TNFD reporting: New sector-specific guidance released

The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) has released new guidance on how businesses in various industries can measure and disclose their nature impacts. These new business sustainability guidelines apply to four sectors: apparel, accessories and footwear; beverages; engineering, construction and real estate; and beverages. Keep reading to learn more about the new TNFD reporting guidelines. 

About the sector-specific guidance for TNFD reporting

Each of the guidance documents outlines the steps businesses can take to measure their nature-related risks, opportunities, and impacts. They can then disclose this information in a format accessible to key stakeholders, namely investors. The Taskforce had already published sector-specific guidance for nine sectors. 

These included electric utilities and power generation, finance, metals and mining, food and agriculture, chemicals, pulp and paper, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, oil and gas, forestry, and aquaculture. The total number of industries for which the TNFD offers final and draft guidance now covers 50 percent of the SICS sectors. Additionally, the TNFD opened consultations this week on three additional industry-specific guidance frameworks for marine transportation, water utilities and services, and the fishing sector. 

Global support from business and finance 

Since October 2024, 502 financial institutions and businesses have pledged to start TNFD reporting in line with the framework by the end of the 2025 financial year. The financial institutions within this cohort represent more than $17.7 trillion in assets under management, and the publicly listed companies collectively represent over $6.5 trillion. 

An additional 1,100 organisations have publicly stated their support for the TNFD’s work. TNFD reporting is not yet a mandatory requirement in any country. However, this is expected to change as many governments plan to mandate biodiversity-related disclosures for large businesses later this decade, in line with their commitments under the Global Biodiversity Framework. 

The release of TNFD’s new sector-specific guidance aligns with the World Economic Forum’s Davos 2025 meeting in Switzerland, where experts note that nature is becoming an increasingly prominent topic on the global agenda. Biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse were ranked as the second biggest global risk over the next decade in the World Economic Forum’s Global Risk Report. Notably, all four of the top risks identified are environment-related, with extreme weather taking the top spot.

Conclusion

The latest TNFD reporting sector-specific guidance reflects the growing urgency for businesses to measure, disclose, and manage their nature-related risks. With biodiversity loss ranked among the world’s top risks and increasing regulatory pressure on corporate environmental responsibility, companies can no longer afford to overlook their impact on nature.

Understanding the relationship between business and nature is essential, and practical sustainability education can close this knowledge gap to inspire action. Our business sustainability courses dive deep into biodiversity, sharing the insights and tools needed to integrate biodiversity into corporate strategies. 

Enrol in our Diploma in Business Sustainability course to learn about key sustainability topics, stay ahead of evolving regulations, and play an important role in building a nature-positive future. Ultimately, the businesses that thrive in the coming decades won’t just minimise their impact on nature but actively work to restore, regenerate, and protect it.