UK businesses can save millions of pounds and unlock new growth
opportunities by putting nature at the heart of boardroom
decisions – with new resources launched today.
Defra, together with business partners have released three
resources for Boards to inform and support board-level action.
The resources include a short film featuring His Majesty and Sir
David Attenborough, alongside a Boardroom Briefing on Nature
tailored for Chairs and Non-Executive Directors outlining the
scale of the opportunity, and a suite of cross-economy business
case studies demonstrating where nature action has delivered
material and financial benefits for business performance.
The materials highlight a clear and growing economic opportunity,
with UK's natural capital asset value estimated at around £1.6
trillion, alongside annual flow of ecosystem services estimated
at £41 billion. It also reports that around 900 UK businesses in
nature-related sectors raised £2.8 billion in 2025, supporting
21,000 jobs.
The film and case studies showcase real-world examples of
businesses already benefiting from this approach. Severn Trent
Water has restored degraded peatlands and woodlands in the Peak
District, avoiding £18 million in sediment removal costs, saving
up to £743,000 annually in chemical treatment, and postponing a
major infrastructure upgrade from 2033 to at least 2047. At
Canary Wharf, transforming an unused dock into a nature-rich
public space - achieving a 55% biodiversity net gain - helped
deliver the group's strongest leasing performance in over a
decade, with 450,000 square feet of office space signed since the
project launched.
His Majesty The King joined a meeting with Defra ministers, No10
advisor, senior business leaders and representatives from the
Council for Sustainable Business last week to hear more about
efforts to prioritise Nature in boardrooms and investment
decisions.
Nature Minister said:
More than half of global GDP depends on natural resources and
ecosystem services so it is vital for businesses to move to
nature-positive growth. An investment in nature protects the
bottom line, ensures resilient supply chains and is what
customers and investors now expect.
These new resources provide the evidence and practical guidance
corporate leaders need to make nature a strategic priority!
Liv Garfield, Chair of Council for Sustainable Business
said:
It's evident that in a world of accelerating climate change,
nature will become an increasingly important strategic
consideration for Boards as they plan to reduce costs and risk,
and unlock growth opportunities. These tools are designed to
support Boards make this transition.
Paula Rosput Reynolds, Chair, National Grid,
said:
As UK businesses, our commitment to growth can open up new
opportunities to improve the natural environment.
The products were developed by Defra in partnership with the
Council for Sustainable Business, the Green Finance Institute,
the Aldersgate Group and the Institute for Sustainability and
Environmental Professionals.
