Quick Read

Biodiversity is becoming a material business risk as regulators introduce nature-related disclosure requirements, investors integrate biodiversity into due diligence, and supply chain partners demand evidence of responsible management. ISO 17298 provides the first international standard for organisations to systematically manage biodiversity risks and impacts, with Speeki offering gap analysis, role-specific training, and independent certification to build credible, resilient biodiversity management systems. Certification strengthens licence to operate, reduces regulatory and commercial exposure, and supports ESG reporting frameworks such as TNFD.

Use case

How biodiversity certification strengthens your licence to operate and future-proofs your supply chain

Biodiversity is rapidly becoming a boardroom issue. Regulators are introducing nature-related disclosure requirements, investors are integrating biodiversity risk into due diligence and supply chain partners are asking for evidence of responsible biodiversity management. Organisations that act now build resilience; those that wait face growing regulatory and commercial exposure.

Speeki helps organisations build and certify biodiversity management systems under ISO 17298 – the first international standard that enables organisations to manage biodiversity risks and impacts systematically.

Why this matters

Biodiversity loss creates material business risks: supply chain disruptions from ecosystem degradation, regulatory restrictions on operations in sensitive areas, loss of social licence from local communities and growing investor scrutiny linked to TNFD adoption and nature-related disclosure frameworks.

Organisations without a structured approach to biodiversity management face difficulty securing permits, higher insurance costs, supply chain vulnerabilities and reputational risk with increasingly nature-aware customers and investors.

What effective biodiversity management looks like

ISO 17298 defines the international benchmark for biodiversity management systems. Organisations that meet this standard demonstrate:

  • a biodiversity policy with clear objectives tied to business strategy

  • identification of biodiversity risks, impacts and dependencies across operations and supply chains

  • documented controls and action plans that address material biodiversity issues

  • clear governance with defined accountability for biodiversity outcomes

  • monitoring that tracks progress against measurable indicators

  • a management system that feeds into ESG reporting frameworks such as TNFD.

Achieving this credibly requires independent certification – which is where Speeki comes in.

What working with Speeki looks like

Speeki works alongside organisations from initial assessment through certification and beyond, building a relationship that compounds value over time.

Understand your biodiversity exposure

Speeki conducts structured gap analyses comparing your existing biodiversity practices against ISO 17298 requirements. You get a clear view of what is already in place, what needs development and where the most material risks and dependencies lie.

Build cross-functional capability

Speeki delivers biodiversity training tailored to different roles – from executive leadership to operational managers, ESG teams and supply chain teams. Organisations with trained teams make better decisions about biodiversity risk and move through certification more efficiently.

Get independently certified

Speeki conducts certification audits that assess whether your biodiversity management system works in practice – not just on paper. Certification gives your organisation a credible, internationally recognised credential that demonstrates responsible biodiversity management to investors, regulators and supply chain partners.

Maintain certification and improve

Biodiversity contexts change as ecosystems evolve, regulations tighten and stakeholder expectations shift. Speeki conducts annual surveillance and triennial recertification to confirm your system keeps pace. Each cycle builds on the last.

See the bigger picture

Every Speeki assurance engagement includes Assurance Intelligence™ – year-to-year trend analysis showing how your programme is maturing, scenario modelling to support strategic planning, and anonymised benchmarking against peer organisations. This means you can see where you stand, where you’re heading and how you compare – turning assurance from a compliance exercise into a source of competitive insight.

What you gain

Organisations that work with Speeki on biodiversity certification typically see:

  • stronger licence to operate in environmentally sensitive regions

  • reduced risk of permit delays and regulatory restrictions

  • improved positioning for nature-related disclosure under TNFD and emerging frameworks

  • supply chain resilience through better understanding of biodiversity dependencies

  • competitive benchmarking and trend intelligence that informs biodiversity strategy.

Organisations that meet the requirements receive ISO 17298 certification – independent evidence that biodiversity risks and impacts are being managed through a structured, internationally recognised system.

About Speeki

Speeki is an independent assurance company helping organisations worldwide turn their compliance, sustainability and ESG initiatives into a competitive advantage. We combine subject-matter expertise, structured audit methodologies and Assurance Intelligence™ to deliver assurance engagements that support long-term governance maturity.

Ready to make biodiversity management a source of resilience?

Contact Speeki to discuss how ISO 17298 certification can strengthen your licence to operate, future-proof your supply chain and build stakeholder confidence.