BFBI at the EU Nature and Business Summit 2025

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Business For Biodiversity Ireland attended the European Business & Nature Summit 2025 in Helsinki, Finland, on October 23 & 24, 2025, with our Head of Research Dr Emer Ní Dhúill joining a Business For Nature panel on ‘Embedding nature in your business strategy’ alongside Geoff Hamilton, Biodiversity Lead for BFBI Strategy Track members ESB. 

The event, supported by the EU Business For Biodiversity Platform and Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra, brought together leaders from across Europe to discuss the integration of nature into business strategies, focusing on practical steps, collaboration, and the economic importance of protecting natural capital. BFBI was also represented at the event by Team BFBI members Dr Maria Fitzpatrick (Executive Director), Iseult Sheehy (Head of Operations) and Dr Catherine Farrell (our Business Programme Lead), with thanks to National Parks & Wildlife Service.

The Day 1 Business For Nature session also featured sustainability leaders Anni Vuohelainen (Director Nature, Tetra Pak), Hing Kin Lee, (Group Leead For Nature, NextEnergy Capital), Marie-Morgan Grebente (Nature & Biodiversity Lead, Decathlon), Holly Metcalfe (Manager, Roadmaps to Nature Positive, WBCSD), and Jesus Carrasco Narajo (Biodiversity Global Responsible, Iberdrola) with the panel chaired by Lizzy Elli (Global Engagement Lead, Business For Nature), the discussion covering the challenges facing businesses including gathering biodiversity data, and the need for support for businesses in navigating this evolving space.

“Nature literacy is quite a large barrier for businesses, also getting buy-in from the different parts of an organisation and a lack of expertise in the businesses to enable them to act…”Dr Emer Ní Dhúill, BFBI Head of Research.

“Inaction on biodiversity is the biggest risk. Don’t let perfection be the enemy of good. Act and then change or iterate as more and better data becomes available.”- Geoff Hamilton, ESB

The biggest takeaway was that boosting biodiversity is an economic imperative, as stated by EC Director-General of Environment Eric Mamer in his opening remarks: “Protecting and restoring nature is a strategic economic choice. Europe must invest in what makes our economy resilient. Natural Capital is part and parcel of Europe’s competitiveness. Nature provides the Natural Capital that keeps our economy running.”

Collaboration Is Key
At the Plenary Session 3 panel discussion on Business action for Circular and Bioeconomy, Rolf Ladau, CEO, Paulig Group, emphasised: “You can only achieve a certain degree of change by yourself, to get beyond that you need to work with others. Collaboration is key…When it comes to securing a resilient food value chain in Europe we need to have a predictable regulatory environment…a functioning single market…and a clear, and long-term commitment.”

Heather Grabbe, Senior Fellow of Belgian think-tank Bruegel, commented on how extreme weather is clearly affecting markets, saying the best way to protect ourselves is a rapid move towards circularity while considering our supply and value chains here in Europe with a global lens. “There is an economic justice element – we need to consider the embedded environmental costs in the items we import and their negative impacts in other countries.

Jessika Roswall, Commissioner for Environment, Water Resilience and a Competitive Circular Economy commented: “We need to focus on better regulation and move faster, which is hard in the democratic way that we work. We also need to explain to businesses, which we are sometimes not good at, why we are enacting regulation. We need to have a change of mindset – as politicians, as businesses and consumers.”

New documents launched

The summit also saw the launch of the ‘It’s Now For Nature Pulse’ – a new Business for Nature report reflecting progress in corporate nature strategies, two years on from the launch of It’s Now For Nature Handbook. It shows how businesses are integrating biodiversity into their strategy using the leading frameworks and science-based methods (as aligned with our BFBI Nature Strategy Accelerator Programme as the coalition’s Irish partners.)

