Bridging the gap between ecosystem conversion and biodiversity impacts
Published date: 19 March 2026
Medium article by Elodie Chêne (GRI), Leah Samberg and Niall Robb (Rainforest Alliance)
For companies that produce or source agricultural commodities, deforestation and biodiversity loss are deeply connected. Yet corporate reporting has been slow to reflect that relationship, leaving one of the biggest drivers of biodiversity loss largely invisible in company disclosures.
In this Medium article, GRI’s Elodie Chêne, and Leah Samberg and Niall Robb of the Rainforest Alliance’s Accountability Framework Initiative, explore how integrated reporting approaches can help close that gap, and why tackling ecosystem conversion and protecting biodiversity are part of the same agenda.
How connecting ecosystem conversion and biodiversity reporting can protect nature at scale
Protecting nature cannot happen in silos. When deforestation and biodiversity loss are reported as separate issues, the connection between them gets lost, and so does the urgency to act. This is what integrated reporting should look like: a clear story about what companies are doing, why it matters, and what difference it is making on the ground.
As GRI updates its Sector Standards to reflect the latest Topic Standard revisions, the GRI 13 Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fishing Standard and the GRI 101 Biodiversity Standard are now aligned, giving companies a seamless way to connect deforestation-free supply chain action to biodiversity goals, without duplicating effort or taking on new reporting requirements.
Organizations can begin by exploring the GRI Standards and considering how their reporting can help drive real progress, for the benefit of nature and society. To deepen your understanding, the GRI Academy biodiversity reporting course offers practical guidance on applying GRI 101 effectively.