Recently, the British Retail Consortium (BRC) gave a rallying call in their new report, Planning for Nature, urging retailers to address the accelerating loss of nature and biodiversity as a matter of urgency. If they don’t, the BRC explained, they risk jeopardising supply chain resilience. Why then do three quarters still lack targets to protect nature, over half have no public commitments, and two thirds are without a data-led strategy?  

Faced with different frameworks, initiatives and working groups, understanding where to give nature space to rebound can be a long process, especially if your organisation is new to the idea or where operations are sprawling and complex. Budgets, data gaps, and supply chain complexity also present real barriers, yet momentum is building with more businesses bringing nature-positive strategies to the boardroom agenda and engaging suppliers to integrate nature into their operations.  

These trailblazers are proving that progress doesn’t have to start in distant supply chains. It can begin closer to home: corporate campuses, yards, or even corporate car parks can be an excellent place for nature strategies to take root. A vast array of businesses up and down the country are literally sitting on the potential to weave nature into the management of their land.  

I’ve seen with my own eyes how Biodiversity Benchmark, an accreditation scheme run by The Wildlife Trusts, is recognising and fostering this kind of land management for nature. Whether it’s installing bug hotels, planting native wildflower and tree species, or simply taking part in initiatives like Plantlife’s No Mow May, businesses are already sharing the visible benefits they’re noticing as a result of their efforts - building confidence, shaping culture, and laying the groundwork for bigger ambitions to help restore nature.  

In an era of frightening wildlife decline, such efforts may seem small, but these actions for nature really do add up. When it comes to Biodiversity Benchmark, 50 corporate sites have now been awarded the mark of excellence, collectively representing more than 8,200 hectares of land managed for nature enhancement and protection​.  

Regardless of their individual size, these sites are improving outcomes for nature thanks to tailored plans which reflect the specific habitats and landscapes around them. The latest to join the ranks, Nationwide’s head office in Swindon, marks the first bank or building society to be awarded the certification, and bees, bats and newts are thriving as a result. With Biodiversity Benchmark being the only standard to recognise sustained protection and improvement of land for biodiversity on a continuous basis, businesses also remain committed to actively enhancing biodiversity and strengthening local ecological networks. 

The transformation of land under the Benchmark illustrates these gains vividly. 

At Chineham Business Park in Basingstoke, bee orchids and even the nationally rare lizard orchid have sprung up on the margins of car parks thanks to a change in land management. 

What was once overlooked ground is now a thriving micro-habitat and a source of pride for tenants, enhancing the park as a place to work.  

At Tata Steel’s Shotton Works, the common tern colony has grown from 17 fledglings in 1970 to nearly 400 each year - making it the largest in Wales and one of the top five in the UK. Yet the site is not only for wildlife - it is for visitors and staff too - bird hides, a walking route, and an education centre invite exploration, while ranger-led walks, clean-up days, and school visits foster joy in the natural world. 

It is no secret that nature provides brilliant health and wellbeing benefits for communities that are able to experience it, and that extends, in a business setting, to a sense of employee satisfaction. I’ve heard first hand of employees taking pride in hands-on activities including building bug hotels at Toyota HQ, planting wildflowers at the Met Office head office, or simply enjoying a green and restorative space for lunch at Fidelity International, for example. Employees relish the chance to be part of something bigger and see the rewards literally take root before their eyes. 

The British Retail Consortium’s warning rings loud and true across the business landscape; getting on the front foot when it comes to nature recovery provides a stable basis on which to do business. Biodiversity Benchmark is not a tool designed to just benefit nature itself, neither is it solely focused on staying ahead of ever-evolving compliance regulations. We know that the wilder workplaces can achieve far more. What business does not wish to boost supply chain resilience, reduce exposure to nature-related risks, and provide thriving places to engage both the local community and employees? 

The boundless potential that nature can bring to long-term business sustainability may be huge, but it needn’t be daunting. Despite the accelerating declines of much-loved species, businesses across the UK are proving that even a modest management change on a small patch of land can spark lasting benefits: wildlife thrives, people engage, and your nature strategy goes from strength to strength.  

Every business is on their own journey when it comes to embedding nature and climate targets into their strategies, and yet each business awarded the Benchmark tells a simple truth: when nature is given a chance, it returns. All biodiversity asks of us is to take the first step, giving it space so that your nature strategy can grow. 

This article was originally published by Business Green.