ISO launches ISO 17298, world's first biodiversity standard for organizations

**On October 7, 2025, ISO launched ISO 17298, the first globally agreed standard for organizations to manage biodiversity-related risks and opportunities, integrating the TNFD LEAP approach. Indian companies gain a common framework to embed nature into governance as biodiversity dependencies reach systemic financial scale. **

On October 7, 2025, the International Organization for Standardization launched ISO 17298: Biodiversity for Organizations - Guidelines and Requirements at its Annual Meeting in Kigali, Rwanda. It delivers the world's first globally agreed framework for organizations to assess their impacts, dependencies, risks and opportunities related to biodiversity loss and prioritise mitigation actions. Developed by experts from over 60 countries, the standard integrated recommendations from the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, including its LEAP approach. An estimated $44 trillion of global economic value, over half of global GDP, remains highly dependent on nature.

Organizations of all sizes are affected, with the standard proving suitable for small businesses, large corporations and public institutions globally. Major institutions determined that 85 percent of S&P Global 1200 companies have significant dependency on natural assets in their direct operations, while the World Wildlife Fund estimated one million animal and plant species face extinction threat. Indian companies facing nature-related risks and investor scrutiny gain a structured, scalable roadmap to embed biodiversity into governance and risk management, replacing fragmented approaches with internationally comparable data for investment decisions.

Indian organizations should evaluate adopting ISO 17298 to assess biodiversity impacts and dependencies, set measurable objectives, monitor progress and improve disclosure, particularly those aligning with TNFD's LEAP approach already integrated into the standard. Companies should use the framework to support implementation of Target 15 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, which aims to halt nature loss by 2030. Entities should prioritise nature-related risk mapping given that 85 percent of S&P Global 1200 companies show significant natural-asset dependency, signalling rising market expectations.

Key figure — Global economic value dependent on nature: $44 trillion, over half of global GDP