Trends, policies, and financial instruments
At Etifor, we have been working for years to bridge the gap between nature conservation and corporate strategies. After publishing the 2024 edition of the report “Biodiversity and the Private Sector in Italy”, we decided to update and expand the work in light of recent developments.
The updated 2025 edition combines the latest research with data collected through two consecutive surveys, involving a total of 140 Italian companies. The aim remains the same: to understand how the private sector can become a key player in the conservation and restoration of ecosystems.
The surveys collected first-hand insights on companies’ awareness, actions, and strategies related to biodiversity. The results show growing interest in the topic and increasing sensitivity towards the evolving European regulatory landscape. At the same time, companies are calling for clearer tools to address nature-related risks, dependencies, and opportunities.
Biodiversity under threat
Italy’s flora and fauna are among the richest in Europe, yet also among the most threatened: more than 160 species are now at high risk of extinction, and almost 20% of ecosystems are in an unfavourable conservation status.
Pressures such as habitat loss, pollution and invasive species are undermining the country’s natural capital, with already visible economic impacts — including desertification, which affects around 20% of the national territory.
Business , a key role
Companies that integrate biodiversity into their strategies can make a concrete contribution to ecosystem protection, reduce operational risks, and unlock new opportunities for growth. Awareness is increasing, but the challenge for the coming years will be turning this attention into action, supported by tools such as the CSRD and the Nature Restoration Law.
Highlights from, the 2025 report
- Awareness is growing: more and more companies are assessing their biodiversity impacts and dependencies.
- The regulatory landscape is evolving fast: CSRD, the Nature Restoration Law, and EU Nature Credits are reshaping expectations for businesses.
- Biodiversity is an economic issue: many companies now recognise that investing in nature means reducing risks and boosting resilience and competitiveness.
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REPORT DETAILS
Title: Biodiversity and the private sector in Italy. Trends, policies, and financial instruments. 2024 ed. updated for 2025.
Authors: Etifor | Valuing Nature e Università degli Studi di Padova
2025 Network Partners: Business for Biodiversity Italy, Unione Italiana Olio di Palma Sostenibile, B Lab Italy, Koinètica.
Date of first publication: October 2024
Date of last update: November 2025
Language: english
Other initiatives supporting biodiversity
- Discover our services in support of biodiversity
- BioClima: a public-private initiative to support investments in protected areas in Lombardy
- GoNaturePositive!: a project that aims to drive change towards a Nature Positive economy
- Italian Business @ Biodiversity Working Group: an initiative born in 2023 that aims to create an Italian network of companies and financial institutions that want to contribute to a nature-positive future.
This report was produced thanks to the contribution of the B4B Italy project funded by the European Union – NextGeneration EU as part of the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC).
