[Press Release] Lestari Capital Issues Position Paper on Scaling Nature-Based Solutions to Build Supply Chain Resilience

10th July 2025, Singapore – Lestari Capital (Lestari), a pioneering natural capital asset management company dedicated to mobilizing finance for the protection and restoration of biodiversity-rich ecosystems, released today a new position paper: “Scaling Nature-Based Solutions for Net-Zero: The Rimba Collective Builds Supply Chain Resilience through Protection & Enhancement of Natural Capital”.

The paper explores the role of nature-based solutions in building supply chain resilience and provides recommendations on refining the advancements from the Science-Based Targets Initiative’s (SBTi) Corporate Net-Zero Standard V2.

SBTi’s Net-Zero Standard offers an actionable pathway for companies to set science-based sustainability targets. The second version of the standard launched in March 2025 introduced key improvements to Scope 3 emissions target setting. Lestari’s position paper makes the following recommendations to further enhance the impact of the standard:

1. Recognition of Robust Supply-Shed Solutions

To explicitly acknowledge supply shed and activity pool approaches as valid pathways for Scope 3 target-setting. These solutions aim to enable companies with limited traceability on their supply chains to meaningfully set and verify targets.

2. Facilitation of a Partnership Approach Through Improved Definitions

A partnership approach is essential to achieve carbon neutrality at the scale and speed needed in sourcing landscapes. Restrictive WVC definitions disincentivize collective efforts. Flexibility is needed to allow for long-term, multi-company collaboration in dynamic supply chains.

3. Clear and Robust Definition of Beyond Value Chain Mitigation (BVCM)

To provide science-based criteria, including a definition of “high integrity,” to ensure BVCM investments deliver additional, permanent, and verifiable outcomes aligned with global net-zero objectives.

4. Balanced Focus on Co-Benefits Beyond Carbon

To encourage actions that yield multiple ecosystem service outcomes—including biodiversity protection, community livelihoods, and supply chain resilience.

Lestari manages The Rimba Collective, an initiative that brings together leading multinational consumer goods manufacturers and provides a unique financing mechanism for nature-based solutions. Through these solutions, the Rimba Collective mobilises corporate investments into verifiable conservation and restoration outcomes across Southeast Asia’s critical forest ecosystems. This collective model ensures that as companies pursue direct decarbonization within their operational control, they also invest in the health and resilience of the landscapes and natural capital their supply chains depend upon.

Michal Zrust, Founder and Chief Executive of Lestari Capital said, “The SBTi’s updated standard is an important step forward in bridging corporate ambition with concrete actions. Our recommendations are a call to maintain this strong progress and create clear and robust criteria to accelerate investments that protect nature, stabilize the climate, and build resilience for communities and businesses worldwide.”

“Through the Rimba Collective, we offer an innovative model that is based on a long-term, partnership approach to drive meaningful change, one that aligns with the SBTi’s Net-Zero Standard. We are looking forward to working together with our partners to achieve long-term ecosystem outcomes and build supply chain resilience within our partners’ sourcing landscapes.” Michal added.

The Rimba Collective finances 16 active projects covering more than 245,000 hectares of forest conservation and restoration with USD 19.5 million of funding delivered to project operators to date. The Collective aims to scale-up and finance the conservation and restoration of 550,000 hectares by 2026.

To read the full position paper, visit: https://rimbacollective.com/updates/position-paper-scaling-nature-based-solutions-for-net-zero

About Lestari Capital

Inspired by the Indonesian word Lestari—meaning sustainable or everlasting—Lestari Capital is shaping the future of nature-based finance in Southeast Asia and beyond. Impact-focused, the company bridges the gap between corporate sustainability commitments and on-the-ground conservation efforts, ensuring long-term funding for high-quality, community-led initiatives. Lestari initiatives go beyond ecosystem restoration—they support rural communities, improve local livelihoods, and promote sustainable land-use practices.

With 40 staff, 20 active projects, and more than 25-year commitments from major global companies, the company is strengthening the emerging ecosystem services marketplace by aligning corporate investments with impactful conservation and reforestation projects.

Visit: www.lestaricapital.com.

About The Rimba Collective

Managed by Lestari Capital, the Rimba Collective is a pioneering, private-sector-led initiative that channels long-term corporate finance into high-quality forest conservation and restoration projects across Southeast Asia. Designed to support sustainable sourcing and build resilient sourcing landscapes, the Collective brings together leading companies, conservation practitioners, and local communities to protect and restore natural capital at scale.
By aligning business goals with climate and biodiversity outcomes, the Rimba Collective provides a scalable, transparent, and results-based model to deliver verified environmental and social impact over the long term, including climate, biodiversity impact and improved livelihoods within palm sourcing landscapes.

Learn more at: https://rimbacollective.com/.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Marion Daras-Carlier
Head of Communications, Lestari Capital m.daras@lestaricapital.com