Target 15.1: Conserve terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems
By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements
Owners remove an obstacle nothing else removes. Others must also act.
Why shareholder democracy is necessary
Terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems are degraded principally by agribusiness, forestry, mining and infrastructure companies. Nature Action 100's first benchmark, published in October 2024, found most of its 100 target companies across food, forestry, packaging and chemicals are in early stages of addressing nature impacts. Only one company disclosed a full assessment of which nature-related risks and dependencies matter enough to affect its business. The initiative, backed by more than 240 investors managing over $30 trillion, is itself a shareholder stewardship mechanism. Its 2025 status report estimates nature loss across its eight priority sectors costs about $430 billion a year worldwide. As You Sow presses food retailers on forest-risk commodities; its engagement led Costco in 2025 to require suppliers to avoid illegally deforested land in its avocado supply chain. Protected areas and enforcement remain governmental, so owners supply a necessary input and governments must also act.
How this was scoredNecessary
Necessary. Owners remove an obstacle nothing else removes. Others must also act.
We have not yet written down the two answers behind this rating. Recording them on every item, so a reader can check the reasoning and not only the conclusion, is work in progress.
Every rating is the higher of two answers, one for what companies do and one for what they spend to stop the outcome, because the same vote reaches both. See the full method.
Sources
- At COP16, Nature Action 100 reveals results of its first benchmark assessments of corporate action on nature, Nature Action 100, 2024-10-28
- Nature Action 100 releases its first status report showcasing initiative progress and investor insights, Nature Action 100, 2025-10-28
- As You Sow Commends Costco's Commitment to Address Deforestation Risks in Avocado Supply Chain, As You Sow, 2025-12-04
What civil society organizations are helping owners on this
Files and negotiates shareholder proposals asking food retailers to adopt due diligence against deforestation in forest-risk supply chains, including avocado sourcing in Mexico.
Coordinates more than 240 investors with over 30 trillion dollars in assets engaging 100 companies in nature-dependent sectors to take timely steps to protect and restore nature, with at least 75 investor engagement teams meeting companies in 2024.
Files shareholder proposals asking food companies and retailers to adopt no-deforestation commitments and protect biodiverse ecosystems in ingredient sourcing, and withdraws them when companies commit.
2 campaigns on record
Establish a due diligence protocol to monitor and address illegal deforestation in its avocado supply chain.
Result: Withdrawn after company commitment
Costco pledged to require suppliers to avoid illegally deforested land, raise Rainforest Alliance and Fair Trade USA certified volumes, engage suppliers on ProForest certification in Mexico, and conduct annual supply chain mapping and risk assessment.
Take timely and necessary steps to protect and restore nature in line with the Nature Action 100 Investor Expectations, including assessing nature-related impacts and dependencies.
Result: At least 75 investor engagement teams met with companies in 2024; the initiative reports consumer goods companies completing biodiversity impact and dependency assessments and a major US chemical company publishing its first nature-related financial disclosure report
Related subjects on other maps
How this rating was made
Every item on every one of our maps is read against one question: how far does this depend on the people who own companies voting their values? We answer it twice, once for what companies do and once for what they spend to stop the outcome, and take whichever answer is higher, since the same vote reaches both. The score carries its reasoning and its sources so that a reader can check it rather than take it.
- Pivotal. Owners voting their values can deliver most of the outcome.
- Necessary. Owners remove an obstacle nothing else removes, and others must also act.
- Helpful. Owners voting their values help, and others carry most of it.
- Independent. This moves without owners. Other levers carry it.
The advocacy record on this page holds only what a source we opened says happened. Where we searched and found nothing, the page says so rather than leaving a silence. Where a campaign names a filer the source does not name, it says that too. Ratings are ours; the list of subjects is UN Sustainable Development Goals's, and we link to their original.
How we score dependency, in full.