- BNP Paribas Asset Management will co-chair a new Finance for Biodiversity Foundation working group on nature transition finance.
- The group will develop a practical framework to help financial institutions identify credible corporate nature transition plans.
- The initiative aims to bring biodiversity into transition finance, alongside climate and net-zero frameworks.
Finance Sector Moves Toward a Nature Transition Model
Paris and Oslo are moving biodiversity further into the investment mainstream as BNP Paribas Asset Management joins Storebrand Asset Management to lead a new Finance for Biodiversity Foundation working group.
The group will create a nature transition framework for financial institutions. It will be co-chaired by Robert-Alexandre Poujade, Biodiversity Lead at BNP Paribas Asset Management, and Emine Isciel, Head of Climate and Environment at Storebrand Asset Management. Julen Gonzalez, Technical Director at the Finance for Biodiversity Foundation, will coordinate the work.
The initiative comes as investors face rising pressure to treat nature loss as a financial risk, not only an environmental concern. Biodiversity degradation can affect food systems, land values, water access, infrastructure, insurance, and supply chains. For asset managers and banks, that creates both portfolio exposure and governance risk.
BNP Paribas Asset Management has positioned biodiversity as a central part of its sustainability strategy. The firm launched its Biodiversity Roadmap in 2021. Its latest role extends that work into a broader finance-sector effort, focused on practical tools for investment teams, asset owners, banks, and other financial institutions.
New Framework to Guide Nature-Positive Finance
The Finance for Biodiversity Foundation working group will examine how financial institutions can scale credible nature transition finance globally.
Its work will focus on three main areas. The first is defining the role of financial institutions in supporting nature-positive economic activity. The second is turning that role into a practical framework for financial decision-making. The third is aligning the framework with the global nature-positive goal.
The framework aims to help investors identify companies that are credibly transitioning toward better alignment with nature goals. It will draw from existing climate and nature guidance, as well as emerging practices from the Finance for Biodiversity Foundation and the wider finance community.
That matters for executives and investors because nature transition finance remains less mature than climate transition finance. Many institutions have clearer models for assessing net-zero commitments than for evaluating nature-related corporate action. The new framework seeks to close that gap.
For companies, the work could raise expectations around governance, disclosure, capital allocation, and operational change. For investors, it could support more consistent engagement with issuers across sectors exposed to nature risks.
BNP Paribas AM Sees Practical Use Across Investment Platforms
BNP Paribas Asset Management said the new framework could help its investment teams develop dedicated methodologies across investment platforms and fund offerings.
The firm also expects greater clarity on corporate nature transition to support asset owners and clients. That could become increasingly important as institutional investors respond to biodiversity loss, regulation, and growing demand for credible sustainability products.
Robert-Alexandre Poujade, Biodiversity Lead at BNP Paribas Asset Management, said: “I am honoured to co-chair this new working group, which aims to harness the energy and ideas of the FfB community and partners. We heard the call that we need the equivalent of net zero for nature. That insight sparked the genesis of this initiative. Working towards a nature-positive financial system is an ambitious goal but could be difficult to achieve if nature remains absent from transition discussions and corporates lack financial incentives to transition. I look forward to implementing this nature transition framework alongside our investment teams.”
His comments point to a core market challenge. Companies may struggle to act on nature without clear financial incentives. Investors may also struggle to assess progress without a shared definition of credible transition.
A decision-useful framework could give both sides a clearer structure. It could also help finance teams distinguish between high-level nature commitments and transition plans backed by measurable action.
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Biodiversity Becomes a Boardroom and Portfolio Issue
Jane Ambachtsheer, Global Head of Sustainability at BNP Paribas Asset Management, said: “There is growing awareness of the critical impact of biodiversity loss on the economy. By co-chairing this new working group, BNPP AM reinforces its commitment to be a leading player in the transition to a more sustainable economy. We look forward to continuing to evolve our partnership with the FfB Foundation, and to providing our clients with the tools and resources they need to take action.”
For the C-suite, the message is clear. Nature is moving into the same strategic arena as climate, supply chain resilience, and long-term capital planning.
The development also reflects a wider shift in sustainable finance. Investors are beginning to ask whether companies can show credible transition plans across environmental systems, not only carbon. That includes land use, water, pollution, ecosystem impacts, and biodiversity dependencies.
For policymakers and regulators, the framework could help advance consistency in market practice. For asset owners, it could support manager selection, stewardship priorities, and product due diligence.
The global finance sector has spent years building frameworks for climate risk and net-zero alignment. Nature now demands a similar level of discipline. BNP Paribas Asset Management’s role in the new working group shows how biodiversity is moving from specialist sustainability teams into mainstream investment decision-making.
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