CORPORATE ACTION → NATURE INTEGRATION
Integrating Nature into Business
The climate-nature nexus – building on carbon work to address biodiversity and natural capital
In 30 Seconds
Climate and nature are inextricably linked. Climate change is one of five drivers of biodiversity loss, while healthy ecosystems provide carbon sequestration and climate adaptation solutions.
The challenge: Unlike carbon (1 tonne CO₂e has same impact everywhere), nature impacts are location-specific. Water extraction in the Amazon has different consequences than in arid Middle East. Context matters – ecosystem condition, water stress, proximity to sensitive habitats.
The opportunity: Companies already working on climate have infrastructure they can extend to nature – governance, risk management, disclosure processes, supply chain engagement. You're not starting from zero.
The Business-Nature Interface: Two-Way Risk
Nature isn't just an environmental concern – it's a business dependency and operational impact that creates material financial risk in both directions.
What Your Business Takes From Nature
Resources and services your operations rely on:
- • Water for manufacturing and operations
- • Raw materials (timber, agricultural products, minerals)
- • Fertile soils and genetic material
- • Stable weather and reliable seasons
- • Pollination services
- • Water purification and flood regulation
What Your Operations Do To Nature
How your activities affect natural systems:
- • Water extraction in water-stressed areas
- • Pollution near sensitive habitats
- • Deforestation in supply chains
- • Land use change and habitat loss
- • Chemical runoff affecting aquatic ecosystems
- • Disruption of migration corridors
Double exposure: Most businesses face risks from BOTH degrading the nature they impact AND losing access to the nature they depend on. The business case for action comes from managing both sides of this exposure – protecting what you rely on while minimising harm from what you do.
The Critical Difference: Location Matters
Understanding this fundamental distinction changes how you assess nature-related impacts compared to carbon.
Carbon Impact
1 tonne CO₂e has identical climate impact whether emitted in UK or Brazil
Assessment approach:
Quantitative calculation, global carbon accounting standards, emissions factors database
Nature Impact
1 litre water extraction has vastly different impacts based on location
Assessment approach:
Context-specific analysis: ecosystem condition, water stress, proximity to sensitive habitats, local biodiversity vulnerability. Quality > quantity.
Implication: You can't just calculate nature impacts with a spreadsheet. You need to understand where your operations and supply chains intersect with nature, and what the local ecological context is at each interface point.
The Climate-Nature Nexus
Climate and nature are not separate issues. They reinforce each other – for better or worse.
Climate drives nature loss
Climate change is one of five major drivers of biodiversity decline alongside habitat loss, pollution, invasive species, and overexploitation.
Example: Rising temperatures shift ecosystem ranges, coral bleaching, altered migration patterns
Nature regulates climate
Healthy ecosystems provide carbon sequestration (forests, wetlands, peatlands, oceans) and climate adaptation solutions (coastal mangroves, urban green spaces).
Example: Protecting peatlands prevents massive carbon release; urban trees reduce heat island effect
Synergies You Can Leverage
Readiness Assessment: Where Does Nature Sit?
Where nature sits in your organisation determines not just what you need to do, but how you position it strategically.
The Four Reality Checks
1. Where does nature show up in your financial risk register?
If it doesn't, you're behind the curve. Nature risks = business risks.
2. Can you name three commodities in your supply chain with deforestation or water stress exposure?
If not, you don't understand your Scope 3 nature dependencies.
3. Would losing access to a key natural resource stop your operations within 6 months?
Agriculture, water-intensive manufacturing, tourism – answer is often yes.
4. Could a customer ask "what's your TNFD disclosure?" next quarter and you'd have an answer?
Regulatory and commercial pressure is accelerating faster than most organisations expect.
Level 1: Awareness Gap
- •Nature not on exec agenda
- •No clarity on material nature risks
- •Reactive to customer/investor questions
- •Climate work exists but nature not considered
Level 2: Compliance Driven
- •Driven by CSRD, TNFD requirements
- •Focused on disclosure mechanics
- •Limited business case understanding
- •Working to meet minimum regulatory bar
Level 3: Strategically Positioned
- •Nature integrated into ERM framework
- •Business case clear (risk mitigation, resilience)
- •Governance structures adapted from climate work
- •Supply chain nature dependencies mapped
Level 4: Competitive Advantage
- •Nature-positive commitments guide strategy
- •Supply chain resilience demonstrable
- •Nature credentials support revenue growth
- •Proactive leadership in sector on nature topics
Data & Tools: Your Toolkit
You don't need to figure this out alone. Established frameworks and tools exist to guide you.
