Collaborative Research Explores Opportunities to Strengthen Corporate Biodiversity Commitments

New research led by Isobel Hawkins at the University of Oxford, in collaboration with researchers at The Biodiversity Consultancy, Wild Business Ltd, Stanford University, and Stockholm University, assesses the biodiversity commitments made by the world’s ‘keystone corporations’. The work highlights that while many companies are now making biodiversity commitments, the targets often lack the specificity, clarity or detail needed to measure progress – a key component of accountability. 

The study reveals a trend: while 79% of 180 keystone corporations have made biodiversity pledges, only 13% have set commitments that are clear, detailed, and transparent—key elements required to measure progress and ensure accountability. The authors argue that robust biodiversity target setting by these firms could be an important driver helping the corporate sector to align with global goals to halt and reverse biodiversity loss. This is because these “keystone corporations” have substantial influence over the highest impact sectors for biodiversity. 

Thomas White, a Principal Consultant at The Biodiversity Consultancy and co-author of the study said “Large transnational corporations are being increasingly called upon to develop ambitious biodiversity strategies. A key component of this is setting and disclosing target. If ambitious and robust biodiversity targets are set, corporations could help drive substantial shifts in practice aligned with Nature Positive outcomes.” 

The research highlights variation in the extent and clarity of commitments across different sectors and explores potential reasons behind these trends. Importantly, it calls for stronger collaboration between companies, conservation organizations, governments, and the research community to develop, implement, and monitor credible biodiversity strategies aligned with global biodiversity goals. 

This research is part of an ongoing collaboration between the University of Oxford’s Nature Positive Hub and The Biodiversity Consultancy. The full pre-print is now available online, and we would welcome any feedback and insights. 

The full article is available here - https://doi.org/10.31235/osf.io/k6985.  

For a deeper understanding of nature target setting and how to drive meaningful action for nature, feel free to reach out to our team. 

Categories: Publications, Company news, Science-Based Targets, Nature Positive, Biodiversity Risk and Opportunity