The Nature of Corporate Leadership: Addressing the Value-Action Gap

This research project investigates the disconnect between executives' personal valuing and appreciation for nature and their professional decision-making.

Project summary

This project explores opportunities to increase corporate action for nature by better understanding and harnessing the nature connectedness of corporate leaders. It examines the apparent disconnect between executives’ personal appreciation of nature and their professional decision-making. Through surveys, focus groups, and interviews with senior corporate leaders, we are uncovering what prevents nature-positive values from shaping business practice—and how that gap can be bridged to support a nature-positive future.

What are we interested in?

While large businesses and their leaders have a significant role to play in advancing a more nature-positive future, the adoption and implementation of related commitments and actions remain at an early stage. By better understanding and addressing an apparent “nature value–action gap” among senior corporate leaders, we aim to accelerate progress.

The goals of our project

To better understand corporate leaders' nature connectedness and everyday nature experiences; to explore how personal values translate (or fail to translate) into organisational action; and to develop a theory of change model linking leaders' values to biodiversity outcomes.

Outcomes / activities

This project will survey senior corporate leaders through in depth interviews and focus groups exploring personal connections and material risks/opportunities. The outcomes will inform academic outputs as well as executive roundtables with business and investor audiences through Melbourne Business School networks.