Alignment

Overview 

The Awareness stage explored how all businesses depend on nature – and the critical role for business to protect and restore nature. The decline in nature is already affecting supply chains, business operations, and long-term business value.

In this stage, Alignment, the focus is on building business support to start nature-related action by:

• creating a strong case for acting on nature, considering risks and opportunities as strong drivers for action on nature.
• recognising the shared stewardship for nature and the need for collaboration – internally, across the value chain and sector.

In this video, Eva Zabey, CEO of Business for Nature, talks about why nature matters for business and why business leaders need to act now.

Collaboration and internal alignment

Building collaboration and internal alignment for nature-related action begins with a shared vision that connects environmental goals to business values. Leaders should explain why nature-related action matters – not just for sustainability, but for managing risk, driving innovation, and staying competitive. Consider the opportunities for alignment and collaboration relevant to the business to strengthen its case for nature-related action.

Key actions for internal alignment

• Communicate consistently: Share the vision across all levels of the business, creating shared purpose that resonates across all departments – from operations and finance to marketing and human resources. Consider each department’s priorities and language in shaping a vision that resonates.
• Break down silos and leverage diverse expertise: Structured mechanisms such as interdisciplinary working groups, joint planning sessions, and cross-functional task forces can help build trust and foster regular communication between departments.
• Align goals: Integrate nature-related targets into departmental KPIs. This helps to ensure that nature-related action becomes a collective responsibility, rather than the domain of a single team.

Practical examples

• The sustainability team works with procurement to embed nature-related criteria into procurement policies.
• Framing ecosystem restoration as a resilience strategy may resonate with risk managers, while positioning biodiversity as a driver of brand equity might engage marketing leaders.
• Recognising and celebrating cross-functional achievements helps reinforce a culture of collaboration and demonstrates that nature-related action is both feasible and valuable across business functions. 

An inclusive approach may build unity and agility within the business, strengthening capability to lead effective nature-aligned transformation.

External collaboration

No business operates in isolation. Nature-related impacts and dependencies extend across the entire value chain – from sourcing materials to end-of-life product disposal. Businesses, financial institutions and consumers all share responsibility for the stewardship of nature. Addressing these challenges requires collaboration. 

Consider where the business sits in the value chain and how it can contribute:

Upstream (suppliers and producers)

• Set sustainable sourcing standards
• Improve monitoring and product traceability

Midstream (manufacturers and logistics)

• Design products for input efficiency and circularity(Opens in a new tab/window)
• Reduce ecosystem impacts through smart logistics

Downstream (retailers, financial institutions and customers)

• Collaborate on end-of-life solutions (e.g. recycling, reuse, regeneration)
• Educate consumers on sustainable choices

Cross-sector 

• Consider industry-wide initiatives (e.g. bans on single-use plastics)
• Share data and collaborate across sectors (see Understand the legal framework section for more information)

The TNFD has published(Opens in a new tab/window) principles-based guidance on value chain impacts and dependency, which can cause physical and transition risk to the business. For some business – like large consumer retailers and financial institutions – the most material nature-related issue may be indirect.

Identify priorities for collaboration

A key step in collaboration is identifying where the business has the greatest impact on nature. Use a materiality assessment (discussed in the Action stage of this guide) to find the locations or activities where collective action is most needed.

• Identify stakeholders – Understand how nature action aligns with their goals. Support smaller businesses – help build capacity across the business's value chain.
• Agree on collaboration steps – Conduct a materiality assessment before collaboration starts, as agreement on the practical steps for collaboration will be needed. The steps for collaboration may include:
  • Scope of the assessment (e.g. location, activity, or process)
  • Framework (e.g. TNFD’s LEAP approach, SBTN methodology)
  • Metrics to assess
  • Agreement on data collection and cost-sharing.

Understand the legal framework

The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) has published guidance(Opens in a new tab/window) to help businesses understand when working together on sustainability outcomes is allowed under competition law. 

If collaboration does raise competition concerns, an exemption may be available. 

Example: The ACCC has provided authorisation, with conditions, to allow the Australian Sustainable Finance Institute (ASFI) and industry participants to collaborate on sustainable finance initiatives for five years(Opens in a new tab/window).