International partnership to launch Nature Credits in Aotearoa
From 2026, 80% of Aotearoa New Zealand’s exports will go to countries requiring ESG (Environment, Social and Governance) reporting, including four of our five largest trading partners. This raises the bar for accountability for businesses to align environmental stewardship with commercial strategy.
In response, leading international Nature Credits provider CreditNature, New Zealand environmental consultancy Boffa Miskell, and Bay of Plenty-based conservation non-profit Manaaki Kaimai Mamaku Trust have launched an international nature credit pilot programme, enabling businesses to make verified nature-positive claims while directly supporting ecosystem restoration across Aotearoa. Early investment is available now.
“New Zealand’s businesses rely heavily on both nature and international trade,” says Manaaki Kaimai Mamaku Trust CEO Louise Saunders. “It’s now time to put nature on the balance sheet.”
Nature Credits are an opportunity for businesses to invest directly in conservation and restoration mahi in Aotearoa New Zealand. Unlike sponsorships and donations, nature credits enable businesses to make verified nature-related claims.
There are other nature and biodiversity credits already available, says Sam Parsons, Boffa Miskell Climate Change Specialist, but this partnership takes an “ecosystem first” approach.
“Our nature credits focus on the recovery and protection of natural ecosystems,” Parsons says. “We want to create healthy, resilient landscapes that deliver a wide range of benefits to people and the planet.”
In addition to positive biodiversity outcomes, the broader social impacts of this programme include supporting tangata whenua in paid employment exercising kaitiakitanga | indigenous land stewardship. The Kaimai Mamaku Restoration Project is led by the Manaaki Kaimai Mamaku Trust and focuses on restoring native forests which are threatened by pests, diseases, and climate change. Advance commitment to purchase Nature Credits for the Kaimai Mamaku Restoration Project is available now.
“An investment in the Kaimai Mamaku Restoration Project (KMRP) will help restore the mauri of the Kaimai Mamaku to sustain and provide for current and future generations while also contributing to the GDP and resilience of local economies,” Saunders says.
Purchasing nature credits for the KMRP demonstrates a commitment to nature, enables businesses to meet nature-related targets, without greenwashing. This includes claims that require independent verification and metrics, such as Environment, Social & Governance (ESG) or Taskforce for Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TFND) reporting.
Boffa Miskell is working with the Ministry for the Environment to support the development of the New Zealand Nature Credit Market Framework. This framework will outline the principles and standards New Zealand credit projects must meet to deliver high integrity nature credits.
