Something remarkable is happening across boardrooms, charities, public bodies and even luxury brands: Nature is taking a seat at the table. What began as scattered experiments; a Nature Guardian here, a regenerative charter there, a Nature shareholder somewhere else; has grown into a genuine movement reshaping how organisations think about responsibility, risk, innovation, resilience and long-term value. As climate instability, biodiversity loss, water scarcity and shifting cultural expectations intensify (IPBES, 2019; Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2015), leaders are recognising that governance designed only for human interests is no longer fit for purpose. Nature is emerging not as metaphor, but as stakeholder.
I’ve been on this journey myself for the past 18 months, serving as both a Non-Executive Director and Voice of Nature on the Regen Melbourne board (Regen Melbourne, 2025). In that time, I’ve been collecting case studies from around the world. After meeting two people this week who wanted to reference my list, I thought it was time to consolidate the key themes and share what these organisations are learning. Here I summarise public/government bodies, charities and not-for-profits, private and listed organisations, research institutions, and the emerging networks supporting them.
The table at the end includes 36* organisations and projects. I finish with practical steps to consider if Nature is joining your governance journey, including the models being used. If I’ve missed your organisation, I’d love to hear from you. I’m also offering a short course at the Biomimicry Institute in August 2026, running across four weeks, if you’d like to explore this further.
*since publishing this a few days ago a few more have approached me to be added, this is an ongoing work, and just a start to reach out with your organisation’s story if you would like to be added (26/07/2026).
I hope this is useful, and I’d love to know what else you’d like to learn about.
Government and Public Bodies: Setting Precedent
Public institutions were among the first to experiment with Nature‑inclusive governance. The National Infrastructure Commission for Wales began its journey in the early 2020s, appointing a Nature Guardian to ensure infrastructure decisions consider ecosystems alongside engineering and finance (Welsh Government, 2021). In 2025–26, NICW ran a six‑month governance experiment, bringing Nature directly into Commission discussions. It wasn’t a statutory board seat, but it was a structured, accountable way of treating Nature as a stakeholder.
In the Netherlands, PWN, a public water utility, has long managed both drinking water and dune ecosystems (PWN, 2020). When Nature is part of your statutory mandate, ecological considerations become structurally embedded rather than optional. As Scott (2015) and Gössling‑Reisemann & Stührmann (2019) note, this isn’t radical; it’s pragmatic, especially where public assets depend on ecological stability.
The Klaas Kuitenbrouwer from the Zoöp Network also spoke about a local government organisation about to officially start its Nature in Governance journey with Pella Thiel recently. [Podcast here]
Charities, Foundations and Cultural Institutions: Nature as partner and beneficiary
Charities and foundations often adopt Nature‑inclusive governance early because their purposes already orbit around land, culture or community wellbeing (Philanthropic Initiative for Equality, 2021).
At Regen Melbourne, Nature was invited onto the board as a participatory action exploration. The role was defined as the Voice of Nature, emphasising conversation rather than representation. I read papers with both fiduciary and ecological lenses, and collaborative decision making allows Nature’s perspective to be woven into deliberation.
Commonland has spent over a decade restoring landscapes using the 4‑Returns framework — inspiration, social capital, natural capital and financial capital — a regenerative governance architecture designed to enhance ecological and social systems (Commonland, 2019; du Plessis & Brandon, 2015).
Pluto Naturfonden in Denmark formally designates Nature as its beneficiary (Pluto Naturfonden, 2022). Cultural institutions such as Het Nieuwe Instituut and Palais de Tokyo have adopted Nature‑inclusive governance through the Zoöp model or curatorial experimentation (Zoöp, 2023; Palais de Tokyo, 2022). These organisations show that governance is a storytelling device: when boards recognise Nature, organisational culture shifts.
Private Companies: From Symbolism to Structure
The private sector has been surprisingly bold. A watershed moment came when Faith in Nature appointed Nature as a full voting board director, something which is legally binding, not symbolic (Faith in Nature, 2023). This proved UK corporate law already allows Nature representation, provided someone acts as its voice (UK Corporate Governance Code, 2018).
Others have taken different paths. Maison Dandoy places “life at the centre” of governance. Brasserie Dupont embeds agro‑ecology and soil health into its supply chain (Brasserie Dupont, 2022). Patagonia redesigned its ownership so that Earth is the sole shareholder, preventing mission drift across generations (Patagonia, 2022; Whiteman & Cooper, 2000).
