How to get started with ISO 17298 and build your biodiversity approach

Biodiversity isn't just an environmental concern – it's a business imperative. An estimated $44 trillion of global GDP is highly or moderately dependent on nature. From the water your facilities use to the pollinators that support agricultural supply chains, biodiversity underpins business operations in ways most organisations have yet to fully recognise. The new ISO 17298 standard provides a structured framework to help companies of any size integrate biodiversity into their strategies and operations.

What is ISO 17298?

Published in October 2025, ISO 17298 is the first international standard specifically designed to guide organisations in considering biodiversity throughout their business. Whether you're a multinational corporation, a local authority, a mid-sized company or even a small enterprise, this standard provides requirements and guidelines for adopting what it calls a "biodiversity approach" – a systematic process for maintaining and improving environmental performance through biodiversity conservation, ecological restoration and sustainable use.

The standard aligns with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, particularly Target 15, which calls for large companies to monitor, assess and transparently disclose their biodiversity-related risks, dependencies and impacts.

Defining your scope

The first critical step in implementing ISO 17298 is determining the scope of your biodiversity approach. This isn't about boiling the ocean – it's about being strategic and realistic about where you'll focus your initial efforts.

Your scope definition should answer several key questions. Will you apply the biodiversity approach to one facility or all operations? Are you focusing on a specific product line or your entire portfolio? Will you examine your direct operations only or extend into your supply chain and sphere of influence?

Consider factors such as your organisation's size and complexity, the sectors you operate in, the geographic locations of your sites and any known controversies or high-impact activities. If you operate near critical habitats – areas with high biodiversity value such as protected areas or regions supporting endangered species – these locations should be priority candidates for inclusion in your scope.

Document your scope clearly. This transparency is essential not just for internal clarity but also for any external communication about your biodiversity efforts. The standard requires that you state your scope in all communications about your biodiversity approach.

Reviewing your current state

Before launching new initiatives, understand what you're already doing. Conduct a thorough review of existing biodiversity-related policies, whether voluntary commitments or regulatory requirements. Many organisations discover they have scattered efforts – a habitat restoration project here, a sustainable sourcing policy there – that have never been coordinated into a coherent strategy.

This review should extend beyond explicitly biodiversity-focused activities. Examine your environmental management systems, climate change initiatives, pollution reduction efforts and social responsibility programs. These often have important biodiversity connections. For instance, your carbon sequestration projects might also provide habitat benefits or your water stewardship efforts might support aquatic ecosystems.

Document any baseline assessments you've conducted and the results achieved. Understanding your starting point is essential for measuring progress and avoiding duplication of effort.

Understanding your context

ISO 17298 requires organisations to stay informed about the evolving biodiversity landscape. This means monitoring regulatory changes at international, national and local levels. Biodiversity regulations are expanding rapidly, with new disclosure requirements emerging in many jurisdictions.

Stay current on frameworks like the Global Biodiversity Framework, best practices in your sector and scientific advances in biodiversity measurement and management. For smaller organisations with limited resources, this might be as simple as setting up news alerts, joining an industry working group or subscribing to relevant publications.

The standard's Annex A provides a helpful starting point, listing key frameworks including the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), Science-Based Targets for Nature and various sector-specific guidelines.

Identifying your stakeholders

Biodiversity management cannot happen in isolation. Identify the interested parties –stakeholders – relevant to your biodiversity approach. These include internal parties like employees, management and board members, as well as external stakeholders such as customers, suppliers, local communities, NGOs, regulators and investors.

Understanding their needs and expectations is crucial. Local communities might prioritiseaccess to ecosystem services, investors may focus on risk disclosure and NGOs might emphasise conservation outcomes. These varying expectations will shape your objectives and action plan in later stages.

Practical first steps

For most organisations, getting started means taking manageable steps. Begin with a pilot scope – perhaps one facility or business unit – rather than attempting organisation-wide implementation immediately. Assign a clear owner for the biodiversity approach, whether an existing sustainability team or a designated individual.

Form a cross-functional working group including operations, procurement, risk managementand communications. Biodiversity touches many aspects of business and diverse perspectives will strengthen your approach.

Invest time in education. Ensure your team understands basic biodiversity concepts: the difference between biodiversity and climate, what ecosystem services are, why dependencies matter and how biodiversity loss creates business risk.

Setting up for success

The biodiversity approach outlined in ISO 17298 is iterative, not linear. You'll move back and forth through various stages as you learn and adapt. Starting with a clear scope, solid understanding of your current activities and engaged stakeholders positions your organisation to move confidently into the assessment and planning phases.

Remember, the goal isn't perfection from day one. It's establishing a credible, strategic process for progressively integrating biodiversity into how you do business –creating value for both your organisation and the natural world it depends on.