Suzano Embeds Biodiversity at the Core of its Business with New Nature Strategy

Suzano, the world’s largest pulp producer, has launched a science‑based Nature Strategy that formally places biodiversity and ecosystem integrity at the centre of its corporate decision‑making. The framework, developed with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), is built on the mitigation hierarchy – avoid, reduce, restore and transform – and is designed to prevent negative impacts, minimise nature‑related risks and drive ecosystem regeneration across Suzano’s operating regions.​

A key innovation in the strategy is Suzano’s pioneering use of the IUCN STAR metric, which the company is using to map ecologically sensitive areas, identify threatened species and define priority interventions to reduce extinction risk. Long‑term monitoring has identified 125 endangered species on Suzano‑managed lands, with 24 selected as priority species for targeted conservation action; the approach was showcased as a case study at the IUCN Congress and helped shape the RHINO (Rapid High‑Integrity Nature‑positive Outcomes) methodology now guiding implementation. The internal analyses underpinning the strategy cover 2.9 million hectares directly owned by Suzano and roughly 10 million hectares when wider watersheds are included, extending the company’s conservation lens beyond its strict operational boundaries.​

The Nature Strategy also consolidates Suzano’s longer‑term commitments, including connecting 500,000 hectares of native forest fragments through ecological corridors and improving water availability in critical watersheds within its areas of operation by 2030. These targets are explicitly aligned with the Kunming‑Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and broader efforts to build a regenerative, nature‑positive economy, reflecting growing recognition that about three‑quarters of terrestrial ecosystems have been significantly altered by humans and roughly a quarter of assessed species are at risk of extinction. Suzano emphasises that safeguarding nature is fundamental to the resilience of its business and neighbouring communities, not only to meeting external ESG expectations.​

More than 25 external stakeholders – including scientists, NGOs, government representatives and local community leaders – contributed to the design of the Nature Strategy, adding social licence and scientific credibility to the plan. With this move, Suzano positions itself as a frontrunner among global pulp and paper producers in operationalising nature‑related risk management and aligning corporate governance with emerging biodiversity standards.​