NATURE STRATEGY 2024-2027

Towards
nature positive

Sustainability is our businessIntroduction
ERM is the world’s largest specialist sustainability
consultancy. We partner with the world’s leading

Nature includes different types of biomes or ecosystems whichhave intrinsic value in their own right, as well as providing‘services’ upon which society depends.

organizations to create innovative solutions to sustainability

In this strategy we set out our approach to assessing,challenges that unlock commercial opportunities that meet

managing and disclosing our impact on nature throughthe needs of today while preserving opportunity for future

our own operations, our work with clients and through ourgenerations.

collaborations with partners and wider stakeholders.

As scientific research reveals that six of the nine planetary

We are a company that is committed to stepping up to making

boundaries have been exceeded, international attentiona difference on nature. This strategy sets out our program ofis increasingly focused on the crisis facing nature and theaction for the next three years which will continue to evolve

critical need to halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030,

through ongoing review and progress against which will be

as set out in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity

reported upon in our annual Sustainability Report.

Framework (cbd.int).
ERM is committed to doing our part to support this global
imperative and working towards a nature positive future.
As defined by the Taskforce for Nature-Related Financial
Disclosures (TNFD), nature comprises the four realms of land,
ocean, freshwater and atmosphere.

Special thanks to the ERM employees who kindly donated their photographic
imagery for use in this strategy.
Front cover photo credit: Thomas Collin, United Kingdom

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Aligning to Now for Nature

Contents
Our impact & objectives

5

Our governance8

Our operations & supply chain

13

Our client services

16

Our collaborations

22

Our key targets

28

ERM’s Nature Strategy has been informed by the four principles of ACT-D, the Highlevel Business Actions on Nature, namely: Assess, Commit, Transform and Disclose,
developed by the Capitals Coalition, Business for Nature, WBCSD, TNFD, the Science
Based Targets Network, the World Economic Forum and WWF. We will continue torefine our reporting in line with Act-D, supported by the delivery of the targets outlinedin this strategy.
Act-D Principles

Addressed within the strategy

Assess

Our strategic objectives

CommitOur key targets for delivery 2024-2027
GovernanceOur operations

Transform

Our services to clients
Our supply chain
Maximising our impact

Disclose

Data and disclosure

It’s Now for Nature: Nature Strategy Handbook – A practical guide for businesses

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Managing nature-related impacts across our value chain
We adopt a value chain approach to our management of material nature-related risks,
opportunities and impacts. Upstream our value chain includes employees, partners andinvestors who are shareholders in the business, our offices and the materials required
to support them. ERM has 149 offices in over 40 countries and territories and employs
8,000 people globally. For further information please refer to erm.com.
Our supply chain is diverse, spanning the breadth of our global offices and countries
within which we deliver our services. For further information on our supply chain,refer to the ERM Sustainable Supply Chain Strategy.
Downstream, are our clients, the communities they operate in and their own supply
chains, alongside partner organizations, global society and environment. Across ourvalue chain, we seek to work with organizations who share our purpose and values inworking towards a nature positive future.

Photo credit: Diego Fernandes, Brazil

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Our impact& objectives
A material issue for our business

6

Our vision & objectives

7

Photo credit: Alma Chen, Hong Kong

NATURE STRATEGY5

A material issue for our business
Nature represents one of ERM’s key material topics, as we look to further understand the impact of our client advisory workand across our value chain. Our most material impact is generated through the delivery of our services to clients, including
through the activity of our supply chain. Whilst our offices are currently identified as having limited direct impact, we will
actively monitor our operations in respect of this.

Risk: Our offices use limited resources, generate
little pollution and have minimal direct biodiversity,
aquatic or terrestrial impact. We have an establisheddecarbonization program to reduce our impact on
climate, which in turn positively impacts upon nature.

Direct operations

Supply chain

Risk and Opportunity: We are engaging our supply
chain to understand the scope and scale of nature-related
impacts which the delivery of our services creates.

GOVERNANCEDISCLOSURE

POLICIESAND
PROCESSESPERFORMANCE

Opportunity: We work with our clients to reduce
their nature-related impacts arising from resourceuse, pollution, biodiversity, climate and aquatic andterrestrial impacts.

Clients

Key: Five main pressures causing nature loss as identified by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity
and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)

NATURE STRATEGY

Partnerships

ClimateOpportunity: We collaborate with stakeholders andcontribute to thought leadership to promote nature
positive solutions and practice across organizations.

