Got your net-zero blinkers on? Carbon is a great kickoff point, but now leaders are going beyond emissions and compliance. They’re widening their sights and aiming for nature-positive outcomes that benefit climate, ecosystems, and people alike.
Seeing the wood for the trees
Focusing solely on your company’s carbon footprint misses the bigger picture. Biodiversity loss, soil degradation, water scarcity, and ecosystem collapse pose growing risks—not just to nature, but to businesses and communities.
Climate and nature are inseparably interconnected. Restoring nature helps sequester carbon, but it does much more. It protects the ecosystems that provide the food, water, livelihoods and natural services that we all rely on.
Why going beyond carbon matters now
Going beyond net zero reduces risk
- Carbon credit constraints: Supply won’t meet demand. By 2050, the shortfall may reach 3 GtCO, meaning higher costs and fewer credible credits for companies banking on offsets.
- Tougher regulation and scrutiny: Frameworks like the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS E4) demand science-based reporting on climate and biodiversity. Companies that fall short risk fines, reputational damage and greenwashing allegations—like DWS’s € 25 million fine in 2025.
- Evolving investor expectations: Investors now look beyond carbon targets. They want science-based, nature-positive strategies that address broader environmental and social threats. Companies that don’t deliver face losing capital, falling ESG scores, or divestment.
- Real-world losses: Nature neglect hits your bottom line. In 2024, Porsche cut its earnings forecast by US$ 2 billion after climate-induced flooding in Switzerland disrupted operations.
Going beyond net zero creates opportunity
- Customer demand = competitive edge: People want brands that protect nature and support communities, not just offset emissions. Companies that deliver are gaining loyalty and market share. For example, see how Brambles meets demand for reusable pallets and containers while going beyond ‘zero’ impact to restore forests and eliminate waste.
- Ecosystem resilience is economic resilience: Nature-positive strategies don’t just deliver carbon gains, they strengthen your supply chain, protect assets, and create long-term value. Take Candriam for example – a company integrating water risk into investment decisions by assessing corporate water exposure, investing in water solutions, and engaging companies on pollution and sustainable water management.
Nature-positive strategies in action
Let’s explore how two of our partners put nature-positive strategies to work, and what your organisation can learn from them.
Ecologi has partnered with WeForest to restore the Gewocha Forest in Ethiopia as part of the Great Green Wall. The result? The regeneration of remnant native forest is critical for combating desertification and supporting biodiversity and livelihoods. This community-led restoration delivers measurable outcomes for climate, nature, and people.
Sam Jackson, Ecologi’s Director of Climate Science & Impact, highlights two key frameworks supportng companies move beyond net zero and embed nature into their sustainability strategies:
- SBTi Corporate Net Zero Standard: This standard is being updated to potentially include a compulsory nature component. This would mean that companies can no longer focus on carbon reduction alone; they’ll also need to set science-based targets that account for biodiversity, ecosystem health, and nature-related impacts. For sustainability strategies, this shift pushes businesses toward a more integrated approach—linking climate goals with actions that restore forests, protect soils and water, and reduce pressure on nature across and beyond supply chains.
- Oxford Principles: These principles guide how organisations should support high-integrity nature-based solutions. Crucially, they recommend funding conservation and restoration projects that aren’t solely tied to carbon credits, challenging the idea that nature’s value lies only in its carbon sequestration. This approach encourages companies to invest in projects that deliver broader benefits: protecting biodiversity, supporting communities, and improving climate resilience.
These frameworks are shaping sustainability strategies on the ground—and companies are using them to regenerate landscapes, support communities, and embed ecological outcomes into their core business. Let’s see how Brambles is doing exactly this.
Brambles, a global logistics company, is working with WeForest to enable the sustainable growth of two trees for every tree used. This ensures its timber-dependent operations are regenerative rather than extractive across three key landscapes:
- Mafinga Hills, Zambia: Large-scale native forest restoration
- Tabasco, Mexico: Commercial reforestation of degraded, desertified land
- Mzimkhulu, South Africa: Supporting long-term ecosystem health around 18 timber farms
Brambles is committed to creating nature-positive growth by supporting communities and restoring ecosystems alongside its timber operations. In South Africa, it has improved access to clean water for 1,444 people near its timber farms, while in Mexico, it partners with community experts to restore degraded land and create sustainable livelihoods through timber farming.
Through its collaboration with WeForest, Brambles has planted over 2.7 million trees, emphasising that successful nature-positive business depends on strong partnerships and benefits both people and the planet.
10 key takeaways from the Beyond net zero webinar (18 June)
- Net zero is not enough: Businesses must move from “doing less harm” to actively regenerating ecosystems and restoring biodiversity.
- This shift isn’t just environmental—it’s a strategic opportunity to lead, differentiate, and future-proof your business model.
- Sustainability is a competitive differentiator, with examples like BAFTA’s Albert scheme embedding nature-positive criteria into industry standards.
- No one can solve this alone. Collaboration across sectors, with local communities, NGOs, scientists, and supply chain partners, is essential.
- Effective partnerships create the conditions for value-added philanthropy and scalable nature-positive solutions.
- Use high-level global frameworks such as the SBTi Corporate Net Zero Standard and the Oxford Principles to anchor business strategies and focus on targets and indicators, not just goals.
- Embrace data-driven remote monitoring tools to track ecosystem recovery remotely, ensuring transparency and accountability.
- Accountability must remain central—with businesses taking ownership of their impact rather than waiting for market or policy signals. This includes measuring outcomes, reporting transparently, and continuously evolving strategies.
- Even resource-dependent industries can become nature-positive by embracing innovation, strategic investment, local partnerships, and long-term vision.
- We can go beyond, together!
If you missed the webinar and would like to discover more, watch the video replay
Ready to go beyond net zero?
Now you know why leading businesses are going beyond carbon—and how nature-positive strategies reduce risk, unlock value and build resilience.
Starting your journey beyond net zero is quick and easy. All you need is 2 minutes to evaluate where you currently stand—and how you can lead on nature, climate and community impact.
Support forest restoration today
Partnering with WeForest means co-designing and implementing science-based, community-rooted restoration strategies that deliver lasting impact for nature, climate, and people
