Making a nature positive commitment that stacks up for business and for nature

Businesses, governments and other organisations are increasingly making "nature positive" commitments, echoing the rise of "net-zero" carbon pledges. These commitments are essential to achieving the global goal of having more nature in 2030 than in 2020, with ongoing recovery thereafter. They also feature prominently in emerging frameworks such as the Taskforce on Nature-Related Financial Disclosures. However, contributing meaningfully to this goal requires a clear understanding of what “nature positive” means and how it can be implemented both practically and strategically. Drawing on published literature and our experiences advising industry and government, we outline key considerations for making robust, legitimate and achievable nature positive commitments. We highlight the value of evidence-based, incremental approaches that build on existing tools such as the mitigation hierarchy and biodiversity offsetting, while progressively increasing ambition over time. Our aim is to support actors engaging with this emerging sustainability agenda by clarifying how their actions and commitments relate to the globally accepted definition of nature positive. To this end, we offer a practical checklist to help organisations lay strong foundations for effective contributions—ensuring their commitments are transparent, actionable, and deliver meaningful outcomes for both nature and the organisation.