Resource Use

Pollution

Biodiversity

Aquatic andterrestrial impacts

6

Our vision & objectives
Our vision is to work in partnership with our stakeholders towards a nature positive future. We will deliver our vision throughour key objectives, which focus on our material risks, opportunities and impacts.

Photo credit: ERM

Photo credit: Celine Nio, Singapore

Photo credit: Hanh Nguyen, Vietnam

Photo credit: Edward Huang, Taiwan

Photo credit: ERM

Our governanceOur operations

Our supply chain

Our clients services

Our stakeholders

To continue to evolve ourgovernance, performanceand disclosure around naturein accordance with ourcommitments and approach
outlined in this strategy.

To evolve our assessmentof nature-related risks,
opportunities and impacts acrossour value chain. We will strive
to avoid, reduce and mitigate
negative impacts and capitalising
upon opportunities to be nature
positive.

To evolve management of
nature-related impacts acrossour supplier base in line with
ERM’s Sustainable Supply Chain
Management Strategy and ourcommitment to work towards anature positive future.

To deliver our services consistent
with the commitments outlinedin this strategy and to support
our clients in working towards anature positive future across theirown operations and supply chain.

To collaborate with stakeholders
to promote wider societal
transformation towards a nature
positive future and contribute tothought leadership.

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Our governance
Board oversight

9

Leadership & accountability

9

Our Biodiversity Policy

10

Due diligence

11

Grievance mechanism & remedy

11

Photo credit: ERM

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Our governance

Board

ERM ESG Risk
& Sustainability
Steering Group

Supporting the consideration of the delivery of our ERM
Nature Strategy is the Environmental, Social andGovernance (ESG) Risk and Sustainability Steering Group,
which serves as an advisory committee to the Board. It
works with the Board to identify and manage risks
relating to ESG and reputation, including horizon
scanning across evolving regulatory and client
requirements in support of nature, carbon and wider
sustainability risk and opportunities.

Executive
Committee

ExCom Working
Group

Leadership & accountability

TNFD
Working Group

Board oversight
The Board of Directors and Executive Committee are
ERM’s ultimate governing bodies. The Board is thehighest authority and ultimately responsible for the
strategic direction, governance, and oversight of The ERM
International Group Limited (as parent company of the
ERM “Group”) on behalf of its stakeholders. The Board
meets seven times per year to review performance andconsider key strategic growth plans.

NATURE STRATEGYThe Executive Committee (ExCom) has accountability for
managing business operations and meets regularly to
discuss operational performance and plans in support ofthis. The ExCom is supported by the ExCom
Sustainability Working Group, which advises on all
aspects of operationalizing sustainability across our value
chain, including our management of nature through ourown operations and that of our value chain.
The Working Group also has oversight of ERM’s Nature
Strategy. This is undertaken as part of our wider
approach to operationalizing sustainability and involves
the identification of relevant KPIs/metrics which support
our ability to drive performance in line with our statedcommitments and strengthen our positioning as acredible leader in sustainability advisory services.
Following the precedent of the establishment of an ERM
Taskforce for Climate-related Financial Disclosures(TCFD) Working Group to support the business assess its
climate-related risks, opportunities and impacts, we will
establish a Taskforce for Nature-related Financial

Disclosures (TNFD) Working Group as a standalone entity
or integrated into the TCFD Working Group to provide
specialist expertise on nature.
Accountability for our client advisory services on nature
Our Global Leader of Clients and Sectors and our Global
Head of Services and Innovation, are accountable foroverseeing our services to clients, and are supported
by our Global Lead for Biodiversity, Water and Nature.
Collectively, they ensure that our advisory services meetcurrent and anticipated client need, reflecting industry
requirements and investing in service development andinnovation in line with this.
Supporting our global leads, are our technicalcommunities who drive the technical content of ourservice offering and are responsible for standard setting,skills development and training. ERM has 28 technicalcommunities which include:• Nature Positive• Biodiversity & Ecosystems• Energy & Climate Change• Human Health & Ecological Risk Assessment• Land Services• Marine Systems• Waste Compliance• Water Resources & Storm/Wastewater

