Commit

Overview

After assessing a business’s relationship with nature through the previous Assess step, Commit helps businesses make credible commitments and set measurable, actionable and time-bound science-based targets. It aligns with the Commit phase of the ACT-D: High-Level Business Actions on Nature(Opens in a new tab/window) framework.

While many Australian businesses are exploring nature-positive approaches, fewer(Opens in a new tab/window) have developed formal strategies. A nature strategy helps address nature-related risks, supports business resilience, unlocks innovation, and demonstrates leadership. Setting formal science-based targets ensures the insights learned during the Assess step are translated into strategic action and accountability that align with Earth’s limits and global sustainability goals – building trust with investors, regulators, and stakeholders.

Commit to nature-related action

Committing to nature-related action supports businesses to:

build business resilience by futureproofing against environmental risks
attract responsible investment
respond to increasing stakeholder expectations
be prepared and able to respond to the emerging regulatory landscape and capitalise on learning and systems from climate reporting
contribute to the nature agenda and global nature goals.

Learn more about committing to nature-related action

ACT-D: High Level Business Actions on Nature

Capitals Coalition May 2023

The ACT-D framework supports organisations to assess relationships with nature, commit to action, transform practices and disclose nature-related information.

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Develop a nature strategy

A nature strategy is a business-wide roadmap to align the business’s model, operations, and value chain with outcomes that contribute to nature-positive transitions. A business’s nature strategy will:

minimise exposure to nature-related risks
identify and act on opportunities for resilience and innovation
integrate nature-related issues into governance, decision-making and operations
engage with stakeholders (e.g. regulators, investors, suppliers, Indigenous People and local communities, and customers)
demonstrate leadership and accountability.

Learn more about developing a nature strategy

Nature Strategy Handbook

Business for Nature November 2023

A practical guide to support all businesses in developing a nature strategy – as a stand-alone document or included in a business or sustainability strategy.

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Cover of the user guide featuring a close up of a leaf

Nature Positive Strategy: Practical Guidance for Corporates

Pollination April 2024

Pollination has developed a user guide for corporates to support action and ambition on the nature-positive transition.

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Set targets for nature

The Science Based Targets Network(Opens in a new tab/window) (SBTN) defines science-based targets for nature as:

measurable, actionable and time-bound objectives, based on the best available science, that allow actors to align with Earth’s limits and societal sustainability goals.

Use the insights from assessing and prioritising the business’s impacts and dependencies on nature, to set the business’s science-based targets for nature.

SBTN(Opens in a new tab/window) provides methodologies to set targets, including:

freshwater (e.g. withdrawal and pollution targets)
land (e.g. footprint reduction targets)
ocean (e.g. measures to address overexploitation and protection for structural habitats)
biodiversity (e.g. invasive species targets).

Targets matter

Setting targets enables businesses to:

prioritise and address impacts on nature
align nature action with climate goals (e.g. net zero)
build credibility with investors, regulators and stakeholders.

Science-based targets for nature complement climate targets(Opens in a new tab/window) under the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi).

Featuring scientists and sustainability leaders, this video by the SBTN explains how science-based targets can help businesses set robust and practical goals for nature.