What does nature-positive mean?
Nature-positive business is activity that actively strengthens biodiversity and the state of ecosystems. Unlike traditional sustainability work that aims to minimise harm, nature-positive aims for a measurable improvement of nature as a result of the company's activity.
The concept builds on the UN Montreal biodiversity framework, the EU Nature Restoration Law and the TNFD reporting framework (Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures). In Finland, organisations such as Sitra, Gaia, Sweco and Ramboll have driven the term forward.
Why is nature-positive business on the leadership agenda?
The World Economic Forum has estimated that more than 50% of global GDP is dependent on nature. Biodiversity loss is therefore a material risk, but the nature-positive transition also represents a multi-trillion-dollar business opportunity globally.
EU regulation (CSRD and ESRS E4 on biodiversity) brings nature reporting into corporate obligations. Investors and lenders are starting to price in nature risk, much as they have started pricing in climate risk.
Nature-positive vs. nature-neutral vs. net zero
Nature-neutral means activity that does not weaken the state of nature.
Nature-positive goes further: nature must measurably improve as a result of the activity.
Net zero (carbon) concerns emissions, not biodiversity. Nature-positive complements climate ambition with its own dimension.
Practical steps
Building a nature-positive business starts with identifying nature impacts in the value chain, developing measurement (e.g. nature footprint, biodiversity indicators) and concrete restorative actions such as habitat restoration or sourcing from regenerative agriculture. S Group calculated its nature footprint as the first retail group in the world, and Origin by Ocean is building a business by tackling Baltic Sea eutrophication.
Related concepts
- Regenerative business, where nature-positive is one dimension.
- Regenerative growth, which ties growth to strengthening nature.
- Planetary boundaries, the science framing nature loss.
- Green transition, which is integrating nature alongside climate.