9

Our Biodiversity Policy
Our Biodiversity Policy, adopted in 2022, is aframework by which we commit to integrating
protection and restoration of biodiversity into
our business model. Through this policy, ERM
is committed to contributing to the Convention
on Biological Diversity’s three main goals ofconservation of biological diversity, sustainable useof its components, and fair and equitable sharing of
benefits from the use of natural resources.
ERM is committed to taking a leading role in
the protection and restoration of biodiversity bypromoting a sustainable approach to biodiversity
management. This is aligned with our commitment
to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs), with an emphasis on SDG 14 (Life Below
Water) and SDG 15 (Life on Land).
Our Biodiversity policy outlines both internal andexternal commitments to biodiversity protection andmanagement, including commitments through our
supply chains, the ERM Foundation, and partnerships
with global institutions.
Our full biodiversity policy can be accessed at:
ERM Biodiversity Policy.

Photo credit: Nico Vermylen, Belgium

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Due diligence

Project Management Model: Supporting the delivery of our project work

ERM is committed to identifying and addressing impacts to nature throughout ourclient services and wider operations. We undertake a range of due diligence to assess
potential negative impacts to nature arising from the delivery of our work and have
remedial measures in place to address behaviours and practices which we consider
inconsistent with our Biodiversity Policy and Nature Strategy.

Our Project Management model ensures that all ERM work is led by a Partner in Charge(PiC) with the support of a Project Manager (PM). It is the responsibility of the PiC and
PM to ensure that all projects are conducted in accordance with ERM’s policies andprocesses, and pursuant to ERM’s purpose of being a sustainability leader. Should the
Project Management Team have any concerns about the current or future directionof the project, they are required to report these to the client relationship manager,
Business Unit and Legal Counsel, as appropriate.

Approach to assessing our nature-related risks, opportunities and impacts
We undertake a detailed assessment of our nature-related risks, opportunities andimpacts as part of our double materiality assessment (DMA) process, informed byour subject-matter experts. We will continue to evolve our consideration of naturein our DMA process and extend our nature-related due diligence including throughthe undertaking of a value chain hotspot assessment to enhance the visibility andmanagement of our risks and opportunities.
Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Due diligence of our commercial
opportunities
Our CRM tool includes pre-screening of potential clients to identify potential issues
with the sustainability performance of prospective clients, this includes a due diligencerisk assessment. All opportunities must be recorded on the system which includes
screening questions on the type of work to be undertaken and whether the activity
may impact nature. If the screening identifies the potential for such impacts, theopportunity must then be taken through the ERM Sustainably Transparent Assessmentof Risk and Reward (STARR) process.
STARR: Additional assessment of commercial opportunities with potential
heightened risk

Grievance mechanism & remedy
The ERM Helpline
Our reporting system, The ERM Helpline, was implemented in 2018 and is a service
hosted by a third-party provider, Navex. It is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a yearby phone or online and is available in 30 languages. Concerns about our business
operations and any other form of unethical business conduct, including activities
which may negatively impact nature can be reported anonymously without fear of
retaliation.
Wider channels
The other mechanisms by which employees can raise concers or issues include:• Through the Partner in Charge or Project Manager in relation to project delivery• Through their Business Unit Managing Partner, Human Resources lead or LegalCounselThe STARR process provides a framework for further due diligence of those projects
identified as potentially having a higher sustainability risk, including potential impacts
to nature. The opportunity lead must provide further information which is thenconsidered by our Global Head of Risk and further information or mitigation measures
may be required, if appropriate.

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Remedy
ERM is committed to investigating, addressing and remedying where possible andappropriate. Our protocol includes:• ERM makes all appropriate measures to protect those who raise modern slavery issues,
as set out in ERM’s Whistleblower Policy and as facilitated through the anonymity of
the ERM Helpline.
• Exploration of the issue or concern with the stakeholder who identified it (if known)
and wider operational or project management team (if internal).
• All concerns are escalated internally with appropriate business personnel,
Sustainability, Risk and Legal.
• As appropriate, Legal will report to ExCom on the issue of concern and any proposed
remediation which has been identified during the course of investigation.
• Where the reported issue involves clients or client contractors and suppliers, the issue
will be explored with the client and remedial measures identified.
• Where appropriate, ERM will engage third parties, including law enforcement
stakeholders to investigate identified potential incidences of violations of local laws
and regulations.
We are committed to addressing any issues promptly but do not put time limits of theduration of time we will take to investigate issues and identify appropriate remedy. We
will, however, maintain engagement with those involved during the course of this time.

