Activating Natural Capital on the Balance Sheet
In this multi-year trajectory, we research and test how investments in natural capital — such as soil health, water retention, and biodiversity — can be integrated into corporate balance sheets. We are building a financially and ecologically robust system where farmers are rewarded for their contribution to nature restoration, and where companies can visibly and demonstrably anchor their impact within their strategy, reporting, and financing.
The program serves as the link between pioneering farmers, supply chain partners, accountants, investors, and policymakers. By combining practical experience, new technology, and financial innovation, we are developing an approach ready for scaling.
Why This Is Necessary
Current agricultural practices place immense pressure on nature and the climate. While sustainable and organic farmers invest in soil quality, biodiversity, and water management, they often compete on an uneven playing field. Their products are more expensive because the societal costs of conventional agriculture — such as water pollution and soil degradation — are not factored in.
At the same time, there is a growing realization that nature restoration is not only ecologically but also economically essential. European legislation, such as the CSRD and the rise of SBTi for Nature, requires companies to measure and report their impact on nature and biodiversity. Financial institutions, governments, and businesses are seeking reliable ways to value and finance nature performance.
With Valuing Ecosystem Services, we are building that bridge: moving from isolated initiatives and voluntary pilots to a robust system where ecosystem services are measured, valued, and activated on the balance sheet.
What We Do
The program focuses on three core themes, developed and tested in parallel:
Measuring and Validating Ecosystem Services We are developing a practical and affordable measurement system for soil, biodiversity, and water management. To achieve this, we combine existing tools like Landler with satellite data, remote sensing, and AI applications. Independent validation is central: investments in nature can only be robustly anchored in financial reports if the data is reliable.
Financial Valuation and Contracts Together with accountants, legal experts, and supply chain partners, we test how ecosystem services can be recorded on the balance sheet as intangible assets. We develop valuation models and contract structures, test business cases, and explore various pricing mechanisms — from supply chain financing to area-based investments.
New Revenue Streams and Investment Platforms We engage investors from both within and outside the food chain: from retailers and processors to water companies, philanthropists, and institutional investors. The goal is to design a financing structure through which ecosystem services are not only valued but actually paid for and traded.
How We Work
The program runs from 2026 through 2028 and consists of three successive phases:
Architecture and Consortium Building In this initial phase, we build a network of farmers, supply chain partners, investors, and knowledge institutions. We select accountants and legal experts, conduct initial measurements, and design the frameworks for contracts and investment scenarios.
Co-creation Based on the initial results, we develop valuation models, business cases, and contract proposals. We optimize measurement strategies, work out investment structures, and formalize agreements with all involved parties.
Prototype Testing In the final phase, we test all models in practice: from secondary measurements to shadow balance sheets and trial contracts. We prepare for the formal establishment of an investment platform or fund and formulate recommendations for scaling.
Each phase concludes with a seminar to share results, gather feedback, and determine the next steps.
The Deliverables
At the end of the pilot, we will deliver three concrete results:
A validated method for measuring and financially valuing ecosystem services in agriculture.
Contracts and business cases that enable Natural Capital to be activated on corporate balance sheets.
A design for an investment platform or fund that unlocks new revenue streams for nature restoration and enables scaling.
Additionally, this will foster a broad-based network of farmers, partners, and investors collaborating on a future-proof agricultural and food system.
Looking Ahead
The pilot forms the foundation for a subsequent phase in which we scale toward a structural market for ecosystem services. Through additional measurements, a functioning investment platform, and formal contracting, we aim to ensure that nature performance is not only valued but sustainably financed.
This creates a robust foundation for an agricultural system where farmers are rewarded for their contribution to nature and climate, companies can report in a future-proof manner, and society benefits from restored ecosystems.