Large listed companies such as Danone, LVMH integrate biodiversity, regenerative agriculture and nature‑based climate action into board‑level oversight (Danone, 2023; LVMH, 2023). Apple’s “Mother Nature” advert is a useful contrast: it frames Nature as force, power and punishment; a compliance mindset. But Nature in governance offers something different: the chance to elevate from compliance (a minimisation mindset) to strategy and innovation. Organisations become more robust because they make decisions based on ecological reality. (Note original video was taken down and there are some spoofs, this LinkedIn article was all I could find of the original)
Grayson (2023) shows that explicit board‑level Nature advocacy shifts strategic conversations from compliance minimisation toward innovation and resilience. Gladwin et al. (1997) describe the old paradigm as harm‑reduction; Lovins & Cohen (2011) and Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2015) show how regenerative approaches unlock opportunity.
Science and Research Institutions: Nature as Trustee (1)
One of the most striking examples comes from Scotland. In 2023, the Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) appointed the ocean as a board trustee — not metaphorically, but formally, with responsibilities and influence (SAMS, 2023). When Nature receives legal standing, governance becomes more honest. Ecological consequences must be explicitly articulated, aligning with scholarship on how representation shapes deliberation (Habermas, 1984; Young, 2000).
News - The Ocean enters the boardroom — The Scottish Association for Marine Science
Networks and New Governance Models: Scaling the Idea
Some of the most generative innovation is happening in networks and governance labs.
The Zoöp Network developed the Speaker for the Living, a governance framework or architecture enabling any organisation to onboard Nature (Zoöp, 2023). As an example, FutureEverything appointed a Nature Guardian to prototype new governance forms (FutureEverything, 2022). [Podcast here]
A supporting set of tools to help organisations determine how they will bring Nature into their boardrooms is the Onboarding Nature Initiative and Nature on Board toolkit. These offer practical methods for boards to include Nature without reinventing governance (Nature on Board, 2023).
Vivøices, an independent public interest endowment fund, takes a similar approach to Zoöp by supporting decision-makers who want to represent nature and future generations in governance. Yet, rather than prescribing specific roles or structures, Vivøices funds multidisciplinary research and innovation while equipping leaders with expertise and tools to foster meaningful stakeholder dialogue; they have supported some impressing organisations to do this. They aim to enable access to nature representation across organisational contexts (Vivøices, 2026). [podcast here]
Their shared insight is simple: scalability matters. For Nature‑inclusive governance to become normal, organisations need templates, tools, shared language and peer learning networks (Westley et al., 2006). We need to talk to each other, share our learning, our ways of working and sense making.
Themes
First, there is no single model, and that’s a strength. Nature can be director, guardian, beneficiary, shareholder, constitutional principle or metric (Ostrom, 1990; Benkler, 2006). The point is to understand your organisation, its culture and how best to bring the potential of Nature in Governance in effectively. That leads to the second theme, values come first. Most of these organisations began by asking: How do we act in service of life? Governance followed (Senge et al., 2008; Wheatley & Kellner‑Rogers, 1996).
As we saw in our first annual reflection at Regen Melbourne (2026) asking the board and executive how the Voice of Nature has impacted our experience the third theme is that representation changes conversations. Even symbolic roles can shift board conversations from short‑term efficiency to long‑term stewardship (Cooperrider & Whitney, 2005; Waddock & McIntosh, 2011).
Yet the authenticity and influence of the Nature voice will determine where this change takes root; in compliance and reporting functions, or in strategic and governance processes. The closer Nature's voice sits to decision-making and strategy-setting, the greater the organisational resilience. The fourth theme is therefore, when ecological accountability is integrated into strategy and purpose; that is when Nature becomes a genuine input at the board table. Evidence shows that Nature-positive governance can strengthen financial outcomes (Orlitzky et al., 2003; Friede et al., 2015).
Finally, this is becoming a global movement. From Wales to Belgium, Australia to Denmark, France to the Netherlands, organisations are converging on the idea that governance must align with ecological reality (WBCSD, 2021; Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2019).
What next – step by step
Part of the research I have been doing as well as collecting case studies, is what tools others have developed. From that here is a roadmap you could use with your organisation:
1. Clarify Intent
Define the purpose of Nature’s inclusion. Is it symbolic, consultative, directive? Align the role with strategic priorities.
2. Select Representation Model
Possible formats include:
· Voice of Nature – inviting ecological thinking into conversations
· Nature Guardian – active advocate within governance structures
· Director or Trustee – formal role with legal responsibilities
· Advisory Panel – external experts guiding ecological oversight
3. Amend Governance Documents
Update organisational charters, bylaws, and operational policies to institutionalise Nature’s representation.
4. Appoint and Support the Role
Identify individuals with ecological literacy and interdisciplinary expertise. Provide training and reflective tools to facilitate effective engagement.
5. Establish Reflection Mechanisms
Integrate structured feedback, storytelling, and performance evaluations to assess impact and adapt practice.