Photo credit: Amanda Resmana, Indonesia

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Our operations& supply chain
Our direct operations14

Our supply chain

15

Photo credit: Celine Nio, Singapore

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Our direct operations
Below are some of the key mechanisms by which we seek to manage the nature-related impacts of our direct operations. We will continue to evolve our response as our we develop
our understanding of where and how we generate impact.

Impact source: our offices
Our offices are typically in urban complexes with limited direct engagementwith nature. Our focus is on further delivering our office optimization program
which supports identification of optimum locations, use of renewable energy andsustainable consumption of resources including water, amongst other initiatives.
Our forthcoming actions will focus on further environmental audits of our offices
and exploring nature positive opportunities such as planting, bee hives
and insect ‘homes’.

Impact source: travel
Recognizing the impact of unsustainable travel on nature, we haveupdated our Travel Policy to reduce the level of travel undertaken
within our operations and mandate sustainable travel modes for travel
within prescribed routes and journey distance times. We have implemented
incentives for employee commuting by sustainable transport modes andmonitor employee commuting Our forthcoming actions will focus on
monitoring compliance with our sustainable travel requirements.

Impact source: delivery of our services
Both our office desk-based and field work comprises direct nature projects overseen
by subject matter experts and wider projects which are not nature focused but
may have a nature impact. Our subject matter experts oversee our nature-related
projects and there are established protocols in place to govern how, when andwhere we conduct in-field or survey activity which includes training to equip
our staff to engage sensitively with the habitats they are surveying,
to protect nature. Our forthcoming actions will focus on developing
protocols for identifying and managing potential nature impacts
from wider projects.

Impact source: working in client offices
We are engaging with our clients to use virtual meetings wherever
possible and through our updated Travel Policy, incentivize sustainable
travel to client offices where in-person participation is required.

This strategy is aligned with ERM’s Decarbonization Strategy, which sees us incrementally reduce our emissions towards net-zero by 2040, reducing the detrimental impact thishas on nature.

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Our supply chain
The nature of ERM’s business as a services company
means that we subcontract services to support thedelivery of our work. We work with suppliers andsubcontractors that demonstrate the following attributes,
consistent with our own values:• Incorporate safe practices in all commercial decisions;• Exhibit a high level of integrity at all times and in all
dealings;• Commit to enhancing nature and wider sustainability
performance;• Demonstrate outstanding quality of work; and• Provide cost savings innovation.
Our supply chain is an area where the potential fornature-related impacts may exist beyond our direct
operational control. Our focus, therefore, is on identifying
the opportunities to further strengthen our visibility,
management and remediation of potential negative
impacts in our supply chain.
To this end we have strengthened our requirementsfrom all suppliers in respect not just of adherence to ourpolicies and procedures on nature and sustainability
more broadly, but we have also instituted new
requirements for suppliers to document their own
policies and management.

NATURE STRATEGY

Screening of eligible subcontractors
ERM’s process for engaging subcontractors includes
the use of a third-party supply-chain risk management
solution to identify potential or known risks. We combine
this with our Active Leadership Audit Program andsubcontractor qualification assessments to collate andevaluate data on our use of subcontractors to ensure weare adequately managing and mitigating risk.
We require all subcontractors and third-party suppliers
to act in accordance with our Supplier Code of BusinessConduct and Ethics (“Supplier Code”) and our broader
Nature Policy. Our standard contractual Terms andConditions bind suppliers to our Supplier Code and ourstandard form subcontractor agreements and supplierrelationship management system were all updated withthe supplier code as part of its implementation.
Ongoing management of our subcontractors and wider
supply chain
Through our subcontractor management system,
we introduced new data and performance reporting
requirements during FY24. All subcontractors on oursystem are now requested to provide information on theirapproach and management of nature risk.
We will further engage with our subcontractors on
the issue of nature and expand engagement across the
top tier of our supplier spend. Our focus will remain
on identifying and capitalising upon opportunities tostrengthen our procedures, enhance visibility, engage andreduce risk. For further details, please refer to the ERM
Sustainable Supply Chain Strategy.

