Nature

Nature encompasses the living and operating environment for all of our activities. Living among nature, with its plants and species, currents, and climates, is a necessity for our existence. Nature-based disclosures invite companies to think about the effect of their activities on nature across its four realms (land, ocean, freshwater, and atmosphere) with societal implications. To begin to understand the various dependencies and impacts, along with the risks and opportunities relevant to businesses in their interaction with nature, a reflective understanding of the meaning of nature along with its various regenerative and provisioning roles in relation to business activities is needed.

In September 2023, after two years of extensive consultations, the Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) launched its recommendations for financial disclosures incorporating nature. This is a landmark document that sets out the foundational elements of nature and its relationship to business. At the time of the launch of its recommendation, TNFD also released its LEAP framework, a comprehensive analytical framework to support companies in conducting nature-related assessments and identifying risks and potential opportunities in business activities relevant to financial disclosure.