From compliance to competitive edge: how businesses are turning nature and biodiversity risks into strategic value
- Accrona
- Apr 14
- 5 min read
For years, nature and biodiversity have been viewed largely as a free resource or, at most, a compliance burden. But that narrative is rapidly changing as we are learning that things aren’t looking too good. Companies are moving beyond risk management to systematically assess their relationship with nature and unlock tangible business value.
Standards and frameworks like TNFD, CSRD, GRI, ISSB, and ISO are not just standardising disclosures—they are helping businesses embed nature and biodiversity considerations into core decision-making, manage risks strategically, and seize business and growth opportunities.
Leading companies are already demonstrating that nature and biodiversity initiatives can deliver measurable financial returns and operational benefits, transforming what was once considered a constraint into a source of resilience and competitive advantage.
Beyond risk management, leading companies demonstrate that nature and biodiversity initiatives can generate measurable financial value and operational benefits.
How can organisations turn nature and biodiversity compliance into genuine business value?
How companies are operationalising nature and biodiversity
Sustainability frameworks do more than keep companies compliant. When fully integrated, they enable businesses to anticipate nature and biodiversity risks, prevent harm to their value chains, align their operations with growing regulatory expectations, and identify strategic opportunities.
Brazilian asset manager JGP illustrates this well. They developed a detailed risk and opportunity register for agricultural investments with a cross-functional team spanning sustainability specialists, risk managers, investment professionals, and communicators. Nature and biodiversity considerations are embedded directly into core investment decisions.
Similarly, ABN AMRO applied the TNFD framework across its entire portfolio—from corporate lending and asset management to mortgages and operations. This comprehensive approach allowed the bank to identify high-impact areas, develop mitigation strategies, and uncover opportunities for nature and biodiversity-positive investments. Curious which nine global banks are shaping the future of biodiversity finance? We’ve got the full breakdown here.
In agriculture, Unilever integrated nature and biodiversity into its Regenerative Agriculture Principles, proactively managing operational risks like pollinator decline and market risks like consumer backlash from deforestation. This has strengthened its supply chains and fostered innovative product lines that align with consumer demand for sustainable choices.
In the energy sector, frameworks guide companies in measuring and mitigating nature and biodiversity impacts such as nitrogen emissions from power plants. These insights inform technology choices and site selection, reducing environmental and regulatory risks.
The bottom line? Understanding and applying these frameworks turns biodiversity from an abstract challenge into a practical, strategic lever for value creation.
Beyond compliance: generating tangible value through nature and biodiversity initiatives
The leaders in this space are doing more than avoiding risks—they’re generating clear financial returns. Natura &Co, the Brazilian cosmetics company, highlights a 16% premium achieved through sustainable sourcing of Amazonian ingredients. These practices protect the rainforest and support over 2,000 local communities, creating a virtuous cycle of conservation, community impact, and commercial success.
Land-rich companies like Suzano are also unlocking value. By implementing a mosaic landscape approach—integrating productive forestry with natural corridors—Suzano has increased local nature and biodiversity, reduced pesticide costs by 15%, enhanced water security, and created new income streams through carbon credits.
Tourism operators investing in Namibia's anti-poaching and community-managed conservation areas have seen up to 30% higher occupancy rates and premium pricing than competitors in biodiversity-depleted regions. Protecting wildlife directly enhances their primary business asset and boosts revenue. Explore how sovereign nations hold the key to scaling biodiversity impact and financing.
Emerging markets like wetland restoration and nature and biodiversity credits are offering new monetisation paths. Companies restoring degraded lands can sell biodiversity or water quality credits, turning underused land into profitable environmental assets. Although still in its infancy, the nature and biodiversity credit market is learning from the missteps of emissions trading schemes. Its long-term acceptance and scalability remain to be seen.
Innovation and cost savings: the nature and biodiversity dividend
Biodiversity strategies are also sparking innovation and delivering meaningful cost reductions. Financial institutions are pioneering nature and biodiversity-linked financial instruments, where interest rates are tied to nature and biodiversity performance metrics. These instruments differentiate them in the market while supporting such positive activities.
Yara, a leading agricultural input company, is capturing commercial potential with biodiversity-enhancing products. Their precision agriculture solutions, which reduce nitrogen runoff and promote soil biodiversity, have become one of Yara’s fastest-growing business segments—proving that helping customers achieve biodiversity goals is good business.
Cost savings are equally compelling. Olam, an agricultural producer, has reduced irrigation costs by up to 25% through better water retention by integrating natural vegetation into its farming practices. Additionally, promoting habitats for beneficial insects has lowered pest control expenses, generating savings of around USD 115 per hectare annually.
The stakes are high. With nature and biodiversity loss projected to cost businesses USD 2.7 trillion in lost revenue by 2030, companies that neglect biodiversity risks face financial penalties and operational disruptions. Conversely, early investments in nature and biodiversity protection can significantly reduce future mitigation costs. For instance, studies in the Netherlands show that cutting nitrogen emissions near Natura 2000 sites is far less costly than remediating ecological damage later.
Closing thoughts
The shift from treating nature and biodiversity as a compliance obligation to seeing it as a strategic asset marks a profound transformation in corporate strategy. Frameworks like TNFD and CSRD are helping businesses manage risks, unlock new revenue streams, and capture operational efficiencies. Leaders like Unilever, Natura &Co, Suzano, and Yara show that biodiversity-positive strategies are not just theoretical—they’re already driving measurable results.
As regulatory scrutiny intensifies and stakeholder expectations rise, businesses embedding nature and biodiversity into their core strategies will gain a decisive advantage. They will turn nature and biodiversity from a perceived burden into a driver of innovation, resilience, and sustainable growth. We believe the future belongs to companies that treat nature and biodiversity as critial and high-value assets in their investment portfolio and as a cornerstone of prosperity—not an afterthought.
Key questions to consider
Is your organisation using nature and biodiversity frameworks to unlock real value, or is it still treating them as compliance checklists?
Where in your operations or investments could nature and biodiversity-positive strategies drive cost savings or open new markets?
What steps can you take today to turn nature and biodiversity risks into sources of competitive advantage?
At Accrona, we bring actionable insights and deep expertise in sustainability and sustainable finance. Discover our flagship thought leadership platform—Biannual Bluprint—on nature and biodiversity. We help organisations navigate the complexities of integrating nature and biodiversity considerations into strategy, financing, and risk management. We have worked on these challenges with several corporates, financial institutions, municipalities, and sovereigns globally in the Nordics, South America, Africa, and Asia. Contact us today to explore how we can help your organisation turn biodiversity challenges into opportunities for growth and resilience.