Photo credit: Hanh Nguyen, Vietnam

15

Our client
services
Our client services17

Our nature related capabilities

19

Our water services20

Our natural climate solutions21

Photo credit: Edward Huang, Taiwan

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Our client services
Our dedicated Nature, Biodiversity and Water client services offering delivers scalable integrated solutions to address the most pressing sustainability needs of our clients.
The dual crises of nature and climate are driving the pace of change and are inextricably connected. Clients have told us that nature is important to their business in the nearterm and that they are feeling the pressure to act. ERM is well positioned with strong credentials and in-house capabilities to support organizations navigate every aspect of theirnature journey. Our unique combination of capabilities enables us to partner with clients from strategy development through to implementation. We have in-house technicalexperts across all ESG topics and we have been providers of market-leading sustainability solutions for over 50 years.

An integrated business approach accounting for thefull breadth of the nature nexus throughout your value chain:

NATURE STRATEGYClimateFreshwater

Forests

Biofuels

Cicularity& WasteBuilt environment

Food systems

Nature& Health

OceansIndigenous Peoples

Wildlife

Valuation

17

ERM partners with clients on topics ranging from nature-related strategy development
through to implementation. We are working with companies across a diverse range ofsectors to help them factor nature into their corporate strategy and take rapid action
towards a nature positive future.
More information on our service lines, including Nature, can be accessed at erm.com.

We help clients deliver on nature through three main strands:

Nature strategy and disclosure – we help clients to assess theirnature impacts and dependencies, and risks and opportunities todevelop credible, inclusive and transparent nature-related strategies
in response to emerging science, regulations and markets.

Water management – with our clients, we implement water
stewardship down to basin level and inform finance-grade
disclosures to C-suite. We help clients to define water enterprisestrategies, through true cost of water evaluation, risk assessment,
target setting and identification of investment opportunities.

Natural climate solutions – companies with ambitious climate andnature goals are financing natural climate solutions to mitigate andremove greenhouse gas emissions. Our climate and nature experts
offer a holistic approach to natural climate solutions throughout allstages of the carbon credit lifecycles.

Photo credit: Jonathan Ung, United States

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Our nature related capabilities
Impact assessment

Baseline
identification

Strategy

Gap analysis

Assessment

Value chain
mapping

Peer benchmarking
and review

Upstream impacts
and dependencies

Operational
asset screening:state of nature

Nature strategy
and disclosure
review

Downstream
impacts anddependencies

Internal andexternal
stakeholderinterviews

Risks
and opportunities,
materiality matrix

Nature audits

Performance
Enhacement

ProgramDevelopment

Marginal
abatement cost
curvesCorporate
governancestructure

Beyond value chain
mitigation

Corporatestatement of
purposeInternal carbon
pricing
R&D andinvestment
strategy review

Strategy framework
Strategy validation
workshop

Implementation

TargetSetting

Feasibility
Studies

Implementation

Ambition setting,goals, and targets

Community andlocal stakeholder
engagement

Asset, capitalproject, operations
repurposing

Geospatial analysis
for site screening

Nature-based
solutionsdesign/delivery

Science-basedtarget modeling
Implementation
roadmap
Target validation
workshops

Risk identification
Site due diligence

Executive sign-off

Supply chain
engagement

Disclosure and Technical Reporting and Data Assurance

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Our water services
Risks
Financial Disclosure/ESG/
ClimateOperational Efficiency and
Resiliency

Supply Chain Resiliency
and Business Continuity

External Stakeholder
AgendasWater Availability andQuality

Regulatory/ Compliance

Strategies
Disclosure and Communications

Water stewardship

Capital Projects and Emerging Risks• Water stress (volume and quality)

Supply Chain Resiliency and BusinessContinuity• Certifications• Community engagement• Replenishment• Value chain risk assessment• Operational efficiency• Disclosure requirements• Supplier engagement• Water quality issues (PFAS, PiE)

• Target setting and reporting• Sourcing strategies• Infrastructure solutions

Solutions
Ensure adequate water supply

Ensure fit-for-purpose water quality

Ensure license to operate

Mitigate regulatory risk

• Reduce dependence on source water (reuse)• Reduce dependence on source water (reuse)• Reduce dependence on source water (reuse)• Reduce dependence on source water (reuse)• Influence management of other demands onsource water (stakeholder engagement)• Increase ability to treat source water (pretreatment)• Build reputation in community as a waterleader (stakeholder engagement)• Reduce volume of water discharged (reuse)• Increase capacity of natural systems tomaintain water volume (replenishment)• Influence management of other discharges
into source water (stakeholder engagement)• Build reputation in marketplace as waterleader (replenishment)• Preparing and planning for future climatechange (management)• Increase capacity of natural systems tomaintain water quality (replenishment)

