Footprinting & biodiversity accounting

For businesses to make good sustainability decisions, set science-based targets or go net positive for biodiversity, it is essential to connect what a company does with the impacts and dependencies it has on nature. Biodiversity footprinting – measuring the biodiversity impacts and dependencies of a project or value chain – and biodiversity accounting – tracking loss and gain over time – are the basis for planning and demonstrating good biodiversity performance. A biodiversity footprint enables you to:

  • Understand where your most significant impacts and dependencies lie in the value chain, and prioritise action
  • Develop effective mitigation measures to reduce your negative impacts and identify opportunities for delivering biodiversity gains
  • Prepare for future biodiversity reporting and disclosure requirements and set science-based targets
  • Make responsible sourcing decisions and engage more effectively with suppliers
  • Secure the dependencies within your supply chain and avoid risks to business sustainability and resilience
  • Track progress against KPIs and communicate transparently with customers, shareholders and stakeholders about your performance
  • Identify opportunities for synergies between biodiversity, water, climate and social strategies

why choose us?

Unparalleled expertise in the development and application of biodiversity metrics. We have pioneered approaches to biodiversity accounting and co-developed metrics including STAR and the Biodiversity Impact Metric.

Work at all spatial scales – from corporate or portfolio-wide footprinting to individual sites, brands or products. We cover all parts of the value chain, including situations where information on sourcing is limited.

Experts in navigating complexity. Biodiversity is dynamic and complex, and there are many metrics, tools and approaches that can be used to assess and measure it – we can help you find the right one to suit your business application and budget.

Specialists in biodiversity data. Our team helped to develop many of the key biodiversity resources, such as IBAT (PS6 and STAR modules) and the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 

Tried and tested methods. Over the past 15 years we have carried out biodiversity footprinting for companies from a very wide range of sectors.

We have applied all major approaches to biodiversity footprinting and recognise that each has strengths and weaknesses for particular uses. Depending on the question you need to answer, we can help you identify an appropriate ‘off-the-peg’ method such as the Biodiversity Impact Metric (BIM), Global Biodiversity Score (GBS) or various Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approaches, or we can craft a bespoke approach suited to your specific context and needs.

Our team of experienced ecologists and natural resource managers have spent years in the field, monitoring ecosystems and species and helping local communities to sustainably manage the landscapes and biodiversity on which they depend. We understand the rich and diverse natural world that underpins metrics and KPIs, and can help your company connect the dots between your biodiversity balance sheet and reality on the ground.

How can we help?

How can we help your organisation meet its nature and biodiversity goals?

Get in touch