Why rewilding? 7 great benefits for businesses

One of the greatest challenges facing the planet right now is reversing the damage humans have inflicted on nature. Ecosystems are under immense pressure, leading to alarming biodiversity loss and the extinction of countless species. Rewilding offers a powerful solution to help restore balance and heal the natural world.

Rewilding is just one of the ways businesses can invest in the planet’s future. Currently just 3% of global climate funding is used for nature protection. This includes all current reforestation efforts, urban rewilding, habitat restoration, and Blue Carbon initiatives. Imagine how much could be done if that funding increased to 10% or more? Investing in the natural world has multiple benefits, and rewilding for business is the perfect place to start.

What is rewilding?

To put it simply, rewilding allows nature to take care of itself, protecting species from extinction and restoring degraded ecosystems. This is done by reintroducing keystone species, removing dams, allowing natural forests to regrow, removing fishing pressure from strained ocean ecosystems, and much more. Rewilding is a progressive and holistic approach to conservation, where the biggest impact is created over time. 

What makes rewilding so transformative is that it offers a solution for several problems at once. Rewilded ecosystems not only encourage native wildlife to return, but also can mitigate climate change. For example, seagrass—which covers roughly 0.1% of the ocean floor—can capture and store 35x more excess carbon than the Amazon rainforest. By regenerating lost seagrass beds, this one action can provide vital habitat for thousands of species while also fighting climate change. This is just one example of all the ways rewilding can restore the planet. 

Why should businesses invest in rewilding?

While carbon offsetting is important, rewilding and conservation is equally necessary. Nature protection provides up to one-third of the cost-effective climate mitigation needed by 2030 while at the same time safeguarding livelihoods, natural ecosystems, and biodiversity.

All of us rely on our planet’s resources, and the business world is no exception. Construction, manufacturing, and energy depend heavily on natural resources, which are being depleted at alarming rates. Water is essential for almost all industrial processes and water scarcity can disrupt operations and increase costs down the line. Fertile soil is critical for agriculture, which gives us our food, making soil degradation an urgent issue. Clean air and water is essential for human health, and green spaces are proven to have a positive impact on our mental health. Without a healthy planet, there is no long-term viability of businesses.

Environmental stewardship is everyone’s responsibility, but the impact businesses can make far exceeds that of individuals. Businesses can work towards making the biggest impact, whether through funding rewilding projects around the world, investing in a sustainable supply chain, or adopting circular economy principles. 

What are the benefits of rewilding for business?

For businesses, investing in nature through grassroots rewilding initiatives has a lot of benefits, both in the short and long term.

Brand reputation

It’s pretty clear at this point that customers are prioritizing companies that care about their planet, with a significant portion willing to pay a premium for environmentally friendly products, particularly across the Gen Z and Millennial demographics. If you’re a brand looking for ways to boost your awareness, partnering with Planet Wild is one way to directly fund the work of grassroots organizations all over the world. Your partnership demonstrates your commitment to the planet.

Customer loyalty

Brands that have visible and committed environmental policies are more likely to gain and keep customer loyalty. Consumers are actively seeking out companies with strong environmental and social practices, so if you put your green business initiatives front and center, you’re bound to attract repeat customers.

Leadership and innovation

In 2022, Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard announced he would give away 100% of the company’s stock to a nonprofit dedicated to fighting the environmental crisis and defending nature. The decision made Patagonia a leader in how far companies can go to save the planet. However, no one is asking all businesses to make a similar pledge, but by investing in rewilding you’ll be joining innovative, impact-oriented companies like Patagonia in direct action that makes a big difference to the environment and livelihoods. 

CSR and ESG fulfillment

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a business framework that outlines how companies actively support and improve the welfare of communities and society by implementing environmental and social initiatives. Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) is an investing principle that prioritizes environmental issues, social issues, and corporate governance. Investing in rewilding can boost a company’s ESG ratings and demonstrate CSR pledges, making it more attractive to investors and partners who prioritize the environment. 

New business opportunities

Speaking of investors, rewilding can open up a whole world of connections and networking opportunities. Through your investment you could enter new markets, foster sustainable production, or establish partnerships with other conservation organizations.

Strong community relationships

Rewilding projects often involve local communities, which fosters goodwill and creates opportunities for collaboration and shared values. When communities can see tangible benefits from rewilding, like improved landscapes, increased biodiversity, or better economic opportunities, they are more likely to support and participate in the projects. Restored ecosystems can provide clean water, fertile soil, and sustainable food sources, which all directly benefit communities. 

Long-term cost savings

Natural disasters, declining water and soil quality, and a warming planet will cause a significant financial burden, that’s a fact. Rewilding for business offers a solution. Restoring natural systems through initiatives such as rewilding, reforestation, or wetland rehabilitation offers significant cost-saving benefits for businesses by addressing environmental challenges. One of the best courses of action is prevention, so investing in the natural world now (before it’s too late) will guarantee a fruitful and sustainable world for future generations.

Partnering with Planet Wild is an impact-driven way companies can invest directly in global rewilding initiatives. We provide numerous ways for companies of all sizes to take a leading role in rewilding our planet. With your support, we can clean up our oceans, embark on groundbreaking environmental missions, protect endangered species, and rewild entire landscapes. Learn more about Planet Wild for business, and take a leading role in making our planet a little wilder.