Belfius, a Belgian banking and insurance group, strives to integrate sustainability into its operations, strategy, and investment decisions. The company wants to develop a nature strategy and a approach to better manage nature-related risks and take targeted action.

Arcadis develops a structured, step-by-step approach to help Belfius identify, analyze, and prioritize nature and biodiversity-related impacts and dependencies across sectors within its investment portfolio.

We translate these insights into risks and opportunities for Belfius, clarifying which sectors and nature-related topics the bank should strategically focus on. In this “nature risk materiality matrix,” we use the risk typology required under CSRD and the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD). Specifically for the construction and real estate sector, we conduct a deep-dive analysis of risks and opportunities. Finally, we specify how nature and biodiversity risks can be integrated into Belfius’s existing climate risk assessment framework.

For employees, we establish clear guidelines and methodologies so they can easily recognize and measure the effects Belfius has on biodiversity and the associated risks and opportunities. Lastly, we examine how other banks handle nature so Belfius can benchmark itself against other players in the sector.

Thanks to our approach, Belfius gains deep insight into the major impacts, dependencies, risks, and opportunities in its portfolio. This insight helps determine strategic priorities and improve risk management. By identifying the sectors with the greatest impact, Belfius can take targeted action. The company thereby strengthens its position as a responsible and forward-looking bank, increasing trust among customers, investors, and regulators.