This blog by Hays explores how organisations can integrate nature into corporate strategies, considering both skills and strategies.
The natural world is declining at an unprecedented rate. One million species are threatened with extinction, while entire ecosystems are disappearing due to the activity of people and corporations.
Pollution, land use change, such as deforestation to create land for grazing, and the over-exploitation of natural resources are just some of the human-induced factors leading to this accelerated decline. Studies show that the UK is among the most biodiversity-depleted countries in the world. And it’s a loss that impacts us all.
Biodiversity can be defined as the infinite variety of life on Earth and is crucial to the resilience of both our natural and economic ecosystems. Incorporating biodiversity into a sustainability strategy is not just an ethical choice, but a necessity for organisations aiming to future-proof the success of their business.
Recognising this year’s United Nation’s biodiversity conference COP16 in Colombia, we consider the skills and strategies that organisations need to successfully navigate their biodiversity journeys.
The business case for biodiversity
While biodiversity often takes a backseat to climate change in corporate strategies, the two are inextricably linked, and biodiversity’s impact on an organisation’s operations and reputation can be equally far-ranging.
Businesses should regard ‘nature as a stakeholder’, according to Munish Datta, Director of Sustainability at Specsavers. And when you consider our reliance on the natural world, both as businesses and individuals, it’s hard to disagree with this mindset.
Half of the world’s economic output is estimated to be moderately to highly dependent on nature – whether that be timber, soil or water – in their supply chains and operations.
There’s a heightened expectation from insurance companies, shareholders, and (to some extent) the public, for businesses to manage their biodiversity impact and understand their dependencies. Failing to understand biodiversity risk and to invest in biodiversity could not only weaken a business’s investment portfolio but also decrease their attractiveness to stakeholders.
In addition, the regulations landscape is only tightening. In 2024 England introduced biodiversity net gain, where any new development larger than a small house will be required to leave the site with at least 10% more biodiversity than before. Moreover, the UK Government’s commitment to global targets such as 30by30 (the agenda to protect 30% of land and sea by 2030, as set out in COP15 in 2022) will require businesses to adopt a more thoughtful approach to land management.
Active biodiversity reporting is also a clear expectation. The European Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive requires all organisations active in Europe to report their biodiversity impacts, while the UN Global Biodiversity Framework, to which the UK is a signatory, suggests that countries mandate business to report on their impacts and dependencies. A raft of new frameworks for measuring and reporting on biodiversity and nature reflect this. These include the TNFD (Task Force for Nature-related Finance Disclosure), the SBTN (Science Based Targets for Nature), and the ISSB (International Sustainability Standards Board).
In short, companies that don’t demonstrate the right level of accountability run the risk of costly legal action and narrowing their business avenues.
Backing biodiversity with the right skills and strategies
No matter your industry or organisation’s size, a good biodiversity policy and plan will have a long-term positive impact. Forward-thinking organisations can act today to effectively integrate biodiversity and natural capital into their wider sustainability strategies.
1. Make nature positive decisions
Nature is inherently complex, and it can be a challenge to capture your impact and dependencies. Micheal Wironen of the Nature Conservancy explains that greenhouse gasses and emissions are fungible and can be sorted into convenient units, while establishing ‘nature positive’ metrics is a trickier affair.
To begin with, though, undertaking an ecological survey of your business sites can help identify key species and habitats affected by your operations. These assessments can then provide a baseline for developing strategies to protect and enhance biodiversity, and potentially improve operational efficiencies.
Where there is a lack of evidence regarding your organisation’s impacts on nature, leaders and green specialists should take a precautionary approach, assuming worst case scenarios when formulating their biodiversity objectives. Organisations may also wish to apply the ‘mitigation hierarchy’ across their operations – first avoiding then minimising negative impacts on nature, with the ultimate goal of restoring, compensating and offsetting residual impacts.
2. Educate key stakeholders
While sustainability has emerged as a top priority for organisations, biodiversity may not carry the same recognition as climate change and net zero targets within the business. Securing key stakeholder buy-in will require clear articulation of the tangible benefits that biodiverse policies can bring; from increased revenue and expanded business opportunities to higher employee engagement levels and more positive public perception.
Figure out your different stakeholders’ “currencies” when positively influencing them, and be sure to increase awareness of the different frameworks, regulations and measuring tools available.
3. Gain green skills…
Biodiversity disciplines, such as an expertise in biodiversity net gain or natural capital, have seen greater demand in the sustainability sector in recent years, as more organisations look to harmonise their business operations with nature.
From board room decisions to ecological literacy and data analysis, the skills required to integrate biodiversity into wider sustainability strategies are far ranging, and potentially challenging to acquire. Only one in eight workers has one or more green skills, according to LinkedIn’s Global Green Skills Report 2023, with demand outpacing supply.
4. …or grow them
Overcoming the green skills gap will likely require a different approach to talent acquisition. Tapping into undiscovered talent pools and taking advantage of de-biased hiring processes are just some of the strategies that can be used to source green professionals able to support biodiversity initiatives.
Looking within your organisation may provide another solution; consider building key green skills internally by investing in training and development plans. As well as helping you to overcome skills gaps, this approach will help embed environmentally focused cultures and integrate biodiversity considerations into decision-making processes.
5. Collaborate to innovate
One of the biggest challenges of incorporating biodiversity into sustainability strategies is bridging the gap between ecologists and businesspeople. These two groups have traditionally held different perspectives and priorities, but collaboration is essential for everyone’s success.
It’s important that business leaders can understand the value of biodiversity, but equally that ecologists can appreciate the operational realities of businesses. Hosting workshops, commissioning joint projects, and building cross-disciplinary teams can help establish mutual understanding and respect.
In the same vein, be sure to involve ecologists in the early stages of project development where applicable, ensuring that biodiversity goals are aligned with business objectives. Organisations should also look to engage with local communities, governments, and NGOs on their biodiversity initiatives.
Better business, and better futures
Business and biodiversity are intrinsically linked, and it’s critical that organisations can mitigate their environmental impact – or better yet, channel their unique strengths and industry levers to help enhance the natural world.
By understanding their biodiversity impacts and dependencies, investing in nature-based solutions, developing relevant skillsets, and fostering greater collaboration, organisations can create a positive impact on biodiversity – one that reduces risk and benefits their business, society, and our entire planet for generations to come.
This is a guest blog written by Hays for the Green Careers Hub. Hays is a strategic partner of the Green Careers Hub.
