Are you building a biodiversity strategy? A five-step guide

1. What percentage of global GDP do ecosystem services contribute to annually?

Research by Springer Nature Link indicates that ecosystem services such as pollination, water and air purification, disease control, nutrient cycling, and carbon sequestration contribute to more than half of global GDP, amounting to $44tn annually.

• The EU estimates that every €1 invested into nature restoration yields between €8 and €38 in benefits.

2. How much in terms of business opportunities and employment could protecting nature generate by 2030?

The WEF estimates that protecting nature could generate $10tn in business opportunities annually by 2030 and create nearly 400 million new jobs.

• Companies that prioritize biodiversity can tap into new markets, create sustainable products, and bolster their resilience to environmental and regulatory changes.

3. How much does Unilever generate annually through plant-based food?

Unilever generated €1.2bn ($1.5bn) in 2023 by replacing animal-derived proteins with plant-based offerings.

• Beyond operational improvements, biodiversity action can strengthen a company’s brand and attract eco-conscious consumers. It also opens doors to new customer segments and markets and sparks innovation in industries.

How to build a successful biodiversity strategy: 5 key enablers

1. Expand your focus beyond climate

Climate change and biodiversity loss are interconnected challenges. By addressing both issues simultaneously, businesses can develop synergistic solutions that benefit both the environment and their bottom line.

2. Prioritize high-impact areas

Focus impact on biodiversity via the primary drivers of biodiversity loss, such as land conversion, climate change, overexploitation, or pollution.

3. Ensure credibility through action and accountability

There must be a clear order of priority when addressing biodiversity. This is called the “mitigation hierarchy”. Businesses must first demonstrate action on avoiding and reducing biodiversity loss, then on restoration and, if needed, on additional actions to offset any residual damage.

4.Embed biodiversity across your business

Biodiversity should be integrated into your core business model. This requires a clear, long-term strategy that aligns biodiversity efforts with corporate governance, business goals, and initiatives such as R&D.

5. Leverage your influence for systemic change

Collaborative partnerships with industry peers, NGOs, governments, and other stakeholders are essential to drive systemic change and achieve impact more effectively.