In response to growing global concern over biodiversity decline, on 8th October 2025, ISO launched ISO 17298 – Biodiversity for Organizations, a comprehensive framework to help companies and institutions identify, assess, and manage their impacts and dependencies on nature.
Biodiversity, the foundation of ecosystems and human well-being is under increasing threat. According to ISO, more than $44 trillion of global GDP depends moderately or highly on nature, underscoring the deep link between ecological health and economic stability. Yet, organizations have long lacked a unified, science-based approach to address these dependencies effectively.
ISO 17298 bridges this gap by providing a structured model that guides organizations through:
- Assessment: Identifying how operations, products, and value chains depend on and impact biodiversity. - Integration: Embedding biodiversity goals into governance, risk assessment, and strategic planning. - Measurement: Establishing measurable targets and indicators to track progress. - Action: Implementing strategies within the biodiversity strategy to prevent, reduce, or restore biodiversity loss in line with global goals.
By integrating nature considerations into existing management systems, ISO 17298 enables organizations to move beyond voluntary reporting, embedding biodiversity directly into strategic and operational decision-making.
Due to the increased acidity of the ocean, the ocean chemistry experiences massive changes that adversely affect not just aquatic beings but also the human population.
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ISO 17298 is designed for broad applicability across sectors and organization types — from small and medium-sized enterprises to large corporations, public institutions, and cities. It supports the generation of credible and comparable biodiversity data, helping organizations inform investment decisions, improve disclosures, and access emerging biodiversity-linked and nature-positive markets.
The release of ISO 17298 also marks the beginning of a wider initiative by ISO to develop a suite of biodiversity-related standards, including those focused on biodiversity vocabulary, biodiversity net gain, and the characterization of products based on native species.
By providing a unified, globally recognized framework, ISO aims to help organizations integrate biodiversity into mainstream sustainability and risk management practices — turning nature-related challenges into structured, measurable, and actionable strategies.
The launch of ISO 17298 creates a clear path for organizations to embed biodiversity into strategy and governance. At Cognitud, as an environmental consultant, we help businesses translate this framework into measurable action — identifying biodiversity risks, dependencies, and opportunities across their operations and supply chains.
By aligning with global standards such as ISO 17298 and TNFD, Cognitud enables organizations to strengthen ESG performance, improve disclosures, and achieve recognized sustainability certification, building resilience through data-driven, nature-positive operations.
Abhigyan Gupta
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Biodiversity standards provide guidance for companies to assess their impacts on nature, set measurable targets, integrate biodiversity into management systems, and implement strategies that protect or restore ecosystems. ISO 17298 is the most recent global example of such a standard.
Biodiversity is essential for ecosystem stability, human well-being, and economic resilience. It supports food, water, and climate regulation, and underpins industries and global GDP. Loss of biodiversity can lead to ecological collapse, increased business risks, and disruption of supply chains.
Organizational biodiversity risk refers to the potential negative effects on a company resulting from biodiversity loss or degradation. This includes supply chain disruptions, regulatory fines, reputational damage, and operational risks linked to ecosystem decline.
ISO 17298 aligns with: • UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), • ISO 14001 (Environmental Management Systems), • ISO 26000 (Social Responsibility), • Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), and • The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. These frameworks ensure consistent and comparable biodiversity management and reporting.
Biodiversity loss affects business by increasing operational risks, threatening natural resources, disrupting supply chains, and undermining economic stability. It can also impact investor confidence and access to nature-positive markets, making proactive biodiversity management essential for sustainable growth.
