OCE-B.14.B - Nature-Related Opportunities Assessment
Does the company assess its nature-related opportunities?
The WBA Ocean Benchmark measures and ranks the world's most influential companies on their efforts to halt and reverse nature loss in marine ecosystems, tracking how companies manage their impacts on ocean biodiversity, marine habitats, and the communities and workers dependent on healthy seas. The 2026 edition is WBA's first Ocean Benchmark, assessing 125 companies across key sectors dependent on oceans, including seafood, maritime transport, offshore wind energy, shipbuilding, port operations, apparel, and chemicals. Companies are assessed on 47 indicators across four measurement areas: governance, ecosystems and biodiversity, social responsibility, and core social indicators. The benchmark builds on WBA's Nature Benchmark and the former Seafood Stewardship Index, and its methodology was developed with input from more than 50 stakeholders including ocean communities, companies, scientists and civil society, with human rights and social impacts kept at its core alongside nature-specific concerns. More information can be found here.
Ecosystem services are the benefits that humans derive from ecosystems and on which
human life and activities, including corporate activities, rely. Research shows that more than 50% of
global gross domestic product is directly linked to these ecosystem services (WEF and PwC, 2020),
exposing companies to significant nature-related dependencies, risks and opportunities. The 2024
Global Risks Report shows that the top four risks identified over the next ten years are all
environmental: extreme weather events, critical change to Earth systems, biodiversity loss and
ecosystem collapse, and natural resource shortages. Understanding and disclosing these factors is
essential for companies to develop resilient strategies and contribute to a sustainable economy.
Research Guidance:
Companies must:
Identify nature-related opportunities that could impact their business positively.
Quantify the potential benefits of these opportunities (e.g., how it can enhance operational efficiencies, reduce costs, or open new revenue streams), using financial metrics or qualitative descriptions to articulate the anticipated value to the business.
Nature-related opportunities, following [TNFD guidance](https://tnfd.global/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Recommendations_of_the_Taskforce_on_Nature-related_Financial_Disclosures_September_2023.pdf?v=1695118661) (p. 36), are activities that create positive outcomes for organisations and nature through (i.) positive impacts or (ii.) mitigation of negative impacts on nature. These can be split into two categories, which are not mutually exclusive:
**Business performance opportunities**:
**Markets: **Access to new markets or locations arising from changes to things like consumer demands, consumer and investor sentiment, and stakeholder dynamics.
**Products and services**: Developing new products or services that capitalize on environmental conservation and restoration, such as eco-tourism or sustainable product lines.
**Resource efficiency**: Improvements in the efficiency of natural resource use, such as energy, water, and raw materials, which reduce costs and enhance resilience.
**Capital flow and financing: **Attracting** **investors interested in sustainable practices, potentially leading to improved financing conditions.** **
**Reputational capital**: Enhancing brand reputation by actively engaging in natural capital conservation, appealing to a growing base of environmentally conscious consumers.
****
**Sustainability performance opportunities**:
**Sustainable use of natural resources**: Substitution of natural resources by recycled, regenerative, renewable or ethically responsibly sourced organic inputs.
**Ecosystem protection, restoration, and regeneration**: Activities that support the protection, regeneration or restoration of habitats and ecosystems, including areas both within and outside organisation's direct control. For example, by investing in green infrastructure like wetland restoration, companies can reduce costs associated with natural hazards or water filtration, leading to operational cost savings.
human life and activities, including corporate activities, rely. Research shows that more than 50% of
global gross domestic product is directly linked to these ecosystem services (WEF and PwC, 2020),
exposing companies to significant nature-related dependencies, risks and opportunities. The 2024
Global Risks Report shows that the top four risks identified over the next ten years are all
environmental: extreme weather events, critical change to Earth systems, biodiversity loss and
ecosystem collapse, and natural resource shortages. Understanding and disclosing these factors is
essential for companies to develop resilient strategies and contribute to a sustainable economy.
Research Guidance:
Companies must:
Identify nature-related opportunities that could impact their business positively.
Quantify the potential benefits of these opportunities (e.g., how it can enhance operational efficiencies, reduce costs, or open new revenue streams), using financial metrics or qualitative descriptions to articulate the anticipated value to the business.
Nature-related opportunities, following [TNFD guidance](https://tnfd.global/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Recommendations_of_the_Taskforce_on_Nature-related_Financial_Disclosures_September_2023.pdf?v=1695118661) (p. 36), are activities that create positive outcomes for organisations and nature through (i.) positive impacts or (ii.) mitigation of negative impacts on nature. These can be split into two categories, which are not mutually exclusive:
**Business performance opportunities**:
**Markets: **Access to new markets or locations arising from changes to things like consumer demands, consumer and investor sentiment, and stakeholder dynamics.
**Products and services**: Developing new products or services that capitalize on environmental conservation and restoration, such as eco-tourism or sustainable product lines.
**Resource efficiency**: Improvements in the efficiency of natural resource use, such as energy, water, and raw materials, which reduce costs and enhance resilience.
**Capital flow and financing: **Attracting** **investors interested in sustainable practices, potentially leading to improved financing conditions.** **
**Reputational capital**: Enhancing brand reputation by actively engaging in natural capital conservation, appealing to a growing base of environmentally conscious consumers.
****
**Sustainability performance opportunities**:
**Sustainable use of natural resources**: Substitution of natural resources by recycled, regenerative, renewable or ethically responsibly sourced organic inputs.
**Ecosystem protection, restoration, and regeneration**: Activities that support the protection, regeneration or restoration of habitats and ecosystems, including areas both within and outside organisation's direct control. For example, by investing in green infrastructure like wetland restoration, companies can reduce costs associated with natural hazards or water filtration, leading to operational cost savings.