Archetypes of the Implementation of Ecosystem Service Approaches in Business Organisations: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Humanity is dependent on ecosystems and the services they provide, yet unprecedented biodiversity decline continues. Ecosystem service (ES) and natural capital approaches offer a promising framing of the relationship between organisations and ecosystems, although not enough literature exists on their implementation and implications. We analysed 125 case studies from 81 companies to understand how the implementation of ES approaches aligns with the theory. Thematic and archetypal analysis of the data highlights that the implementation of ES approaches can help organisations contribute to ecosystem restoration, but only if implementation encompasses actions and monitoring, is collaborative and is adopted at scale. Our contribution is threefold. First, we provide new empirical evidence of ES approaches used by corporations. Second, we analyse the translation of theory into practice and identify areas for improvement. Third, we use archetypal analysis to discern patterns of implementation of ES approaches in corporate sustainability.