6. Communicate Transparently
Share lessons learned to foster inter-organisational learning and build momentum for regenerative governance.
A good paper unpacking these is Nature as a stakeholder: including nature in corporate governance practices to meet the EU corporate sustainability reporting directive – by Lambooy, Hooft Toomey et al, 2024.
Book
Fantastic 2026 book by Simeon Rose, Nature’s Boardroom, traces the early journey of Nature on the Board implementation.
Tool kits
There are several toolkits you can use to get started:
Short Course:
A short course offered in August 2026 with the Biomimicry Institute can also provide a foundation as I will run through the examples in more detail and share how we have approached it at Regen Melbourne. In the last of the 4 weeks we will work on individual action plans for your organisation using some of the above steps and tools.
Case Study Summary Table
A note on what’s here - disclaimer
The examples and classifications in this article should be treated as a working landscape rather than a definitive census. This is work in progress shared to help people start their own journey towards deciding if Nature on the Board is for them.
References
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Brasserie Dupont. (2022). Sustainability report 2022. Retrieved from https://www.brasseriedupont.com
Commonland. (2019). The 4-Returns framework: Regenerating economies, landscapes, livelihoods, and cultures. Commonland.
Cooperrider, D. L., & Whitney, D. (2005). Appreciative inquiry: A positive revolution in change. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
Dasgupta, P. (2021). The economics of biodiversity: The Dasgupta Review. HM Treasury.
Danone. (2023). 2023 progress report on sustainable value creation. Danone SE.
du Plessis, C., & Brandon, P. S. (2015). An ecological worldview as basis for a regenerative sustainability paradigm for the built environment. Journal of Cleaner Production, 109, 53-61.
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Faith in Nature. (2023). Nature appointed to board of directors. Press release.
Friede, G., Busch, T., & Bassen, A. (2015). ESG and financial performance: Aggregated evidence from more than 2000 empirical studies. Journal of Sustainable Finance & Investment, 5(4), 210-233.
FutureEverything. (2022). Creative responses to ecological governance. FutureEverything.
Gladwin, T. N., Kennelly, J. J., & Krause, T. S. (1997). Shifting paradigms for sustainable development: Implications for management theory and research. Academy of Management Review, 22(4), 874-907.
Gössling-Reisemann, S., & Stührmann, S. (2019). Governance structures for sustainable infrastructure. Sustainability, 11(5), 1411.
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Lambooy, T. & Hooft Toomey, Ebba & Pimor, Alexandra & Apeldoorn, Daan & Ward, Lucy & Sharma, Pooja & Viets, Jacobien & Soest, Tessa. (2024). Nature as a stakeholder: including nature in corporate governance practices to meet the EU corporate sustainability reporting directive. Mednarodno inovativno poslovanje - Journal of Innovative Business and Management. 16. 1-11. 10.32015/JIBM.2024.16.2.5.
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LVMH. (2023). 2023 sustainability report. Luxury Goods Sector.
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Pluto Naturfonden. (2022). Annual report 2022. Pluto Naturfonden.
PWN. (2020). Integrated water and ecosystem management: A Dutch case study. PWN Waterleidingmaatschappij Noord-Holland.
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Regen Melbourne. (2026). Regen Melbourne invited nature into the boardroom. Here’s what happened. Retrieved from https://www.regen.melbourne/gazette/regen-melbourne-invited-nature-into-the-boardroom-heres-what-happened.
Rose, S. (2026). Nature’s Boardroom. Bristol University Press.
SAMS (Scottish Association for Marine Science). (2023). Ocean appointed as board trustee. Press release.
Scott, J. C. (2015). Seeing like a state: How certain schemes to improve the human condition have failed. Yale University Press.
Senge, P. M., Smith, B., Kruschwitz, N., Laur, J., & Schley, S. (2008). The necessary revolution: How individuals and organisations are working together to create a sustainable world. Doubleday.
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Young, I. M. (2000). Inclusion and democracy. Oxford University Press.
Zoöp. (2023). The Speaker for the Living: Governance architecture for nature-inclusive organisations. Zoöp Network.
Thank you Dominique, awesome mapping! Very useful 🙏🙏🙏
(listen to Dominique talking about her experience as a Voice of Nature at Regen Melbourne https://sites.libsyn.com/573395/9-a-voice-of-nature-with-dominique-hes)
In 2023, Biohabitats, Inc., a perpetual purpose trust owned company and B Corp, legally placed Nature on Biohabitats Purpose Trust’s Board of Trustees. Biohabitats is an applied ecology firm providing biodiversity conservation and restoration, climate adaptation, environmental justice, and regenerative fresh water services. www.biohabitats.com.