ISO Unveils Global Standard For Biodiversity Action

The International Organization for Standardization( ISO) has introduced the world’s first global frame to help associations measure, manage, and act on biodiversity. blazoned at ISO’s 2025 Annual Meeting in Kigali, ISO 17298 Biodiversity for Organizations – Guidelines and Conditions establishes a unified system for companies and institutions to estimate their dependences , pitfalls, and impacts on nature and to transfigure that understanding into palpable action.

Developed by experts from further than 60 countries, ISO 17298 offers a encyclopedically honored frame for associations to assess biodiversity- related pitfalls and integrate nature considerations into governance and strategy. The standard aligns with major global enterprise similar as the Taskforce on Nature- related fiscal exposures( TNFD), the UN Sustainable Development Goals( SDGs), and the Kunming- Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Designed for scalability, it can be espoused by large pots, small and medium enterprises( SMEs), and public institutions likewise.

The launch comes at a critical time, as biodiversity loss continues at an unknown rate. Healthy ecosystems are essential for stable husbandry, yet numerous businesses face growing exposure to biodiversity- related pitfalls, including disintegrated force chains, increased costs, and stricter regulations. ISO 17298 seeks to close a significant governance gap by bedding biodiversity into the core of commercial decision- timber, moving beyond sustainability reporting toward integrated threat operation and strategy.

“ No global frame was until now for integrating biodiversity into commercial decision- timber, ” said Noelia Garcia Nebra, ISO’s Head of Sustainability and hookups. “ ISO 17298 provides that missing structure — a roadmap that enables associations to assess and address biodiversity impacts totally, aligning functional realities with growing global prospects. ”

The standard emphasizes practical operation and supports associations in relating their dependences on ecosystems, integrating biodiversity into governance processes, and telling dependable data for investors and controllers. It's erected for interoperability, aligning with being sustainability norms similar as ISO 14001( Environmental Management) and ISO 26000( Social Responsibility), as well as global fabrics like TNFD and the SDGs. It directly contributes to the Kunming- Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, particularly Target 15, which calls for commercial exposure and action on nature- related impacts.

Marco Rossi, ISO’s Director of Standardization, stressed interoperability as a crucial design principle. “ ISO 17298 is scalable and inclusive it works for small businesses, large corporates, public agencies, and metropolises likewise, ” he said. “ By furnishing a harmonious base for believable biodiversity data, it enables better investment opinions, translucency in exposure, and access to the growing nature-positive frugality. ”

The standard reflects adding calls from investors and policymakers for harmonized nature- related reporting systems. With a harmonious approach, biodiversity conduct can now be vindicated, compared, and integrated into broader environmental, social, and governance( ESG) assessments, helping associations ameliorate translucency and responsibility.

ISO 17298 was developed by ISO Technical Committee 331 on Biodiversity( ISO/ TC 331), a different,multi-stakeholder group involving experts from over 60 countries. The Taskforce on Nature- related fiscal exposures( TNFD) worked nearly with the commission, icing alignment between ISO 17298 and TNFD’s vault( detect, estimate, Assess, Prepare) frame. Emily McKenzie, TNFD’s Technical Director, said the collaboration strengthens global thickness in biodiversity dimension and operation. “ ISO 17298 will help harmonize delineations and approaches encyclopedically, supporting associations in bedding nature- related considerations into strategy and governance, ” she noted.

The launch of ISO 17298 coincided with Rwanda’s preface of its National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan( NBSAP), unveiled by the country’s Minister of Environment during the same session, From threat to Action Why Biodiversity Matters to Your Business. Rwanda’s commitment under the Global Biodiversity Framework made it a emblematic venue for this transnational corner.

ISO 17298 is the first in a new generation of biodiversity- concentrated norms being developed by ISO/ TC 331. unborn work will include guidelines on biodiversity net gain, standard language, and styles for characterizing products grounded on native species. Together, these sweats aim to give the specialized foundation for believable, similar, and scalable biodiversity action worldwide.

As investors, controllers, and consumers decreasingly demand lesser translucency on nature- related pitfalls, ISO 17298 offers associations a pathway to restate biodiversity commitments into governance and functional opinions. It also supports access to arising nature- linked finance mechanisms and positions businesses to thrive in a fleetly evolving ESG geography.

In an period where ecosystem health is thick from profitable adaptability, ISO 17298 sets a new standard for global business responsibility. It signals a clear shift — biodiversity is no longer a supplemental concern but a central element of organizational strategy and long- term sustainability.