Integrate nature into your business

Understand your relationship: Identify how your business impacts nature as well as how it depends on it. Focus on what is most important. Consider biodiversity (plants, animals and ecosystems), water use and quality (both marine and freshwater), soil health, land use changes, air quality and greenhouse gas emissions. Understand the risk or opportunity these provide your business.

Create actions: Now you have understood your relationship with nature, use this to develop some practical actions for your business to implement. Your actions should support you in avoiding or mitigating your nature impact, or provide opportunities to strengthen how you depend on nature. Some examples of actions can be found below. 

Understand your scope, resources and success measures: What part of your business operations do you want to focus on? Is it one site, the whole supply chain, one product or a service you offer? What budget do you have? What are your timeframes? What people do you need to bring into this work? Clearly articulate what success will look like. 

Develop a monitoring and measurement plan: How will you measure your success? What data do you have now? What data do you need to capture? Who needs the relevant KPIs? This will help you track and evaluate progress.

If your action involves investing in on-the-ground nature projects, here are some pointers:

Look for projects that:

• Are a good fit for your business, considering your location, impacts, goals and environmental interests like planting, wetland restoration, marine protection, etc.
• Align with other business values. E.g. community, education, jobs, uplifting mātauranga Māori or building a relationship with mana whenua. 
• Gather data or support your sustainability goals.
• Explore our partner projects here. 

Build meaningful partnerships: 

• Consider the commitment you can make both financially and with time. Do you want to be actively involved or just make a donation?
• Aim for partnerships that benefit both parties for at least three years.
• Understand partner needs (staffing, equipment, knowledge) and offer support.
• Set clear goals you can both measure and share.
• Maintain regular communication.

Give what you can:

• Your investment can be money, time, resources or expertise.
• Share your knowledge. Help with marketing, business development or other skills.
• Contributing time can help staff develop meaningful connections to the project. This engagement can deepen their connection to their role in your organisation.

For guidance and resources to help you develop a full business case for supporting nature projects, explore the Business Case for Nature toolkit here. This toolkit was developed by the Sustainable Business Council in partnership with the Ministry for the Environment.

Collaborate: Get input from staff, suppliers and customers to develop your plans and put them into action. Work closely with experts in nature projects, councils and research institutions. Partnering with others can lead to shared benefits like learning, lower costs and achieving goals.

Shift business models: Rethink your business to manage nature-related risks and opportunities. This might involve changes to your team structure and the resources you use. Share your successes and inspire other businesses.

Set up systems that work: Establish clear governance and processes to turn your plans into effective action across your operations.

Advocate for change: Join SBN and support our nature work. Share knowledge with other businesses and push for policies to protect and regenerate nature.

Promote and champion: Develop a communications plan. Use effective storytelling to engage stakeholders. Highlight how your investments help the environment and community. Encourage volunteering, mentoring and support from your staff. Inspire others in your industry to follow your example.

Transparent reporting: Report your findings, challenges and plans for action. Share progress in sustainability reports and on your website. Avoid overstating (greenwashing) or underselling (greenhushing). Align with common frameworks or standards. You can find some in the essential reading list below. 

Engage stakeholders: Regularly engage with internal and external stakeholders, including mana whenua, communities, NGOs and experts to inform and improve your nature outcomes.

The Business Case for Nature toolkit
Sustainable Business Council & Ministry for the Environment 

The Business of Nature - Sam Rowland and Kirsty Brennan
This Climate Business - Podcast 

Regenerating Nature in Aotearoa New Zealand – The Transformative Role of Business
Sustainable Business Network

Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy
Department of Conservation

The Biodiversity Plan (Nature’s Paris Agreement)
Convention on Biological Diversity

The Nature Strategy Handbook
Business for Nature

Specific Sector Actions Towards a Nature-Positive Future
Business for Nature

GRI 101 Biodiversity
Global Reporting Initiative 

IUCN Nature positive for business: Developing a common approach
IUCN

The Chairperson’s Guide to Valuing Nature
Climate Governance Initiative

New Zealand director duties to manage nature-related risk and impact on natural capital Legal Opinion 2023
Chapman Tripp Legal and The Aotearoa Circle

Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures
TNFD

See this explanation on TNFD from Thinkstep-anz
Thinkstep ANZ

Science Based Targets for Nature
Science Based Targets

World Economic Forum Article on nature
WEF