Biodiversity loss is as much an existential threat as climate change, with significant impacts on the economy and business. We have already lost 69% of species in the past 50 years, and one million more are threatened with extinction. Every year, we only replace half of the forests we cut down. Over a third of our fish stocks are being over-fished. By 2050, we will have more plastic than fish in the ocean.
Ecosystem services — the services provided by nature — are essential to our economy, contributing to over half of global GDP, or $44tn every year. Consider nature’s direct contributions and what’s at stake if something happens:
Already, governments and regulators have begun to take notice and legislate. Businesses can show leadership on this emerging political agenda by:
Embedding biodiversity in climate strategies: This makes for more effective and long-lasting carbon reductions.
Focusing on a “nature-positive” strategy: It is not enough to be neutral or net zero; businesses should aspire to restore and renew biodiversity as an investment in the future.
Investing in measuring the company’s impact on biodiversity: across operations and supply chains. Expertise can be outsourced, but “nature- positive” teams should have the resources to measure baselines and progress.
Setting concrete targets: This will be an iterative process, and the earlier companies engage, the more influential they will be in shaping future standards.
Testing and learning from experimental projects: like voluntary biodiversity credits, and new monitoring technologies such as environmental DNA (eDNA), passive acoustic monitoring (ecoacoustics), and artificial intelligence (AI).
In the first of a series of five brain circuits on effective communication for leaders, Robert Vilkelis provides techniques to help manage your nerves and deliver a high-impact presentation by focusing on...
Leaders who do not recognize their own blockers deny themselves the opportunity to think autonomously and self-critically. Consult the following checklist to gauge whether you are internally “blocked” and read on for...
July 22, 2025 • by Katharina Lange in Brain Circuits
Rather than choosing between crisis mode and future planning, leaders should learn to focus simultaneously on both short and long-term goals....
Practicing a speech is intimidating. Not only do you have to know your stuff, but you also have to think about your structure, your gestures, and your audience. Here’s how to use...
Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
In the first of a series of five brain circuits on effective communication for leaders, Robert Vilkelis provides techniques to help manage your nerves and deliver a high-impact presentation by focusing on...
Leaders who do not recognize their own blockers deny themselves the opportunity to think autonomously and self-critically. Consult the following checklist to gauge whether you are internally “blocked” and read on for...
July 22, 2025 • by Katharina Lange in Brain Circuits
Rather than choosing between crisis mode and future planning, leaders should learn to focus simultaneously on both short and long-term goals....
Practicing a speech is intimidating. Not only do you have to know your stuff, but you also have to think about your structure, your gestures, and your audience. Here’s how to use...
Explore first person business intelligence from top minds curated for a global executive audience