BFBI also participated in the interactive session on Day 2 for the launch of ‘Policy Imperatives for a Competitive and Resilient Nature Positive Economy’ a publication in collaboration with Trinity College Dublin and the European Commission, in conjunction with the Directorate-General for Research and Innovative Horizon Europe and Invest4Nature, to show how embedding nature into policy can secure Europe’s resilience and prosperity through strategic investment, coherent regulation, empowered local engagement and systemic reform. Geoff and our team also joined breakout discussion tables, pictured below, on ‘Navigating policy & stakeholder complexity.”

Horizon Nua Director Siobhan McQuaid moderated the discussion on ‘Rationale and roadblocks for business transformation to nature positive’ while launching the TF3 EC Expert publication which features new research and case studies from over 40 EU-funded projects.  Co-authored by Siobhan and Horizon Nua EU Project Manager Martina Brophy, it sets out both the reasons and challenges for nature-positive transformation from a business and policy perspective. Access the new publication HERE.

The lively two days of discussion and networking rounded off with a dialogue by EU Commission Director of Biodiversity Humberto Delgado Rosa. EBNS2025 was streamed live –  you can watch the recordings HERE.

Business For Biodiversity Ireland is here to support Irish businesses to meet the challenges of boosting resilience through nature action. To find out more about our Nature Strategy Accelerator Programme, sign up today or email our Executive Director Maria Fitzpatrick – our intake is open for 2026!

Webinar: Supporting Action for Business & Biodiversity

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Do you understand the value that nature and biodiversity brings to your business?

Every organisation impacts and depends on nature, and Business For Biodiversity Ireland is delighted to join with Waterford City & County Council Climate Action Team to offer this free webinar to explain how Irish businesses can act now to protect and enhance biodiversity by developing a strong Nature Strategy to add value and boost resilience for your organisation.

Speaker: Dr Emer Ní Dhúill, Head of Research, Business For Biodiversity Ireland
Date: November 11, 2025
Time: 11am-12pm
Location: Online over Zoom
Register HERE via Eventbrite

BFBI is proud to partner with Waterford City & County Council as part of their Business Pledge for A Greener Cleaner Waterford for members’ commercial rates energy discount – businesses can take our free Discovery Track, the first step in the BFBI Nature Strategy Accelerator Programme, with free training webinars and resources to inform an organisation’s biodiversity strategy, as an action as part of their pledge. #BFBICollaborations

Event: Join BFBI at the EU Business & Nature Summit

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The BFBI team is looking forward to joining Business for Nature at the European Business and Nature Summit 2025 on October 23rd in Helsinki, Finland.

The Irish contingent will be out in force with BFBI’s Dr Emer Ní Dhúill participating in a session led by  Business For Nature’s Head of Global Engagement, Michael Ofushene-Wise and Global Engagement Lead Lizzy Elli, on helping businesses to embed nature into their business strategy. The panel will also feature Geoff Hamilton, Biodiversity Lead of Irish electricity provider ESB, one of the BFBI member organisations making great progress on the Strategy Track on the BFBI Nature Strategy Accelerator Programme for Irish businesses making the move to #NaturePositive. Fellow speakers include Director Nature for Tetra Pak Anni Vuohelainan, Kasha Foster, Snr Manager Nature Action for WBCSD, Marie Morgan Grebent, Nature & Biodiversity Project Lead, Decathlon, Hin Kin Lee, Group Lead For Nature, Next Energy Capital.

With Iberdrola, Sitra and the EU Business & Biodiversity Platform: https://ebns-events.com/

Registration is now closed but are you attending the summit? Reach out to connect if so!

Dr Maria Fitzpatrick – manager@businessforbiodiversity.ie
Dr Emer Ní Dhúill – Emer.NiDhuill@businessforbiodiversity.ie

Event: Join us for the Energy Transition Summit 2025

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Business For Biodiversity Ireland is partnering with the Business Post Energy Transition Summit 2025 on October 15 – bringing together key voices to discuss topics around the transition in Dublin’s Croke Park.

