy: “gives our people an orientation and helps them to understand why the business is doing certain things. Our employees work in nature, they know and love nature, and the strategy has been an important piece of culture building within the company.”
8. Boost climate resilience
Adapting to climate change and restoring nature go hand-in-hand. Protecting and restoring natural habitats makes ecosystems more robust and better able to withstand climate change impacts, such as droughts, floods and extreme temperatures. As part of food ingredient supplier ofi’s sustainability strategy, it has committed to bring 2 million hectares of land under regenerative agricultural practices and distribute 25 million trees for agroforestry systems, boosting nature and its access to raw materials.
Other initiatives that support coastal wetlands, mangrove forests and coral reefs, play a crucial role as a complement to grey infrastructure, helping to reduce the damage caused by hurricanes and storms. At the same time, these nature-based solutions also help to sequester more of the carbon that causes extreme weather events.
9. Secure the ecosystem services your business relies on
Nature has been taken for granted for too long. In reality, a significant portion of the global economy is at risk from nature loss. Danone has seen the importance of reversing this trend and is working with thousands of farmers to improve soil health and biodiversity, while ofi actively creates habitats for bees in their Californian almond orchards, recognizing their vital role as pollinators.
Food, fibre, minerals and building materials are all at risk from nature loss, as are the services that it provides, such as the pollination of crops, water filtration, waste decomposition, climate sequestration and regulation. Businesses need to act now to stem nature losses, otherwise nature will lose its capacity to provide these services, and few industries will escape major disruption.
10. Build trust with communities
A strong nature strategy can enhance community trust in a business by showing a commitment to environmental responsibility and social wellbeing. For instance, by implementing solutions such as restoring wetlands or creating green spaces, businesses can show they are actively contributing to a healthier local community. Other actions such as planting trees or creating wildlife habitats, resonate with local communities, and can often be amplified by partnering with local community groups.
Chumbe Island Coral Park is a small resort off the coast of Zanzibar in the Indian Ocean with a strong commitment to nature, where staff have worked with local fisher communities to protect fish breeding grounds and ultimately improve yields. On a larger scale, for the last 20 years Natura has partnered with indigenous communities to ensure there are mutual benefits from sustainably harvesting tropical forests
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In a world where the health of nature increasingly underpins business success, developing a credible nature strategy is no longer optional – it’s essential. From bolstering supply chains to future-proofing operations, businesses that act now are seizing the opportunity to lead, innovate and thrive in a nature-positive economy. Whether you’re just beginning or are refining your approach, the Nature Strategy Handbook offers a practical roadmap to help your organization align with nature, mitigate risks and unlock new value. Start your nature strategy today.