OCE-B.16.B - Biodiversity Loss Halt and Reversal Target
Does the company set a target to halt and reverse biodiversity loss?
About the data
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.
Methodology
The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
(IPBES) Global Assessment Report (2019) has estimated that 1 million animal and plant species are
threatened with extinction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) finds that more
than a quarter of all assessed species are threatened. There is thus an ever-growing need for
companies to report progress on halting biodiversity loss, despite the challenges of measuring
biodiversity impacts.
Research Guidance:
Companies must set a target to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, specifying one of the following:
A target to halt or reverse biodiversity loss
A target to restore or protect habitats
A target specific to species that are conserved or the status change in species conservation. These should be aligned with frameworks such as (i) Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, (ii) The Biodiversity Plan, (iii) Science-Based Target for Nature (SBTN), and (v) Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD)
Has a target specific to the number of ecological corridors established to connect fragmented habitats or crucial for species migration and genetic diversity
Has a target specific to area of habitat restored, protected, or enhanced, which it clearly and explicitly associates with biodiversity
Has a target specific to ecosystem services like amount of carbon sequestered or water purified, or soil stability improved, which it clearly and explicitly associates with biodiversity
Targets must be:
1)Clearly biodiversity-related (or species-related) and linked to acceptable metrics (see metrics below), OR;
2)Outline specific commitments using acceptable formats (see accepted formats below), OR;
3)Use established biodiversity tools and frameworks to guide target setting
Metrics that can be used for measuring biodiversity targets include but not limited to:
**Species-Specific Metrics**: Including the number of individuals of particular species that are conserved or the status changes in species conservation (e.g., moving from 'endangered' to 'vulnerable' on the IUCN Red List).
**Connectivity Metrics**: Such as the number of ecological corridors established to connect fragmented habitats, crucial for species migration and genetic diversity.
**Area-Based Metrics**: Such as hectares of habitat restored, protected, or enhanced. This is common for conservation projects focused on specific geographic areas. These metrics will only count towards this element when the target is clearly and explicitly biodiversity-related.
**Ecosystem Services Metrics**: Measures like the amount of carbon sequestered, water purified, or soil stability improved through ecosystem restoration or conservation efforts. These metrics will only count towards this element when the target is clearly and explicitly biodiversity-related.
Companies may refer to SBTN and TNFD biodiversity target-setting tools.
Following guidance from SBTN, for biodiversity targets we may also accept targets with the following format:
"By [target end date], [Company X] will cap (not increase) its sourcing of [species] from [stock name] compared to a [date] baseline."
"[Company X] will engage in [initiative name] in [location] by [target start date] to reduce overexploitation in [stock name] by [target end date] as compared to [target start date] baseline."
"By [target end date], [Company X] will reduce its sourcing of [species] from [stock name] by X% compared to a [date] baseline."
"By [target end date], [Company name] will cease to source seafood with material impacts on [ETP marine wildlife] in [location]."
"By [target end date], [Company name] will reduce risk of negative impacts to [ETP marine wildlife] in [location] from [fishery operations]."
"[Company name] is engaged in [initiative name] in [location] to reduce risks to [ETP marine wildlife] by [target end date] as compared to a [target set date] baseline."
"By [target end date], [Company name] will enact standards of best practice for [fisheries/aquaculture] at [fishery/farm location] to avoid impacts to [found habitats]."
"[Company name] is engaged in [initiative name] in [location] to achieve [stated goal relevant to habitat protection] by [target end date] as compared to a [target set date] baseline."
(IPBES) Global Assessment Report (2019) has estimated that 1 million animal and plant species are
threatened with extinction. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) finds that more
than a quarter of all assessed species are threatened. There is thus an ever-growing need for
companies to report progress on halting biodiversity loss, despite the challenges of measuring
biodiversity impacts.
Research Guidance:
Companies must set a target to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, specifying one of the following:
A target to halt or reverse biodiversity loss
A target to restore or protect habitats
A target specific to species that are conserved or the status change in species conservation. These should be aligned with frameworks such as (i) Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, (ii) The Biodiversity Plan, (iii) Science-Based Target for Nature (SBTN), and (v) Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD)
Has a target specific to the number of ecological corridors established to connect fragmented habitats or crucial for species migration and genetic diversity
Has a target specific to area of habitat restored, protected, or enhanced, which it clearly and explicitly associates with biodiversity
Has a target specific to ecosystem services like amount of carbon sequestered or water purified, or soil stability improved, which it clearly and explicitly associates with biodiversity
Targets must be:
1)Clearly biodiversity-related (or species-related) and linked to acceptable metrics (see metrics below), OR;
2)Outline specific commitments using acceptable formats (see accepted formats below), OR;
3)Use established biodiversity tools and frameworks to guide target setting
Metrics that can be used for measuring biodiversity targets include but not limited to:
**Species-Specific Metrics**: Including the number of individuals of particular species that are conserved or the status changes in species conservation (e.g., moving from 'endangered' to 'vulnerable' on the IUCN Red List).
**Connectivity Metrics**: Such as the number of ecological corridors established to connect fragmented habitats, crucial for species migration and genetic diversity.
**Area-Based Metrics**: Such as hectares of habitat restored, protected, or enhanced. This is common for conservation projects focused on specific geographic areas. These metrics will only count towards this element when the target is clearly and explicitly biodiversity-related.
**Ecosystem Services Metrics**: Measures like the amount of carbon sequestered, water purified, or soil stability improved through ecosystem restoration or conservation efforts. These metrics will only count towards this element when the target is clearly and explicitly biodiversity-related.
Companies may refer to SBTN and TNFD biodiversity target-setting tools.
Following guidance from SBTN, for biodiversity targets we may also accept targets with the following format:
"By [target end date], [Company X] will cap (not increase) its sourcing of [species] from [stock name] compared to a [date] baseline."
"[Company X] will engage in [initiative name] in [location] by [target start date] to reduce overexploitation in [stock name] by [target end date] as compared to [target start date] baseline."
"By [target end date], [Company X] will reduce its sourcing of [species] from [stock name] by X% compared to a [date] baseline."
"By [target end date], [Company name] will cease to source seafood with material impacts on [ETP marine wildlife] in [location]."
"By [target end date], [Company name] will reduce risk of negative impacts to [ETP marine wildlife] in [location] from [fishery operations]."
"[Company name] is engaged in [initiative name] in [location] to reduce risks to [ETP marine wildlife] by [target end date] as compared to a [target set date] baseline."
"By [target end date], [Company name] will enact standards of best practice for [fisheries/aquaculture] at [fishery/farm location] to avoid impacts to [found habitats]."
"[Company name] is engaged in [initiative name] in [location] to achieve [stated goal relevant to habitat protection] by [target end date] as compared to a [target set date] baseline."
License
Topics
Framework Mappings
Value Type
Category
Options
Yes
No
Assessment
Steward Assessed
Report Type
Aggregate Data Report