As noted in a recent National Economic and Social Council (NESC) report, the energy transition will not only help to address urgent environmental concerns but will also deliver substantial economic benefits through enterprise opportunities, by improving the reliability of energy supply, lowering energy costs and enabling Ireland to become a net exporter of energy.

As part of this partnership, members can enjoy an exclusive 15% discount on tickets by using the promo code: energy15 at checkout: https://events.businesspost.ie/event/energy-summit/

Hosted by broadcaster Ivan Yates, the agenda will feature Tara Connolly, Programme Lead for Energy Markets and Grids, Beyond Fossil Fuel, with a keynote address on policy risks from Dr. Cathal Fitzgerald, Senior Analyst, and fireside chats with Alan Rossiter, Head of Strategy & Network Development, ESB Networks and Ali Sheridan, Chair of the Just Transition Commission as well as expert panel sessions.

Sponsors of the event include BFBI Strategy Track member ESB Networks, Bord Gais Energy, Schneider Electric, BYD Energy Ireland, Certa, Hydrogen Ireland, Sustainability Online business news platform, Solar Ireland, Sandyford.com, Energy Storage Ireland, Irish Energy Storage Association and Wind Energy Ireland.

Register now and join us on the day for a chat at the BFBI exhibition stand to discuss our work helping businesses to transition to Nature Positive and connect with our Business Development Lead Dr Maria Fitzpatrick: https://energysummit.ie/

Sign up today for our next Discovery Track webinar

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What are your business’s impacts and dependencies on nature? What are the potential risks in your supply chain from nature loss and climate issues? The third Business For Biodiversity Ireland Discovery Track webinar of 2025 is coming on Wednesday, September 24, and will address how to tackle these questions when it comes to your business decisions.

Discovery webinars are free to all BFBI subscribers – sign up today to register for this and future Discovery webinars to learn more about the crucial issues facing Irish businesses in the evolving sustainability landscape. The Discovery Track, the first step on our 4-Track Nature Strategy Accelerator Programme, is free to join for guidance on the evolving frameworks and stategy you need to ensure business resilience and longevity.

This Teams webinar (from 9.30am to 10.20am) will cover how the ACT-D Framework (Assess, Commit, Transform & Disclose) is a vital tool for assessing your business’s impacts and dependencies on nature, including upstream and downstream value chain relationships. The framework is aligned with current global best-practice from Business for Nature, Capitals Coalition, WBCSD, TNFD, Science Based Targets  Network, WEF and WWF.

Register here (and find past and future Discovery webinars and curated resources in the members menu): Join the Discovery Track

Join top changemakers for Climate Carnival 2025

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Business For Biodiversity Ireland is partnering with Climate Cocktail Club for an exciting event, Climate Carnival 2025.
The two-day event takes place in Co. Laois on September 29–30, 2025 in the idyllic Ballintubbert Gardens & House with up to 1,000 changemakers in attendance from across business, creative, science and activist sectors, with 10 performers and 60 world-class speakers across four stages and five immersive zones.
Billed as the event where ‘Bold, Brave Leadership Comes to Ireland’, Climate Carnival is designed to spark new connections, courageous conversation and bold solutions for climate, nature and communities. Expect interactive workshops, creative performances and sessions, live music, guided walks and talks, and an array of food, drink and exhibition options. The BFBI team will be there with an exhibition stand to answer questions about our work.

Headline speakers and performers include:

  • Blindboy, Podcaster and writer
  • Hafsat Abiola-Costello, Co-founder of Project Dandelion
  • Dr Easkey Britton, Author and ocean advocate
  • Dr Tara Shine, CEO of Change by Degrees
  • Willem Ferwerda, Founder of Commonland
  • Troy Armour, CEO of Junk Kouture
  • Anja Murray, Broadcaster and author
  • Plus musical performances from Liam Ó Maonlaí, Jerry Fish, Ceara Conway and more to be announced.
Highlights:
– September 29 – Climate Dinner: an evening of live music, local food and an inspirational keynote by Chair of Natural England Tony Juniper.
– September 30 – Carnival: over 30 interactive sessions to craft your own impact agenda, including speed networking, talks, comedy and live music.