NATURE STRATEGY• Increase ability to treat water discharged(WWTP/reuse)• Increase control over water moving throughfacility (metering/optimization)• Influence future regulatory frameworks(stakeholder engagement)

20

Our natural climate solutions
Companies with ambitious climate and nature goals are financing natural climate
solutions to mitigate and remove greenhouse gas emissions. Our climate and natureexperts offer a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to natural climate solutions
throughout all stages of the carbon credit lifecycle. From due diligence through toproject development, including feasibility, design, and implementation, we aim toenhance carbon credit integrity and beyond-carbon benefits, such as positive impacts tobiodiversity and communities.
Our approach includes:• Assess and advise: Develop corporate goals to align with climate, biodiversity, ESG,
and sustainability objectives; identify nature-driven opportunities; and collect andassess a baseline to understand nature-related risks and dependencies.
• Commit: Set science-based targets for climate and conduct interdisciplinary due
diligence on partnership and investment opportunities and make meaningful andinformed commitments.
• Transport and deliver: Avoid and reduce negative impacts to nature across the value
chain; protect, sustainably manage, and restore natural and modified environments
within and beyond the value chain; ensure projects adhere to market standards forhigh-quality; and leverage advanced technologies to design, deliver, and monitor
natural climate solutions.
• Communicate and disclose: Monitor and adaptively manage socio-ecologicallandscapes at an appropriate scale and frequency; report progress; validate and verify
the benefits of natural climate solution project implementation; and align reportingwith major global and regional standards.

Photo credit: Patrick Ross, United States

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Our
collaborations
NatureTech Alliance

23

Our partnerships

24

The ERM Sustainability Institute

25

The ERM Foundation

26

Photo credit: Melissa Arteaga, Colombia

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NatureTech AllianceTechnology enablement supports our clients in addressing the nature-related impacts of their operations. Our NatureTech Alliance combines the strength of ERM’s advisory
expertise with the digital technology of Salesforce, and the data acquisition capabilities of Planet Labs and NatureMetrics.

ERM:
Consulting - strategy
to execution

Salesforce:
Technology andplatform support

Planet Labs:
Satellite imagery andearth analytics

NatureMetrics:
Biodiversity data andanalysis• Integrates biodiversity intobusiness strategies andoperations.

• Leader on predictive andgenerative AI• World’s largest fleet of Earthobserving satellites• Supports critical businessprocesses for 200k+
customers• New high-resolution imagery
everyday• Scalable on-the-groundbiodiversity measurement,
ground truthing• 8,000 sustainability experts
worldwide deliver value
chain transformation

NATURE STRATEGY• Flexible platform to alignwith existing systems andtools• AI-powered analytics on
global change• Nature monitoring andimpact reporting solutions

23

Our partnerships
In addition to our ongoing internal program of action and work for clients, ERM
participates in a number of external engagements and strategic international
partnerships focused on supporting nature-based solutions and working towards anature positive future.

ERM continues to work with WBCSD to support thedevelopment of key nature initiatives through secondments
and provision of specialist advice including:

Examples include:

ERM’s Group CEO is Co-Chair of the Energy Pathway Boardand leads on the nature workstream• Taskforce for Nature-related
Financial Disclosures• Science Based Targets Network• Nature Climate Solutions Alliance• Capitals Coalition• UN Sustainable Oceans Principles• Alliance for Water Stewardship• act4nature International• UK Business and Biodiversity
Forum

Supporting the WBCSD TNFD pilot with the Energy Sector
Seconded expertise into the WBCSD Nature/Energy teams andwork on the Nature Positive roadmaps and case studies
Seconded expertise to work on the development of metrics
and targets for nature
Supported the development of the Business case for Naturebased solutions and a series of implementation workshop
Active member of the Natural Climate Solutions Alliance(NCSA) hosted by WBCSD
Leading work on Forest Sector Equity Roadmap
Leading work on Avoided Emissions Guidance Deep Dives –including Agriculture and Food Pathways
Technical support to the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Land
Sector and Removals Guidance and ERM has pilot tested theguidance with clients in three sectors

