What does nature positive mean?

Nature positive is a sustainable business approach that aims to actively reverse nature loss by restoring ecosystems, increasing biodiversity and strengthening natural systems over time, in addition to reducing impact.

TL;DR: What nature positive means for businesses

At Earthly, we’re delighted when we speak to businesses with specific goals and targets in mind and, in recent years, core sustainability claims such as ‘carbon neutral’, ‘net zero’, ‘

regenerative

’ and ‘nature positive’ are featuring as companies’ ‘north stars’ more often.

Nature positive

is an emerging sustainable business concept that puts nature first - which we’re all for!

Here’s everything you need to know:

From our perspective, “nature positive” is fast becoming one of the most important - and misunderstood - ideas in sustainability and sustainable business.

You’ll see it referenced in corporate strategies, policy frameworks and investor conversations. But what does it actually mean in practice? And how can businesses move beyond good intentions to real, measurable outcomes for nature?

At its simplest, being nature positive means actively reversing the loss of nature.

For decades, most environmental action has focused on reducing negative impact: cutting emissions, minimising waste, slowing deforestation. These efforts remain essential. But they’re no longer enough.

Nature positive goes a step further. It means actively contributing to

future restoration

and regeneration of ecosystems, so that nature is healthier in the future than it is today. That includes increasing biodiversity, strengthening ecosystems, and improving nature’s ability to support both people and the climate.

In other words, it’s not just about slowing decline - it’s about creating net positive outcomes for nature.

Nature underpins the global economy. From stable supply chains and clean water to pollination, flood protection and carbon storage, businesses depend on healthy ecosystems whether they realise it or not.

As biodiversity loss accelerates, those dependencies are becoming risks. Operational disruption, rising costs, regulatory pressure and reputational exposure are all increasing. This is why nature is moving rapidly up the corporate agenda, alongside climate.

A nature-positive approach helps businesses address these risks while contributing to global goals like the

Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

and emerging disclosure regimes such as

TNFD

. But credibility matters. Vague claims or low-quality projects don’t build resilience - they undermine trust.

Being nature positive isn’t about a single action or metric. It’s about outcomes, supported by high-integrity action.

In practice, this often means investing in

nature-based solutions

: projects that protect, restore or sustainably manage ecosystems while delivering benefits for climate, biodiversity and people. Examples include restoring peatlands, protecting rainforests, regenerating mangroves or transforming degraded farmland into biodiverse landscapes.

Crucially, nature-positive action must be measurable and evidence-led. That means understanding what’s happening on the ground, tracking change over time, and being honest about uncertainty and risk. Without that, “nature positive” risks becoming just another label.

One of the most important shifts behind the nature-positive movement is a growing recognition that climate and nature cannot be treated separately.

Healthy ecosystems store carbon more effectively, adapt better to climate impacts, and support livelihoods and communities. Projects that focus narrowly on carbon while ignoring biodiversity or social outcomes often fail to deliver lasting impact.

A nature-positive approach takes a systems view - recognising that people, nature and climate are deeply interconnected, and that long-term success depends on all three.

In our work with progressive businesses over the past five years, across all sectors, one message comes up again and again: doing something visible is no longer enough - it has to be defensible. It’s the reason over 90% of projects don’t meet our

assessment standards

. Being nature positive means businesses taking ownership of their impacts and claims, asking harder questions of where their money goes, and holding themselves to a higher standard of evidence. That shift - from symbolic action to accountable leadership - is where we believe real progress begins.

Becoming nature positive isn’t a single decision or investment - it’s a strategic shift that requires understanding your relationship with nature, setting credible goals, and backing them with evidence-led action over time. For businesses, becoming nature positive typically involves six core steps:

We’re at a critical moment. Public and private finance is beginning to flow toward nature, but confidence remains fragile. For nature-positive action to scale, businesses need access to

high-integrity projects

, robust evidence, and clear ways to communicate impact without greenwashing.

Done well, nature positive is not a marketing claim. It’s a commitment to restoring the natural systems we all rely on - and to doing so with transparency, science and integrity.

Because a future where nature thrives isn’t just better for the planet. It’s essential for resilient, sustainable business, too.

What does “nature positive” actually mean?

Nature positive means taking action that results in a net gain for nature — restoring ecosystems, increasing biodiversity and strengthening natural systems, rather than simply reducing harm.

How is nature positive different from net zero?

Nature positive is different from net zero as net zero focuses on balancing greenhouse gas emissions. Nature positive goes further, addressing biodiversity loss and ecosystem health, recognising that climate, nature and people are deeply interconnected.

Why should businesses care about being nature positive?

Businesses should care about being nature positive as they depend on nature for stable supply chains, water, raw materials and climate resilience. Nature-positive strategies help manage long-term risk, meet emerging regulatory expectations and support sustainable growth.

Are nature-based solutions always nature positive?

Not all nature-based solutions are necessarily nature positive. Nature-based solutions must be high integrity: delivering real, measurable benefits for biodiversity, climate and communities. Poorly designed projects can fail to deliver lasting outcomes or create unintended harm.

How can businesses take credible nature-positive action?

For businesses, credible nature action starts with understanding impacts and dependencies, then supporting high-quality nature projects with transparent data, independent verification and long-term monitoring to demonstrate real-world results.