Making Mother Nature a Shareholder

She’s everyone’s most important stakeholder – so we’ve put serving her needs at the very heart of BRiMM. 

We believe that business can be a force for good. So we’re setting out to build a company that not only endeavours to have a low impact, but also aims to give back more than it takes.

How are we doing to do this? Here are a few things we’re starting with:

• Establishing thorough and transparent vetting criteria for every product we list 
• Leading with an editorial focus that helps inspire you to lower your impact within your everyday life
• Pioneering a unique model that sees us invest 10% of our revenue into helping the brands we stock lower their footprint faster (so not just offsetting impact that’s already been made – but actually decreasing it)
• Registering as a B Corp so we can share our progress against an external set of criteria
• And, as this piece will cover, making Mother Nature a 10% shareholder and director of our business

Combined, we believe these steps will generate positive impact through how our company operates. Then, as we grow, so will our impact – both through our day-to-day operations and as the value of the company grows, since Mother Nature is a shareholder.

So what does it really mean to make Mother Nature a shareholder and director? Put simply it means legally granting nature a voice and a vote in our company’s decisions.

This goes beyond conventional sustainability measures. Giving nature actual voting rights within our company structure means that when we’re making decisions about what to do as a business we will have a voice in the room speaking in the interest of Mother Nature.

We’re not the first to do it. We will be standing on the shoulders of some great, pioneering companies who’ve paved the way (scroll down for more on them). 

We’re only just embarking on this journey so have a lot to learn and a lot to get in place. Fortunately we will be working with experts who will be helping us understand what to do in order to establish an appropriate model. And we intend to share everything we learn and decide on the journey.

So what does including Mother Nature as a shareholder actually entail?
The process involves several key steps:

• Updating our legal framework: We’ll amend our Articles of Association to formally recognise nature as a shareholder and director. This includes defining the powers and responsibilities of the Nature Guardian, who acts as Nature’s representative.
• Appointing a Nature Guardian: The Nature Guardian will have the same rights as other directors, including voting power and access to company information. Their mandate is to put Nature’s interests first in all relevant decisions.
• Defining “Reserved Matters”: Certain decisions – like sourcing, packaging or climate commitments – will require the Nature Guardian’s input or approval. This ensures that environmental considerations aren’t sidelined when it matters most.
• Ensuring transparency: We’ll commit to transparent reporting, including annual updates on how Nature’s voice has influenced our decisions and outcomes.

Who Else Has Made Mother Nature a Shareholder?

We’re not alone in this movement and we’ve been inspired by those that pursued this path before us. Some of those companies are:

• Faith in Nature was the first to appoint Nature to its board, working with Lawyers for Nature to give her a real vote in company decisions. Their Nature Guardian participates in all board meetings and reports on how Nature’s interests are represented.
• House of Hackney followed, appointing “Mother Nature and Future Generations” as directors and even hiring a second Mother Nature director to reinforce their commitment.
• River Simple uses a multi-stakeholder model, appointing an Environment Custodian to ensure environmental interests are always represented.
• Patagonia took a different route, transferring company ownership to a trust that directs profits toward environmental causes.

If you’re interested, it’s worth reading the Onboarding Nature Toolkit which was a project in collaboration between B Lab Benelux, Earth Law Center’s Nature Governance Agency (ELC-NGA) and Nyenrode Business Universiteit.

Why Are We Doing This?

The world is facing urgent environmental challenges, and businesses have a crucial role to play. By giving Nature a formal voice in our governance, we’re making a structural commitment – not just a promise – to put the planet alongside profit in our decision-making.

This approach has real benefits:

• Better Decisions: Nature’s voice helps us think long-term and to avoid short-termism.
• Stronger Accountability: With nature at the table, we’re held to a higher standard on environmental impact.
• Future-Proofing: As regulations and expectations shift, we’ll be ahead of the curve in responsible business practices.

Sharing Our Journey

As we’ve mentioned, we believe transparency is key. That’s why we’re documenting every step: what works, what doesn’t and what we learn along the way. Our hope is that by sharing our process, other businesses will be inspired and equipped to give Nature a voice in their own governance.

Looking Ahead

Appointing Mother Nature as a shareholder and director is more than a governance experiment: it’s a statement about the future of business. We believe companies must move beyond traditional models and give Nature a real say in shaping our shared future.

The appointment of Mother Nature as BRiMM’s shareholder and director isn’t just about our company – it’s about demonstrating a new model for how business can serve both profit and planet.

We invite you to follow our journey, learn from our experiences and consider how your own company might give Nature a seat at the table. Together, we can build a new standard for business: one that balances profit with the planet’s wellbeing.