Photo credit: Christine Davis, United States

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The ERM Sustainability Institute
The ERM Sustainability Institute is one of our key
platforms by which we deliver thought leadership on
nature and the broader sustainability agenda.
The purpose of the Institute is to define, accelerate andscale sustainability performance by delivering actionableinsights for business. Publications, blogs and podcasts onnature can be accessed at: The Sustainability Institute by
ERM.
Podcasts and blogs:• Closing the nature gap featuring Planet• Understanding nature disclosure featuring TNFD
• Building nature into business strategy featuring
Salesforce• Accounting for Nature: Preparing for tomorrow’s natureaccounting needs today• The Nature Agenda: A view from frontlines of TNFD
piloting
Report:• Prepare to LEAP: Updates to the TNFD framework andplanning for the future (sustainability.com)

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The ERM Foundation
The ERM Foundation and its Future
Fund program work in partnershipwith nonprofit organizations andsocial enterprises across the globe on a
range of projects that are aligned to the
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Foundation provides a blend of
grant funding and professional pro bono
support. The protection and restorationof nature has been a central focus for theFoundation since its inception in 1995.
Each year we set dedicated annual targets
that commit us to the restoration andprotection of nature and biodiversity.

Sumatran Orangutan Society

Rios Tarango

This year, the Foundation continued our partnershipwith the Sumatran Orangutan Society, which we havebeen working with for four years. The latest funding
has been directed to support a feasibility study toassess the potential to retrofit smallholder oil palm
plantations to integrate nature and generate moresustainable incomes for smallholder farmers.

Rios Tarango is building an artificial wetland to aid the sanitationof the Puerta Grande river. This wetland cleans the water, captures
carbon dioxide and generates sufficient biomass to be used ascompost. The ERM Foundation has assisted Rios Tarango withongoing technical advice for the rehabilitation and design of thewetland. ERM employees in Mexico have trained staff from Rios
Tarango on how to operate the portable water laboratory so they canmonitor water quality independently. Grant funding meant Rios
Tarango was able to generate a water baseline for the wetland andcorresponding reservoir.

www.orangutans-sos.org

1

The ERM Foundation supports a wide
range of projects globally that had a focus
on nature. We have been working with
Sumatran Orangutan Society for the past
four years to help preserve, restore, andprotect wildlife corridors in Sumatra.
In Brazil, the Foundation continued its
partnership with Rios Tarango and hashelped to fund the building of an artificial
wetland to aid the sanitation of the Puerta
Grande river.

www.rios-tarango.org

1

feasibility
assessment
completedwater baseline
assessment
completed“Collaborating with ERM experts throughthe ERM Foundation will enrich our water
monitoring strategy and will help us tounderstand the results obtained in order toevaluate the performance of each projectand improve them.”
Rios Tarango Team
Photo credit: Zac Mills/SOS

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The Future Fund Program
The ERM Foundation’s Future Fund
program is a multi-year funding initiativethat supports projects at the intersectionof biodiversity protection, climate action,and sustainable livelihoods.
More information on our commitment
to nature positivity, and biodiversity
restoration and protection, plus our wider
projects and commitments can be foundin our annual Sustainability Report.

The Ocean Foundationwww.oceanfdn.org

Increasing greenhouse gas emissions threaten coastal andmarine ecosystems through changes in the ocean temperatureand melting ice caps. Coastal ecosystems require a holistic
protection strategy that considers each habitat type, thespecies reliant on the ecosystems and the human-induced
stressors on the environment. The Ocean Foundation’s (TOF’s)
mission is to support, strengthen, and promote organizations
dedicated to reversing the trend of destruction of ocean
environments around the world. It focuses its expertise on
emerging threats to generate cutting-edge solutions.
The ERM Foundation is supporting a project centered oncommunity-led capacity building to ensure the protection
and restoration of 400 acres of mangroves in the Xcalak
Reefs National Park in Mexico, which forms part of thesecond largest coral reef in the world. TOF’s goal is to expand
mangrove wetlands by restoring patterns of water flow topromote rapid colonization of mangroves and native plants.
ERM employees are providing TOF with project management
and local project coordination, including permitting support
and wetland expertise.
During the first year of the project, TOF completed a feasibility
assessment and restoration plan. The organization presented
the findings on its blue carbon* baseline assessment to the
local community and provided community-wide training in
restoration and monitoring techniques.
During the next phase, TOF plans to complete large-scalehydrological restoration activities, such as channel dredging,vegetation removal, culvert cleaning, and create seedling andsapling dispersion centers.
*Blue carbon: The carbon captured by the world’s marine systems

