Amsterdam, 9 February 2026 — Finance for Biodiversity (FfB) Foundation welcomes the launch of the IPBES Business and Biodiversity Assessment Report, a landmark report developed by more than 80 experts synthesising for the first time the global evidence base on how businesses impact and depend on biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people.
“The publication of this report is extremely timely and important,” said Anita de Horde, Executive Director of FfB Foundation. “For the first time, such a broad group of experts has systematically reviewed the existing knowledge on how businesses interact with nature and what is needed to move from analysis to action.”
Fundamental change is possible — but businesses cannot do it alone
The IPBES report clearly shows that fundamental change is both possible and necessary to align what is profitable for business with what is beneficial for biodiversity and people. However, it also underlines that businesses often operate in conditions shaped by inadequate or even perverse incentives, which continue to drive nature loss.
The report notes that large public subsidies that contribute to biodiversity loss are still directed toward harmful activities, often reinforced by lobbying from parts of the business community itself. It confirms what we at FfB Foundation have been saying for years: businesses cannot solve this alone. Policymakers must create an enabling environment that rewards nature-positive behaviour and removes incentives that drive destruction.
In 2024, FfB Foundation published its own analysis outlining concrete policy actions governments can take to align financial flows with the Global Biodiversity Framework, translating ambition into implementation. That work directly complements the IPBES findings on the importance of disclosure, reporting standards, transition planning, and public incentives, and reinforces the need for coordinated action across governments, financial institutions and the real economy.
“The IPBES Business and Biodiversity Assessment Report provides the clearest scientific evidence yet of how economic activity depends on, and impacts nature, bridging the gap between corporate strategy and environmental necessity. Now we need policymakers, businesses, and investors to translate these insights into real, collective action.” said Emine Isciel, Head of Climate and Environment at Storebrand AM and co-chair of the Public Policy Advocacy working group of FfB Foundation.
From information to implementation
The IPBES report highlights that businesses and financial institutions often lack accessible and decision-relevant information and measurement approaches to address their impacts and dependencies on biodiversity, as well as the associated risks and opportunities.
“At FfB Foundation, we feel a strong responsibility to help bridge this gap,” said Anita de Horde. “Information alone is not enough. What matters is turning knowledge into action. That is why we focus on practical guidance, working closely with our members, many of whom have been actively addressing biodiversity for several years, and through the launch of the new FfB Hub, which is designed to support all sorts of financial institutions on their nature journey.”
Thomas Viegas, Group Nature Lead at Aviva, an FfB Foundation member, said:
“Aviva welcomes the landmark IPBES Business and Biodiversity Assessment Report and its strong call to action for business, finance and governments. Its robust scientific foundation provides essential guidance for business and finance in supporting the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The prosperity of our customers, communities and business relies on nature and its biodiversity and we hope the legacy of IPBES12 is one of renewed confidence and collective action to halt and reverse nature degradation.”
Data exists, now business intelligence is needed
IPBES also finds that uptake of biodiversity assessment methods remains limited and uneven, with less than 1% of publicly reporting companies currently disclosing biodiversity impacts. A recent survey cited in the report identifies access to reliable data, models and scenarios as key barriers for financial institutions.
“We fully recognise the importance of disclosure, reliable data and models,” says Anita de Horde. “At the same time, experience from our own Pledge signatory community shows that progress is already being made. In our latest Impact Survey, 88% of respondents have conducted biodiversity impact assessments, 67% have assessed dependencies on nature, and 72% are progressing to company-level analysis.”
Working with our Pledge signatory community has shown that the challenge is increasingly not a lack of data, but the need for practical guidance, and the capacity to translate available data and methodologies into meaningful decision-making across different asset classes and financial products. We therefore welcome the clear message in the IPBES report that businesses have the tools and knowledge to act now.
“This is precisely where we see the next phase of work,” Anita de Horde added. “By integrating the work of the Partnership for Biodiversity Accounting Financials (PBAF) into FfB Foundation in the coming years, we aim to further support financial institutions in applying biodiversity data and conducting assessments in ways that can inform decision making and contribute to positive impact on nature.”
A clear signal to act
The IPBES Business and Biodiversity Assessment Report sends a strong signal: the tools, knowledge and pathways for change already exist, but systemic action is needed now.
“We see this report as a call to action, not only for businesses and financial institutions, but equally for governments and policymakers,” concluded Anita de Horde. “If we want finance to work for biodiversity, we must align rules, incentives and financial flows with the goals governments have collectively agreed. FfB Foundation stands ready to help turn this vision into reality.”
The Assessment is particularly timely with the upcoming COP17 and first Global Stocktake on the Global Biodiversity Framework in October. As a global community, it is vital we seize this moment to drive real steps forward and for all governments to publish robust NBSAPs – not just the 33% that had done so by February 2026.