no natural area nearby, how do I answer the biodiversity question

No answer with brief location check, no evidence required

If none of your sites are located in or adjacent to a protected nature area, the answer is simply "no" — and that is a valid answer, not an evasion. This question comes from the biodiversity module of VSME and is a yes/no location check, not a risk assessment. You are not being asked whether you have an impact on biodiversity in general, only whether a physical site is located in or next to a designated area (think of Natura 2000 or comparable national designations). No site in such an area means: enter no, done.

Where things more often go wrong is that people wonder whether they still need to "demonstrate" something with a no. This is not necessary — evidence is typically only relevant with a yes, for example a map excerpt or the permit documentation that also comes back in the question of whether the enterprise has the required environmental permits. If you are uncertain about the status of an area near your premises, the simplest way is to inquire with the municipality or the province, not to interpret map layers yourself. If you have multiple sites, the check applies in principle per location — if you are unsure about one site, that is no reason to mark the entire question as uncertain.

Where this comes from: the VSME biodiversity indicator

This question is in the basic module of the VSME standard from EFRAG, as part of the environmental indicators alongside energy and emissions. The standard specifically asks here about the location of sites in relation to protected areas, not about a broader biodiversity analysis or strategy — the latter is in the extended module, which is not requested for most SME suppliers. For comparison: with emission questions, such as indirect emissions from purchased energy, it involves calculations according to the GHG Protocol; with this question it is purely about a factual location check, without calculations.