Nature and Biodiversity
Nature provides modern-day society with vital resources. Understanding the potential dependencies and impacts for businesses is key to protecting and preserving the balance of our eco-systems. That is why NFU Mutual is committed to helping conserve and enhance nature and biodiversity through our own activities and influence.
Find out more about our plans to protect and enhance nature and biodiversity:
Defining our approach
Defining our nature and biodiversity approach was a flagship target of NFU Mutual’s 2024 Responsible Business activities. To achieve this, and to ensure our approach aligns with industry standards, we collaborated with external partners: Arup, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) and ClimateWise. We have also established an internal working group, conducted stakeholder training and completed a baseline biodiversity assessment of our Head Office site.
Using these foundations, we have established a plan to adopt the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) framework to measure and report nature-related risks, valuing ecosystems as environmental assets. We have completed initial TNFD scoping and heatmaps for our direct operations. This has allowed us to identify our property portfolios as a priority for nature and biodiversity activity in 2025.
Recognising the intrinsic link between nature, biodiversity and climate change, we have also determined that our approach in these areas will be closely aligned.
We’ll now work towards our forward-looking target of embedding our newly defined nature and biodiversity approach and remaining agile to respond to evolving regulations.
Promoting nature and biodiversity across NFU Mutual owned sites
As a commercial landowner, NFU Mutual believes there is an innate responsibility to protect, and where possible enhance, the nature and biodiversity of its owned sites.
Across our Stratford sites, we have 14 hectares of open green space with over 1000 trees of 79 different species. We operate a number of different initiatives to encourage nature and biodiversity and prevent nature loss. These include: wildflower gardens to encourage flying insects; log piles to provide habitats for insects, fungi, mosses and lichens; bird feeding stations and the installation of bat, bird and owl boxes across our sites, as well as bee hotels. We have recently installed signage explaining the benefits of each of these initiatives to help raise awareness and educate staff on what they could do at home.
Our nature-focused community support
Our community support activity provides another opportunity for us to play our part in protecting and enhancing our environment. This is possible through the causes we support, as well as through our employee volunteering scheme.
In 2024, 63% of our overall employee volunteering hours were spent completing tasks to support local nature and biodiversity initiatives. For example, in October, 2024, the CEO Office PA team volunteered at Wildgoose Rural Training in Hallow, Worcestershire to help clear willow saplings from the reed beds to encourage a different environment for nature and biodiversity. Wildgoose rural training is a care farm for adults and young people based in the heart of Worcestershire. The nature reserve and farm offer students the chance to learn about horticulture, conservation, farming, arts and crafts, cooking, mechanics and animal care, connecting them with the outdoors and nature.
Explore our report
Our Nature and Biodiversity activity is just one of the ways we deliver against our ambition of Caring for the Environment. To learn more about our strategy and actions, explore our latest Responsible Business Report.
