Standards Development

Scope

This BSI Flex specifies requirements for quantifying nutrient pollution reduction to and removal from waterbodies achieved by nature‑based solutions, and the related issuance of nutrients credits. It provides a set of criteria for any project, scheme or programme that wishes to demonstrate high-integrity operation.

This BSI Flex builds upon the foundations of BSI Flex 701 v2.0:2025-03 by providing a further set of criteria relevant to the context of nutrients.

This BSI Flex provides criteria to enable consistency and integrity across nature-based nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) credit schemes, projects and programmes, and covers:

a)    governance;

b)    quantification (robust baseline, measurement of improvement and ongoing monitoring);

c)     validation and verification; and

d)    additionality and permanence.

NOTE 1 This is not a duplication of the content of BSI Flex 701 v2.0:2025-03, rather an expansion on aspects relevant to nutrient markets using the pre‑existing nature markets framework within BSI Flex 701 v2.0:2025-03.

This BSI Flex does not cover corporate reporting but accounts for existing UK corporate reporting requirements and International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) standards.

This BSI Flex is intended for use by:

1)  market participants;

2)  market intermediaries, including different codes/standards/schemes;

3)  registries; and

4)  other stakeholders in nature markets or in the environmental outcomes of trading nature credits.This BSI Flex might be of interest to:

i)   buyers of nature-based credits;

NOTE 2 Examples include housing developers, water companies and businesses as part of their corporate social responsibility approaches.

ii)     investors in nature-based projects and schemes;

iii)    suppliers of land management;

iv)    nature market validation and verification bodies;

v)     regulators;

vi)    policy advisers and developers;

vii)   non-UK-based schemes issuing nature-based credits; and

viii)  academics and environmental consultants.