A coalition of 15 international financial institutions, including Storebrand Asset Management, Federated Hermes Limited, Rabobank, Nordea Asset Management, and Domini Impact Investments, has launched a coordinated push for the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) to create a dedicated, mandatory Nature Standard.
The Finance for Biodiversity Foundation and its member institutions presented the joint statement to ISSB Board member Sue Lloyd during the COP17 climate summit. The intervention follows the ISSB’s recent publication of proposed nature-related disclosure guidelines, which are open for public consultation through 19 February 2027.
While the ISSB’s current proposals are structured as a voluntary Practice Statement, the investor group argues that voluntary guidelines risk creating fragmented reporting requirements across international markets. The initial signatories maintain that establishing a dedicated, binding global standard is essential for institutional investors to accurately assess ecosystem dependencies, price nature-related risks, and efficiently allocate capital across asset classes.
The joint statement also addresses global policy gaps highlighted in the 2026 Global Review of Collective Progress, which noted slow national adoption of Target 15 under the Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). Signatories called on governments and financial regulators to actively back a dedicated standard to establish a consistent global baseline and enforce mandatory corporate nature reporting.
The statement will remain open for additional institutional signatures through 15 January 2027, with initial backing from firms including Achmea Investment Management, Cardano, Etica Funds, La Banque Postale Asset Management, Rathbones, Swedbank Robur Asset Management, Tribe Impact Capital, Achema, Aequo Shareholder Engagement, and Univé.
