27 March 2026 – Pioneering standards designed to bring clarity and consistency to nature markets are now ready for widespread adoption, in the latest stage of a programme led by BSI, and supported by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), the devolved administrations, and industry.
In March 2025, BSI, the UK’s National Standards Body, released a set of overarching principles, BSI Flex 701v2.0, which provided a foundation across all UK nature markets. It set out core requirements for designing, operating, generating, trading, and storing nature credits, aiming to enable the high integrity needed to boost investment and support the UK’s environmental goals.
High-integrity standards are the foundation of effective nature markets, unlocking the investor confidence needed to scale private finance for nature recovery, in line with Government ambitions in this area.
Building on these principles, and following public consultation in 2024 and 2025, BSI confirmed this week the launch of two more nature market standards for biodiversity and nutrients, now ready for adoption. These complement the previously released overarching principles.
They are available for use by all those involved in nature investment, including suppliers or developers of nature projects and market intermediaries, investors and buyers, with all stakeholders being urged to put them into action.
The two standards are:
• The biodiversity benefits standard, BSI Flex 702 v2.0, which sets clear expectations for a fast growing biodiversity credit market.
• The nutrient benefits standard, BSI Flex 704 v2.0, marking a major step in tackling nutrient pollution and will support this market evolve.
Together with assessment guidance released in parallel, the standards help suppliers and market intermediaries to apply agreed good practice, then demonstrate high integrity to meet the needs of investors and buyers.
Susan Taylor Martin, Chief Executive, BSI said: “Protecting nature is vital for our environment, well-being and the economy. BSI’s high-integrity standards are designed to provide the clarity, consistency and rigour needed to increase confidence in markets and help unlock investment.
“This marks a major milestone as we release new standards, guidance, and share stories from early adopters to support the application of good practice in UK nature markets. We thank all those involved who have been leading the way.”
A further standard, BSI Flex 705 v1.0, addressing engagement with local communities and associated benefits, is now open for consultation, with comments requested by 19 May. It sets out practical, proportionate good practice recommendations for suppliers of nature based projects on how to engage effectively with local communities and deliver shared benefits in ways that strengthen trust, legitimacy, and long term project success.
Emma Reynolds MP, Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: “Nature is not separate from our economy, it is the foundation of it. These new, world-leading standards from the British Standards Institution will give businesses the confidence they need to invest into nature recovery, knowing that the environmental benefits are real, measurable and properly delivered.”
BSI is also this week publishing the results of a pilot programme designed to test how the overarching principles work in practice, involving a range of organizations. Participants confirmed the value of a common, principles-based integrity benchmark and fed back that the process was both engaging and practical.
Early adopters highlighted that the standard provided a consistent integrity baseline across a wide range of market models, encouraged transparency, conservative accounting, and long-term thinking, and served as a practical roadmap for emerging markets and products.
Explore the early adopter case studies, assessment guidance, and supporting insights on the Nature Investment Standards Hub.
Access the standards on our website here.
