Identifying barriers and drivers that affect company actions on biodiversity

Tackling the growing biodiversity crisis requires a clear understanding of why, or why not, companies act on their interactions with biodiversity. By using thematic analysis across an expert practitioner workshop, documentary analysis and interviews with leading companies, this paper identifies and then systematically classifies different barriers and drivers. We find that the key forces are external to a company and go beyond simply a lack of data or tools to include more fundamental barriers such as the prevailing economic and political structures. The key barriers and drivers affecting the way companies interact with biodiversity include undervaluing biodiversity, data challenges, and education. There is a clear need for legislative change to drive forward business action, and this can only happen with bold political leadership backed by business leadership. Where greater action has happened, the research suggests this has been driven by economic, legal and political catalysts. • This paper identifies key barriers and drivers affecting the way companies interact with biodiversity. • Using a PESTLE analysis barriers and drivers for company actions on biodiversity are characterized. • We find that legislative change to drive forward business action on biodiversity loss is required.