How businesses can support primate conservation while advancing commercial interests

The Primates in Peril report identifies 25 primate species most at risk of extinction between 2023 and 2025, highlighting not only an ecological crisis but also the complex role of business in both driving, and potentially reversing, these trends. From the Tapanuli orangutan in Sumatra to Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur in Madagascar, these species are threatened by habitat destruction, hunting, and climate change—many of which are exacerbated by unsustainable business practices. Yet, this also presents a critical opportunity for industries to lead in conservation innovation, sustainable development, and ethical supply chains. Urgent and coordinated action is essential to safeguard these primates and reshape the business-environment relationship. 

The role of primates in biodiversity and business resilience 

Primates are essential to forest ecosystems, acting as primary seed dispersers that enable the regeneration of diverse plant species. This process maintains forest structure, canopy cover, and root systems that stabilise soil and prevent erosion. Primates decline across Africa, Madagascar, Asia, and the Neotropics disrupts these dynamics, leading to forest degradation, reduced carbon storage, and weakened climate resilience. As vegetation thins and root networks deteriorate, soil becomes more vulnerable to erosion—undermining agricultural productivity, increasing drought risk, and destabilising supply chains. These ecological disruptions also amplify regulatory, investor, and reputational risks for businesses operating in affected regions. 

What this means for businesses 

The decline of primate populations—especially those featured in the Primates in Peril: 2023–2025 report—has significant implications for biodiversity and the resilience of nature-dependent supply chains. A striking example is the Variegated Spider Monkey (Ateles hybridus), a critically endangered species native to Colombia and Venezuela. This primate plays a vital role in dispersing seeds of large hardwood trees, which are essential for timber production and agroforestry systems. As documented by Link & Di Fiore (2006), spider monkeys contribute significantly to forest regeneration and plant diversity, with their seed dispersal supporting canopy cover and root structures that stabilise soil and prevent erosion. Their disappearance disrupts these ecological processes, leading to reduced agricultural yields and greater exposure to drought and regulatory risk. For businesses in agriculture and forestry, investing in primate conservation is not just a biodiversity imperative—it’s a strategic move to protect long-term operational stability, investor confidence, and brand integrity. 

At The Biodiversity Consultancy (TBC), our team includes primatologists with deep expertise in primate ecology behaviour and conservation. We help companies integrate biodiversity safeguards into their operations, guided by the mitigation hierarchy—avoid, minimise, restore, and offset. Using international standards such as IFC Performance Standard 6 (PS6), we support clients in identifying and managing critical habitats for primates, ensuring that biodiversity risks are addressed early in project planning and land-use decisions. For example, we supported Joule Africa with the Bumbuna II project, enabling alignment with IFC PS6 — a key requirement for international lenders. 

Building on this foundation, we assess the long-term viability of primate populations in client landscapes, identifying how business activities may affect these species and what can be done to mitigate impacts. Our science-based evaluations—covering vulnerable species like those listed in the Primates in Peril report—translate ecological insight into practical, evidence-based strategies. This enables companies to protect biodiversity while reinforcing regulatory alignment, stakeholder trust, and the resilience of their production landscapes. 

Through biodiversity offset strategies, TBC helps companies mitigate their residual impacts, contributing to the preservation and restoration of primate habitats and supporting their long-term survival. In the Moyen Bafing feasibility study, TBC assessed the site’s potential as a biodiversity offset for the Critically Endangered Western chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus), in line with IFC PS6 requirements. Through detailed ecological analysis and stakeholder engagement, TBC demonstrated how long-term protection of the Moyen Bafing landscape could deliver measurable conservation outcomes for one of the largest remaining populations of this species. Our work supported the case for using the area as an offset solution that meets international standards for critical habitat, contributing to the survival of a primate previously listed among the world’s 25 most endangered. 

The Biodiversity Consultancy’s Role in driving biodiversity accountability and primate conservation 

Beyond helping businesses manage biodiversity impacts at specific sites, The Biodiversity Consultancy drives science-based action to address ecological risks across entire landscapes. With nearly two-thirds of primate species facing extinction, we focus on practical tools and strategies that enable companies to assess and respond to biodiversity challenges at scale—supporting more resilient ecosystems and long-term sustainability. In partnership with the Nature Positive Initiative, we’re contributing to the development of the State of Nature Metrics—a standardised framework designed to give businesses a credible and consistent way to measure their progress toward halting and reversing nature loss by 2030. This framework will enable more robust biodiversity assessments, including for species like primates that often require tailored indicators and metrics due to their ecological sensitivity and importance.  Although client applications of the State of Nature Metrics for primates are still emerging, our work is laying a strong foundation for targeted evaluations—ensuring that species with complex habitat needs, such as those listed in Primates in Peril, are fully considered in corporate decision-making. 

More recently, TBC supported the establishment of the Couloir Vert in the Democratic Republic of Congo, working with Virunga Foundation team to develop the “Couloir Vert Kivu Kinshasa-Création d'une Aire Protégée à vocation de Réserve Communautaire dénommée” report, and supporting them by providing global context and case studies where similar initiatives have taken place.  While the Couloir Vert does not currently host species listed in the 2023–2025 Top 25 Most Endangered Primates, it still plays a critical role for protecting primates at extreme risk of extinction: the Grauer’s gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri) and the Eastern chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii)—both critically endangered and previously featured in earlier editions of the Top 25 list. TBC’s contribution helped articulate how the Couloir Vert would provide long-term benefits for reversing biodiversity loss while empowering local communities to lead conservation. 

Another of our practical conservation work includes recent involvement in the Bonobo Credit roundtable in the Democratic Republic of Congo, contributing to the design of a biodiversity credit scheme that channels funding to local communities for bonobo (Pan paniscus) conservation - an endangered great ape species critical to forest ecosystems in the Democratic Republic of Congo.   

By working alongside conservation organisations, policymakers, and industry stakeholders, The Biodiversity Consultancy contributes to shaping a collaborative global approach to biodiversity stewardship and restoration. Through the integration of scientific expertise and practical guidance, we aim to support informed decision making that benefits biodiversity broadly and primate conservation specifically. 

For further information or to discuss how we can support your biodiversity initiatives, please contact us. 

Category: Insight