TNFD LEAP
Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures – mirrors TCFD structure
L: Locate
Identify interfaces with nature (operations, upstream, downstream)
E: Evaluate
Assess dependencies and impacts on nature
A: Assess
Determine material risks and opportunities
P: Prepare
Develop responses and disclosures
SBTN
Science Based Targets Network – extends SBTi approach to nature
Provides methodologies for setting science-based targets for:
- • Freshwater (water use and pollution)
- • Land (land use change, habitat conversion)
- • Biodiversity (ecosystem integrity)
- • Ocean (marine ecosystem impacts)
ENCORE
Exploring Natural Capital Opportunities, Risks and Exposure
Free online tool mapping business dependencies and impacts by sector. Ideal for initial screening: “Which ecosystem services does my sector rely on?”
GRI Biodiversity
Global Reporting Initiative – biodiversity disclosure standard
If you already report using GRI sustainability standards, GRI 304 (Biodiversity) provides structured disclosure requirements you can adopt.
Key resource:
TNFD Essentials: A Beginner's Guide to Nature-Related Financial Disclosures (UN Global Compact Network Canada & WSP, 2024) – practical starting point for practitioners.
Leverage Your Existing Climate Work
If your organisation already reports under TCFD or has climate governance structures, you can adapt existing mechanisms for nature. You're not starting from scratch.
From: TCFD governance structures
→ Adapt for TNFD – similar governance, risk management, disclosure requirements
From: Scope 1, 2, 3 carbon accounting
→ Identify value chain nature touchpoints using same supply chain maps
From: Climate risk assessments
→ Extend to include nature-related physical and transition risks
From: Carbon reduction targets (SBTi)
→ Set science-based targets for nature (SBTN) using parallel methodology
From: Supplier engagement on emissions
→ Expand to include deforestation, water use, biodiversity criteria
From: Climate scenario analysis
→ Incorporate nature-related scenarios (ecosystem collapse, water scarcity)
Strategic advantage: Organisations with mature climate programmes have a head start. The governance, data systems, and stakeholder engagement mechanisms you've built for climate can be extended to nature – making integration faster and more cost-effective.
Embedding Nature into Governance
Nature can't be an add-on. It needs to be integrated into how decisions get made across the organisation.
Board Level
- ✓Include nature-related risks in enterprise risk register
- ✓Board training on nature dependencies and TNFD requirements
- ✓Quarterly nature risk updates alongside climate reporting
- ✓Link executive remuneration to nature targets
Executive Level
- ✓Assign accountability for nature to specific C-suite role
- ✓Integrate nature into capital allocation decisions
- ✓Include nature criteria in M&A due diligence
- ✓Nature impact assessment for major capital projects
Operational Level
- ✓Procurement: supplier standards for deforestation, water, biodiversity
- ✓Operations: site-level biodiversity action plans for high-impact locations
- ✓Finance: nature-related risk integrated into financial planning
- ✓Strategy: nature opportunities identified in long-term business planning
Where to Start: Situational Entry Points
Your starting point depends on your drivers and maturity. Not every organisation begins in the same place.
You have mature climate programme (TCFD, SBTi)
Start with:
Extend to TNFD LEAP assessment
Infrastructure exists – add nature lens to existing processes
Nature newly identified as material risk
Start with:
Materiality deep-dive workshop
Understand which nature issues matter most before setting strategy
Regulatory requirement (CSRD, TNFD)
Start with:
Compliance gap analysis
Map current state vs. disclosure requirements, build roadmap
Supply chain deforestation or water stress concerns
Start with:
Value chain mapping
Identify high-risk commodities and geographies in Scope 3
Early stage – no climate or nature work yet
Start with:
Climate first, then nature
Build climate foundations (easier) then extend to nature complexity
Professional Context
This approach aligns with practitioner guidance from the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP) Practice Report: “Integrating nature into business: including insights on the climate-nature nexus” (Bradford & Merriman, 2024).
Our sustainability frameworks are informed by established professional networks and tested methodologies, not theoretical approaches.
Fractional Sustainability Leadership
Integrating nature into your sustainability programme requires expertise in both climate and biodiversity. Most mid-market organisations can't afford full-time specialists in both domains.
Climate-Nature Nexus
Build on existing climate work rather than starting separate nature programme
Frameworks & Tools
Navigate TNFD, SBTN, ENCORE, and sector-specific guidance
Materiality-First
Focus on what matters most – dependencies, impacts, risks relevant to your business