Year one figures

50+

Photo credit: The Ocean Foundation

NATURE STRATEGY

Community members
trained in mangrove
restoration

3

Community workshops
held1Blue carbon baseline
assessment completed27

Our keytargets
Key targets for 2024-2027

29

Impact data and reporting

31

Photo credit: Alma Chen, Hong Kong

NATURE STRATEGY28

Key targets for 2024-2027
Our targets align with our identified key risks, opportunities and impacts, as identified through our double materiality
assessment. Our focus will be on early adoption or implementation of targets during 2024, proceeded by ongoing review anddevelopment as required for the remaining duration of this strategy 2025-2027.
Our governanceOur operations

Our supply chain• Review and evolve nature-related policies as required• Develop and implement a roadmap for nature-positive
action• Further embed nature as part of our ESG requirements inprocurement criteria• Integrate natural climate solutions (NCS) into ERM’s netzero strategy• Implement sustainable supplier engagement program• Further evolve our consideration of nature through ourdouble materiality assessment process including throughvalue chain hotspot assessment• Establish TNFD Working Group• Explore adopting the principles of SBTN targets as relevant
to a professional services company• Require supplier self-assessment and reporting on nature• Support the delivery of impactful projects through the
ERM Foundation and Future Fund including delivery of its
key nature-related metrics• Review and update grievance mechanisms and remedy as
required• Conduct annual review of strategy update as appropriate

Our clients

Our stakeholders

Our data and disclosure• Work with clients to deliver innovative solutions andindustry leading expertise on nature• Continue to support leading organizations through theparticipation of our SMEs

• Drive further quantified data collection to support
understanding our impacts• Further develop our due diligence around commercial
opportunities to minimise risk of impacts to nature
through project work

• Continue to provide thought leadership through the ERM
Sustainability Institute• Collate expanded scope of supply chain data

• Further develop our assessment of nature-related impacts
created through across our client service lines

NATURE STRATEGY• Publish TNFD report• Undertake external audit and assurance of data

29

Our timetable for delivery of targets• Review Biodiversity Policy and wider
policies• Develop and implement a roadmap for
nature-positive action• Establish TNFD Working Group• Further integrate natural climate solutions(NCS) into ERM’s net-zero strategy• Further evolve our consideration ofnature through our double materiality
assessment process• Commence new supply chain governance• Drive further quantified data collection
to support understanding our impacts• Further develop our assessment of
impact across our service lines

NATURE STRATEGY• Evolve value chain hotspot assessment• Further develop our due diligence aroundcommercial opportunities to minimise riskof impacts to nature through project work
• Further evolve our supply chain
management• Conduct preliminary value chain hotspot
assessment

2025

Work with clients to deliver
innovative solutions andindustry leading expertise on
nature• Progress data collation of supply chain
governance and performance• Continue to evolve our remedial measures• Evolve our TNFD reporting2024• Publish updated Nature Strategy

Continue to support leadingorganizations through theparticipation of our SMEs in key
partnerships such as Businessfor Nature and WBCSD

2026

Continue to develop corporate
partnerships for natureContinue to provide thought
leadership through the ERM
Sustainability Institute2027

Support the delivery of
impactful projects throughthe ERM Foundation and
Future Fund

30

Impact data & reporting
We are committed to further developing the identification and collation of meaningful data on the impact of our work on
nature, including quantified data wherever possible through:Our operational delivery

Delivery of our work for clientsERM Foundation activities

This includes data on:

This includes data on:

This includes data on:• Our office operations: Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG
emissions and we will look to broaden our officelevel data on water consumption and waste
generation• Water, pollutants and land treated• Hectares of land planted, restored, reforested orprotected• Supply chain performance data on compliancewith Biodiversity Policy and we will look to
broaden our data collection on Nature governance,
targets and wider performance data.

• Renewable energy generation• Delivery of services to support the low carbon
energy transition• People with improved access to clean water andsanitation• People with improved access to low carbon
technologies• People with improved access to environmental
education• Total pro bono time spent on projects

TNFD disclosure• ERM is one of the 320 organizations who have signalled their intent to adopt and report against the Taskforce on Nature-related
Financial Disclosures (TNFD) as an early adopter. 2025 will be the first year for us to publish our disclosure against the four pillars;
governance, strategy, risk and impact management and metric and targets.
• In addition, we will continue to update our strategy and report publicly on our performance as part of our annual Sustainability
Reporting.

NATURE STRATEGY31

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