Plan for Nature: Latest nature & biodiversity updates and how to get involved in nature

Next month, the BRC’s Plan for Nature for 2024/25 will wrap up with the outcomes of our Nature Maturity Assessment and our Nature Strategy & Reporting Roundtable – read on for more information.

To conclude Year 1, here’s a recap of the latest updates in the nature space, what we’ve done so far across 2024/25, and what’s next to take the Plan for Nature into Year 2. 

Nature policy and regulation: Key updates you should know

Nature is rapidly climbing up the agenda, both globally and in the UK. Below is a summary of recent key updates in the nature policy and regulatory space, which will push businesses to prioritise nature in 2025 and beyond. 

1. COP16 agreement reached on nature finance: Resumed COP16 discussions earlier in February led to a landmark agreement for mobilising $200bn in nature finance per year by 2030. The talks also focused on the monitoring framework for the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), for how parties – including the UK – will review their progress towards binding nature targets.
2. UK submitted a National Biodiversity Strategy & Action Plan (NBSAP): The new NBSAP outlines the UK’s commitment to all GBF targets, including the key target to protect 30% of all land and sea by 2030, and its legally binding commitments under the Environment Act 2021.
3. Government launched consultation on land use and set out plans for a review of the Environment Improvement Plan (EIP): The land use framework consultation sought views on a new approach to managing land use in England, aimed at supporting growth whilst simultaneously restoring nature – read our consultation response HERE . A rapid review of the EIP, conducted in 2024, will inform a revised in EIP later in this year, aimed at creating a clearer plan for protecting and restoring nature. Read the statement HERE.
4. EU Commission pushes ahead with the EUDR but rolls back on CSRD and CSDDD: With EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) entry into application in December 2025, the updated guidance comes alongside new simplification measures to streamline the implementation of EUDR for businesses. Read more HERE and find out how we’re supporting retailers implement EUDR below. Meanwhile, the introduction of the EU Omnibus to streamline reporting and due diligence requirements has softened the teeth of the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD).
5. Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) released sector-specific guidance: The guidance for food and textile businesses clarifies how they should report on their nature-related risks and dependencies. Access the guidance HERE.

Plan for Nature 2024/25: What we’ve done so far

To deliver our Plan for Nature, we’ve proudly partnered with RSK Group. You can read a summary of what we’ve done so far in 2024/25 HERE.

Plan for Nature 2024/25: Coming up

Nature Maturity Assessment: Survey closes COP 2nd May

Our Nature Maturity Assessment is the first comprehensive survey of the retail industry’s journey to date in the nature and biodiversity space. This short, 5-minute survey will examine the current progress of retail businesses in understanding and disclosing their nature-related impacts and setting nature-based targets and strategies, to evaluate the overall maturity of their action on nature.

You can complete the survey HERE. We’d greatly appreciate if you could support the survey by completing before COP on Friday 2nd May.

Nature Strategy & Reporting Roundtable: 13^th May

To conclude the Plan for Nature 2024/25, we are hosting an invite-only roundtable focused on the UK nature landscape. The session will feature insights from Government on their nature agenda, including sustainability disclosure requirements and Environmental Improvement Plans, as well as contributions from fellow retailers sharing their nature strategies. Attendees will also have the opportunity to help shape the Plan for Nature 2025/26. Read more HERE.

 

If you have any questions related to the Plan for Nature, please get in touch with Sophie De Salis.