Biodiversity management plans in business: the importance of investing in natural capital

The accelerated loss of biodiversity is advancing at an unprecedented rate and has become one of the primary global environmental and socioeconomic risks (WWF, 2024). In this context, it directly affects companies, not only due to environmental implications but also because of the associated operational, regulatory, and reputational risks.

More and more companies are incorporating biodiversity into their strategy, seeking to understand how their activities interact with the natural environment and what scope exists to reduce impacts and generate positive effects. In this process, biodiversity management plans have become established as a practical and effective tool, in the design and implementation of which environmental consulting plays a key role.

What is a biodiversity management plan?

A biodiversity management plan is a tool that allows companies to identify, assess, and manage their impacts and dependencies on biodiversity and ecosystem services. These plans not only seek to reduce negative impacts, but also to guide organizations toward actions that contribute to conservation and, whenever possible, to the restoration of natural capital, integrating biodiversity into standard business management (Stephenson and Carbone, 2021).

Why is it important for businesses?
Economic activity depends directly on functional natural systems. Water availability, soil fertility, climate regulation, and pollination are just a few examples of ecosystem services that numerous productive sectors rely on. Furthermore:

• The regulatory framework is becoming increasingly demanding, with initiatives such as the European Green Deal, the EU Taxonomy, the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS), or the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), reinforce the need to integrate biodiversity into business management (European Commission, 2019; OJEU, 2020; OJEU, 2022).
• Investors and clients are demanding greater transparency and a firm commitment to the environment.
• Effective biodiversity management reduces risk, improves resilience, and strengthens an organization's ESG positioning.

Key steps to developing an effective biodiversity management plan

A fundamental method for participating in an action plan is comprehensive documentation on species and ecosystems, with an emphasis on population distribution, conservation status, and environmental relationships. While essential, this task can be overwhelming, which is why a solid plan is typically built on five core pillars:

• Initial assessment
The first step is to understand the starting point. This involves gathering relevant ecological and environmental data and analyzing the impacts and dependencies associated with the company's activities, both in its direct operations and, where applicable, throughout its supply chain.

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• Biodiversity status evaluation
Using the baseline as a starting point, we analyze the conservation status of habitats, species, and ecological processes, identifying pressures, risks, and vulnerabilities. This evaluation allows us to prioritize elements of high ecological value or those most sensitive to business activities.

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• Defining objectives and priorities
Based on the information above, we establish clear and measurable objectives (KPIs). These are typically aligned with the mitigation hierarchy (avoid, minimize, restore, and offset) and, in more advanced cases, may incorporate approaches oriented toward no net loss (no net loss) and, at the highest level, toward biodiversity net gain (biodiversity net gain), ensuring that the overall balance of the actions is positive.

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• Management and action measures
Objectives are translated into concrete actions, adapted to the context of the company and the territory. These may include measures to reduce impacts, restore ecosystems, apply nature-based solutions, or integrate biodiversity criteria into relationships with suppliers and the surrounding environment.

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• Monitoring, indicators, and continuous improvement
Biodiversity management is not a static process. Defining indicators and periodic monitoring allow for the evaluation of the effectiveness of implemented measures and adjusting the plan when necessary, moving toward continuous improvement. Digital dashboards that integrate key indicators and allow for the visualization of medium- and long-term trends facilitate this process.

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• Development of the Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP)
Using the information from the previous points, we must structure the plan while ensuring alignment with the purpose, meaning it covers key issues and is adapted and appropriate for the site for which it was developed. Furthermore, it is important to seek professional advice to obtain reliable, up-to-date quantitative and qualitative data. The foundation of BAPs is to conserve and restore biodiversity.

Benefits of integrating biodiversity into business strategy

Companies that move forward with implementing biodiversity management plans gain clear benefits, both in the short and long term:
• Greater resilience to environmental and climate risks.
• Improved ESG positioning and access to sustainable financing.
• Strengthened social license to operate and commitment to the local area.
• Real contribution to global conservation and sustainable development goals.
Success is measured based on real outcomes for biodiversity, not just formal commitments.

Looking to the future

Integrating biodiversity into business management is no longer optional. Moving toward models that are more respectful of the natural environment is a necessary condition for the future viability of many economic activities.
Biodiversity management plans allow organizations to move from intention to action, integrating natural capital into decision-making and generating environmental, social, and economic value.

Investing in biodiversity is investing in the future.

Bibliography

- European Commission. (2019). The European Green Deal (COM/2019/640 final). Brussels: European Commission.
- European Parliament and Council of the European Union. (2022). Directive (EU) 2022/2464 of 14 December 2022 as regards corporate sustainability reporting. Official Journal of the European Union.
- Regulation (EU) 2020/852 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 June 2020 on the establishment of a framework to facilitate sustainable investment, and amending Regulation (EU) 2019/2088. Official Journal of the European Union, L 198, 22 June 2020.
- Stephenson, P.J. and Carbone, G. (2021). Guidelines for planning and monitoring corporate biodiversity performance. Gland, Switzerland: IUCN.
- IUCN. (2025). IUCN Red List Report: 60 years of success.
- WWF. (2024). Living Planet Report 2024. A system in peril. WWF, Gland, Switzerland.

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