Nature positive leadership takes root in the boardroom

The Conduit, that most distinguished of London’s private members establishments, has long served as a sanctuary for purposeful discourse amongst the city’s most thoughtful leaders. This month, the club deepened its commitment to substantive conversation by screening Becoming Nature Positive, a film that prompted an exceptionally candid panel discussion exploring how organisations might genuinely advance nature recovery within their operations.

The conversation, hosted by Theo Bromfield, co founder of Fola Sustainability, gathered an extraordinarily diverse constellation of voices from law, finance, infrastructure and telecommunications. What emerged was a refreshingly pragmatic philosophy: the transition toward nature positive practice requires neither elaborate frameworks nor performative gestures, but rather considered, sector specific action tailored to each organisation’s particular circumstances and influence.

Nicky O’Malley, co founder of 30×30 UK, articulated a compelling imperative: while the ambition for nature recovery has crystallised across sectors, what remains is the commitment to action. The pathway forward, O’Malley suggested, need not be cumbersome. Professionals across disciplines possess the agency to institute meaningful change within their own spheres of influence, whether in their immediate workplace or through their professional networks.

Ben Stone of Kier brought a particularly candid realism to the discussion. An organisation that constructs roads, railways and hospitals cannot reasonably claim universal nature positivity across every project; what matters instead is empowering each of Kier’s considerable workforce with a single, practical step aligned to their particular role. Whether specifying certified timber or understanding protocols for encountering wildlife on construction sites, these granular interventions aggregate into genuine environmental stewardship.

Emma Schofield, founder of The Nature Circle and champion of The Conduit’s Climate and Nature community group, offered a complementary perspective: the United Kingdom, she noted, remains amongst the world’s most nature depleted nations, compounded by a profound disconnection from living landscapes. Her solution transcends corporate policy: by drawing leaders into direct engagement with natural environments, organisations cultivate adaptive rather than controlling mindsets, a philosophical shift with far reaching implications.

Abby of Openreach completed the picture with a compelling case study. Her organisation’s transformation from initial scepticism to comprehensive nature positive strategy unfolded across four years, catalysed by reframing nature recovery as an insurance mechanism against flooding and climatic disruption. This pragmatic language, translating environmental stewardship into organisational resilience, proved instrumental in securing executive commitment.

The overarching theme resonated throughout: environmental responsibility need not demand heroic measures or comprehensive transformation, but rather consistent, contextualised action within one’s sphere of influence. Whether through procurement practices, employee engagement or strategic policy, every organisation and individual possesses the capacity to advance nature recovery.

Imagery courtesy of The Conduit (@theconduitlondon).