Baby Steps Toward Nature Positive

Don’t leapfrog critical steps in your biodiversity objective setting

Have you ever seen a child take their first steps? As a mother, I’ve watched this milestone unfold twice—and while I was there to cheer them on and remove hazards, the progress was all theirs. First, they watched others. Then came curiosity, trial, wobbly attempts, and finally, the confident steps that led to running. 

Trying to leap straight to running—without those early steps—just doesn’t work. And yet, that’s exactly the trap many organizations fall into when setting biodiversity or other impact objectives: they focus on metrics and KPIs before building a clear strategic foundation. 

This came to light in a recent client engagement, where the team had launched various biodiversity initiatives but now needed to bring coherence to their efforts. They were eager to define metrics—portfolio-level and project-specific—but hadn’t yet clarified the impact pathway that would link their activities to meaningful outcomes. They were skipping steps. This could result in missing the mark completely on their biodiversity objectives, could put them at risk of reputational damage if they are seen to be managing the wrong things, and ultimately cost them a lot of money. 

This article explores the strategic gap I observed in their biodiversity planning and how applying a simple Theory of Change could help bring clarity to their objectives, KPIs, and outcomes. 

Where They Were: Curiosity Without a Clear Path 

Sticking with the baby steps analogy, my client was in the curiosity phase of their biodiversity strategy journey. They’d been observing how the nature positive movement was evolving across the sector and had already initiated various biodiversity-related projects across their operations. 

Each initiative had its own logic and merit, but there was no strategic throughline. Now, with a formal biodiversity strategy in place, they were trying to retroactively align past efforts and identify: 

• High-level, portfolio-wide impact metrics 

• Granular, project-level biodiversity KPIs 

• A cohesive story that ties it all together 

They brought me in to help assess how to organize this patchwork of efforts into something that could meaningfully advance their impact goals. 

My Assessment: Before Metrics, Build the Foundation 

As I reviewed their biodiversity objectives and portfolio of initiatives, I noticed something familiar: they were trying to fit a square peg into a round hole (okay—last metaphor, I promise!). 

There was no Theory of Change in place to map how their activities were expected to contribute to their desired outcomes. So, I sketched one based on their business model and goals. That exercise immediately highlighted two key issues: 

1. Their impact statement needed refining 
   It was overly focused on measurability rather than outcomes. 

2. They had blurred the lines between inputs and results 
   Activities like data collection or forming partnerships were being mistaken for outcomes. 

Let’s pause on that last point. 

Not Everything Measurable Is Meaningful

Some of their initiatives were categorized as data collection projects. Others were tagged as partnerships with external organizations. While both are important tools, they are not ends in themselves. 

If the ultimate goal for my client is biodiversity enhancement, then simply measuring how much data you collect—or how many partners you work with—doesn’t get you there. 

If these were their primary activities, they could track KPIs such as: 

• Data collection: Number of sites or hectares surveyed, dollars invested in data collection, number of data points collected, etc. 

• Partnerships: Number of partnerships formed, funds deployed through partners… 

…but none of those, in isolation, tell you if biodiversity is actually improving. 

These are means to an end, and without a clear impact pathway, there’s a risk of managing for the wrong metrics—and missing the real outcome. 

The Solution: Start with a Theory of Change 

Though my client initially asked for help defining biodiversity KPIs, I suggested they take a step back and execute a Theory of Change, which is often best developed in a workshop setting – where different roles and responsibilities among the team participate. Instead of focusing on what they could measure, I encouraged them to focus on what they were trying to achieve. 

I anticipated their counterargument, by saying that though it might seem like an extra, unnecessary step – it immediately brings clarity.  

When I carried out a rough Theory of Change on my own, it quickly became clear that they were at risk of measuring and thus focusing on the wrong things – elevating the risk that they might not contribute to biodiversity enhancement at all, waste their money and put their integrity in question. The Theory of Change can help allocate the right resources, enhance efficiency, build narrative, and draw a through line with the operative parts of the business. 

My client was very grateful for this feedback and has integrated a Theory of Change workshop into their upcoming biodiversity workstream program. 

Need Guidance to move the needle on Impact? 

This biodiversity example is one of many. There are often complaints in the forest sector that impact integration adds cost. Don’t get me wrong – it can be more costly. But often the real issue is this: 

Impact dollars are being invested on the wrong things. 

A Theory of Change helps ensure that your investments are aligned with both your financial objectives and your impact ambitions. It reveals the biggest levers for change—and the most effective ways to allocate resources. 

I’ve supported many clients through this process. In one case with Forest Investment Associates, they summarized the experience like this: 

“A highlight of working with The ForestLink was the workshop which united our team’s vision around the environmental and social impacts we could achieve while still pursuing attractive forest investments. This has become a keystone piece of work in our nature-based solutions strategy.” You can read more about this engagement here. 

Ready to Take the First Step? 

If you’re embarking on your own impact integration journey—or looking to realign your impact efforts with measurable outcomes and a cohesive narrative that will get you real results — I’d be happy to explore how I might support your team. 

Let’s start with a conversation and see if there’s a fit. 

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