We will work with you on a customised programme to help you understand why nature and biodiversity are relevant to your business, and to equip colleagues with the skills to navigate nature-related risks and opportunities.

Programme overview

What are nature and biodiversity, and why should you be thinking about them?

Nature includes all parts of a functioning ecosystem, including soil, air, water, and everything ‘living’ from insects and mammals to plants and fungi. Essentially, nature is all life on earth, on land, in the atmosphere, and in water.

Biodiversity is the variability of all living organisms wherever they are. Every species contributes to the health, balance and maintenance of the ecosystems we depend on for our daily existence - the water we drink, the food we eat, the air we breathe. Biodiversity loss is happening at unprecedented rates, driven by economic activity and climate change. As a result many businesses are facing significant financial risks. Businesses need to understand what nature and biodiversity mean for them, their customers, and their supply chains.

As world-leading experts in the environment, the University of Edinburgh is perfectly placed to help you understand why nature and biodiversity are relevant to your business and the actions you can take. We are ranked 7th in the world and 2nd in the UK for sustainability (QS World University Rankings 2025), and our Centre for Business, Climate Change and Sustainability (B-CCaS) comprises nationally and internationally-recognised experts in this field.

Nature-based impacts and risks

We can equip you with the skills to prepare your business for nature-based impacts and risks, examining how this affects your investment portfolio, supply chains, risk management approach, access to finance, corporate strategy, and reputation.

Biodiversity regulation

Our expert faculty will help you navigate important nature-related conventions and frameworks, such as the EU’s Deforestation Regulation, the Convention on Biological Diversity and the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. We can help you to understand how these regulations might affect your access to markets or finance, as well as your requirements to disclose nature-related risk.

Nature finance and investment

In the UK and across the world, governments and financial institutions are grappling with how to finance biodiversity goals. Nature itself may offer potential opportunities for investment. We can help you to explore the role of private investment in financing nature restoration, ecosystem services and carbon removal, to ensure the financial viability and long-term sustainability of natural capital projects.

Experts in sustainable business

Our Executive Education programmes are designed and taught by leaders in the field of nature and biodiversity.

Theodor Cojoianu

Dr Theodor Cojoianu, Associate Professor in Sustainable Finance

Dr Cojoianu has advised policy-makers across the world on the design of sustainable finance measures. He leads both the Nature Protection Investment Benchmark proposal of the EU Platform on Sustainable Finance, and the University’s Nature Finance Lab which is pioneering our understanding of nature-related risks and incentives in financial markets.

Craig Mackenzie

Dr Craig Mackenzie, Senior Lecturer in Sustainable Enterprise

Dr Mackenzie researches, writes, and speaks on the subject of financing nature restoration and ecosystem services. He posssess a long career in asset management for leading UK investment firms, is a Commissioner of the Scottish Land Commission and serves non-exec roles for RSPB Scotland and the Financial Reporting Council.

Bernice Maxton-Lee

Dr Bernice Maxton-Lee, Climate and Sustainability Lecturer in Executive Education

Dr Maxton-Lee researches and teaches about the connection between biodiversity, business, and society. She is the author of two books on sustainability, biodiversity, and climate change. A 20-year career spanning business and academia has seen her awarded many accolades for her teaching and research, including the Chow Yei Ching Award for Teaching Excellence, and the City University of Hong Kong Teaching Award.

Programme impacts

  • Understand how nature and biodiversity is relevant to the commercial strategy and long-term resilience of your business.
  • Identify emerging challenges, risks, and opportunities, to support long-term business planning.
  • Protect and strengthen your supply chain from nature and biodiversity risks.
  • Learn how to manage environmental risks through nature-based solutions.
  • Prepare for new disclosure requirements and reporting standards.
  • Be ready to secure finance for or invest in natural capital and nature restoration initiatives.
  • Mobilise colleagues, customers, and suppliers to adapt organisational strategy and execute effective change.

Programme content

Our Executive Education team will work closely with you to create a customised programme designed around your specific needs and context, recognising that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. Topics are agreed jointly and can include:

  • Key concepts and facts of nature and biodiversity, how they relate to sustainability and climate change, and how they relate to you, your job and your business.
  • Nature and biodiversity governance, policy, regulations, disclosure and reporting.
  • Global systems, geopolitics, and supply chain vulnerabilities.
  • Organisational strategy and purpose, aligning profitability with nature- and society-positive outcomes.
  • Nature-related finance and financial risk.
  • Investing in UK biodiversity projects.
  • Nature and biodiversity communication.

Our approach

We translate the latest theory and world-class research into practical action for real-world impact.

Our programmes can be tailored to all levels of colleague seniority and experience. This might include:

  • Core learning for all staff to help everyone take ownership and act.
  • Technical learning for priority roles.
  • In-depth leadership conversations with your senior management team.

We teach in-person, through live online sessions and using pre-recorded and written content. Whatever suits you best.

We tailor the duration of our programmes depending on your business needs. This could for example mean a half day workshop(s), an intensive all-day session, or an online course of hour-long modules taught over several weeks.

For in-person teaching we suggest a minimum group size of around six and a maximum of 40, whilst our online programmes can be rolled out to many more.

Why the University of Edinburgh Business School?

The University of Edinburgh is a world top 30 University (QS World University Rankings 2025).

Within the Business School, our Centre for Business, Climate Change and Sustainability comprises world-leading academics focused on the intersection between climate change and business.

We provide advice to national governments and regulators around the world, shaping the policy and regulation of the future. We work with businesses of all sizes, multilateral organisations including the UN, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the European Commission, and international NGOs.

We are one of the world’s top research-intensive universities with 83% of research activity classified as world-leading or internationally excellent. Through our Executive Education programmes we translate this research into practical action.

We are ranked 7th in the world and 2nd in the UK for sustainability (QS World University Rankings 2025).

Get in touch

Contact us to discuss what a nature and biodiversity education programme might look like for your business.

Sandy Smith

Sandy Smith, Head of Client Development, Executive Education
sandy.smith@ed.ac.uk

Mystery man

Elspeth Wray, Climate and Sustainability Portfolio Manager
elspeth.wray@ed.ac.uk