What Is a Biodiversity Consultant? Nature Strategy, TNFD, BNG, and How to Hire One

Example Projects

1. TNFD Nature Risk Assessment (LEAP Approach)
   A biodiversity consultant applies the TNFD's LEAP approach (Locate, Evaluate, Assess, Prepare) to assess your organisation's nature-related dependencies, impacts, risks, and opportunities. This involves mapping your operations and value chain against biodiversity-sensitive locations, evaluating dependencies on ecosystem services, assessing material nature-related risks, and preparing disclosures aligned with the TNFD framework.
2. Biodiversity Net Gain Assessment and Compliance
   For development projects, a consultant conducts BNG assessments using the statutory biodiversity metric, calculating baseline habitat value, predicting post-development value, and designing enhancement strategies to achieve the mandated 10% net gain. This includes habitat surveys, metric calculations, BNG strategy, and preparation of BNG statements for planning.
3. Corporate Nature Strategy Development
   A consultant develops a comprehensive nature strategy covering your organisation's biodiversity impacts, dependencies, targets, and action plans. This typically aligns with the Science Based Targets Network (SBTN) framework for nature and integrates with your climate strategy to address the interconnections between nature loss and climate change.
4. Nature-Related Reporting (ESRS E4, CDP)
   Preparation of biodiversity disclosures for CSRD/ESRS E4 (biodiversity and ecosystems), CDP Forests and Water questionnaires, and TNFD-aligned annual reports. This includes data collection on biodiversity impacts, dependency mapping, and narrative disclosure development.

Who Do They Work With?

Biodiversity consultants work with sustainability teams on strategy and reporting, property and development teams on BNG compliance, procurement and supply chain on value chain nature impacts, risk management on nature-related risks, and boards on TNFD governance and disclosure.

Who Should Hire One?

Property developers and construction companies needing BNG compliance. Companies with nature-dependent supply chains (food, agriculture, forestry, fisheries). Organisations preparing TNFD disclosures or responding to CDP Forests and Water. Companies in CSRD scope needing ESRS E4 reporting. Financial institutions assessing nature-related risks across portfolios.

ROI and Strategic Benefits

Nature-related risks are increasingly material: supply chain disruption from ecosystem degradation, regulatory costs from biodiversity requirements, and reputational risks from nature-negative operations. A biodiversity consultant helps you identify and manage these risks while building the nature strategy that investors, regulators, and customers increasingly expect.

How Engagements Typically Work

Biodiversity consulting engagements range from focused BNG assessments for individual development sites (2-4 weeks) to comprehensive corporate nature strategy programmes (3-6 months). TNFD LEAP assessments typically take 8-12 weeks depending on the complexity of your value chain. Many organisations engage a biodiversity consultant alongside their climate consultant, since nature and climate risks are deeply interconnected and investors increasingly expect integrated disclosure. Day rates for biodiversity consultants reflect their specialist ecological knowledge combined with business strategy capability.

Ready to Hire?

Finding the right biodiversity consultant shouldn't take months. Use Leafr's project scoping assistant to get matched with vetted, independent specialists who have delivered exactly this kind of work. Most clients are matched within 48 hours.