This Blueprint is a fundamental guidance on how companies can build business cases for using Nature-based Solutions (NbS) to address their challenges and opportunities – while also delivering positive impact on climate, nature and equity.

Drawing on eight case studies from WBCSD members, this work lays out a six-stage process for companies to follow, from first identifying opportunities to use NbS through to balanced decision-making between NbS and more traditional options.

It provides guidance for business in any sector to:

• identify key business challenges and opportunities,
• explore NbS relevant to the company’s challenges and opportunities,
• collect information on overall impacts and benefits to the business from the chosen NbS,
• identify the design and implementation process required,
• estimate costs of NbS activities, and
• compare NbS options to other solutions across full range of benefits and costs.

In addition, WBCSD has developed a complementary tool – the Nature-based Solutions Map that organises NbS activities by the value that they offer to businesses and society (as well as the biomes/regions where each NbS can be applied).

As part of the next phase of our work on NbS, WBCSD and its members are exploring how NbS business cases are informed by nature strategies (drawing on the guidance from the Roadmaps to Nature Positive) and how companies can implement NbS in practice.

We invite companies and other organizations to share their examples and experiences to support and expand the impact of our work on the Blueprint, Map, and ongoing guidance for companies looking to deploy or invest in NbS. To join or learn more, reach us at nature@wbcsd.org.