Nature Action for Business Starter Series
Nature loss is already posing a series of operational and financial risks to UK businesses. If left unmitigated, the Green Finance Institute (GFI) estimates that by the 2030s, UK GDP could be up to 12% lower than otherwise as risks continue to materialise. Recognising the need for action, leading companies have already begun developing corporate nature strategies, viewing these as not only essential for mitigating risk, but also as opportunities to tap into new markets, build early-mover advantages, and achieve cost savings.
Yet this is not happening at the scale or pace required. Only 5% of companies surveyed by the World Benchmarking Alliance have carried out an assessment of their operational impacts on nature, and less than 1% have assessed their dependencies on nature, with much of the inaction owing to a lack of understanding around how nature-related issues intersect with core business priorities, the inherent complexity of nature itself, and a general sense of uncertainty around how to get started.
2025 Webinar Series:
To cut through the complexity and equip attendees with the information and resources to get started with developing a nature strategy, the UN Global Compact Network UK is hosting a four-part webinar series. Designed as an entry-point for sustainability professionals from companies that have yet to begin their strategic work on nature, this series will help participants understand:
- The link between nature loss and business risk (including how the nature policy landscape is evolving and impacting UK businesses).
- How to build the case internally for nature action and secure leadership buy-in.
- How to develop a credible nature strategy and leverage existing tools and frameworks, such as the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) and Science Based Targets for Nature (SBTN), as part of this.
- How companies from across sectors and sizes have taken their first steps on nature.
The Business Case for Nature
11 June, 10:00-11:30 BST
This webinar will present the business case for action on nature and provide practical guidance on how sustainability professionals can convincingly engage their Boards/C-suite Executives to get nature on the corporate agenda and begin unlocking the resources needed to develop a nature strategy.
Lizzy Elli
Global Engagement Lead
Business for Nature
Charlie Dixon
Associate Director & UK Market Engagement Lead for TNFD
Green Finance Institute
Preeti Srivastav
Group Head of Sustainability
Asahi Group Holdings
Developing a Nature Strategy
18 June, 10:00-11:30 BST
This webinar will outline the key components of a credible nature strategy, how to get started with identifying and responding to material nature-related issues to the business, and how existing frameworks such as the TNFD & SBTN can be leveraged as part of this. It will also explore what setting a strategy at the organisational level means for core functions, and how businesses can support their colleagues to integrate nature considerations into their roles.
Bálint Ternyik
Programme Officer - Nature Economy
UNEP-WCMC
Deep Dive on Biodiversity
2 July, 10:00-11:30 BST
This webinar will explore the relevance of biodiversity to business. It will highlight tools that companies can use to identify biodiversity hotspots in their operations and value chains, and explore how companies across sectors are using the insights from these tools to integrate biodiversity goals into their corporate strategies.
Rebekah Church
Global Lead Biodiversity Stewardship
WWF
Deep Dive on Water
10 July, 14:00-15:30 BST
This webinar will introduce the concepts of water stewardship and water resilience for business. It will present tools and metrics that companies can use to understand water risks within their operations and value chains, as well as highlight initiatives that can support businesses to address these risks and build broader corporate water resilience.
For any questions about this series, please contact Pauline Girma, Senior Project Manager (Environment).