Founder of Climate Cocktail Club and event curator Tom Popple said:

“This is not just another ESG conference, it is a radical reimagining of what a networking and insight event should really be about – people and impact…it’s for everyone from lonely climate leaders to fully fledged sustainability teams, for business professionals to impact entrepreneurs.”

Tickets: https://www.climatecocktailclub.org/events-1/climate-carnival-1-bold-brave-leadership

Webinar: Introducing the Nature-Based Enterprise

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BFBI is delighted to announce an introductory webinar on new market opportunities in nature-based solutions.

This webinar is organised in collaboration with the Connecting Nature Enterprise Platform which brings together communities of nature-based enterprises, working with and for nature. These businesses are experiencing high market demand as they deliver nature-based solutions which help to address business dependencies and risks from nature loss and climate change. 

Whether you are interested in benefiting from nature-based solutions to climate adaptation, developing new products and services, you are a start-up business in this area, or you will have businesses like these in your supply chain, this webinar provides a good understanding of how your business can participate in the nature positive economy and go nature positive! 

Webinar date: August 20th, 2025
Time: 12-1pm
Via Teams: Register HERE

Our speaker: Isobel Fletcher is CEO of Horizon Nua, a not-for-profit foundation based in Dublin working to accelerate the just transition towards a nature-positive economy and manager of the Connecting Nature Enterprise Platform. An advocate for nature-based entrepreneurship, Isobel leads the team working to co-develop nature-positive entrepreneurial strategies at regional and municipal level through multiple European initiatives to support the delivery of nature-based solutions as part of the just transition to an equitable, carbon neutral and nature-positive economy. Isobel is a member of the EC NbS Task forces on the nature-positive economy and communications. 

 

Assess: How your business interfaces with nature

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BFBI Business Programme Lead Dr Catherine Farrell CIEEM, Trinity College Dublin, writes on the process steps around undertaking a Double Materiality Assessment (DMA) to help guide your nature strategy: this article focuses on the ways to understand how businesses interface with nature, highlighting the data needs but also the language of a DMA.

Following from our inspiring and interactive workshop on March 10th (read about it here), alongside colleagues from Deloitte, the Business for Biodiversity Ireland team led the second of our Action Track workshop series on May 20th. While our initial workshop focused on the key elements of what a Double Materiality Assessment (DMA) is (and/or isn’t), especially the value chain, this time we focused on how we can map and track the interface of business with nature.

This involves homing in on ‘the where’ part of the DMA process. In essence, this means gathering your organisation’s location data like maps, and – in tandem – figuring out the other types of data available, what they measure and why. Then its time to focus on how we might use data (which may be freely available as well as company-held) to inform our DMA. Our colleagues from Deloitte shared their DMA journey, highlighting how tools like the TNFD LEAP (Locate, Evaluate, Assess and Prepare), can help bring understanding of our business interfaces with nature to light.

In this article we focus more on data and the language of data and DMA (beware of the acronyms!):

Data: we hear a lot about data these days, but when we’re trying to understand our business impacts and dependencies (how we rely on nature) we really need to focus on data relating to aspects of nature referenced in the nature-related reporting frameworks like CSRD, TNFD, SBTN and GRI.

We can start by breaking these into –

  • Locational data (a map of where we operate – note, start with one part of your value chain and get the hang of it!)
  • What types of habitats or ecosystems are present in those places (the basic type and their extent)
  • What our impact is on these specific areas of ecosystem (how we influence their condition), and
  • How we rely on them (what we need from these ecosystems as inputs, aka ecosystem services to our operations) or impact them.

This helps us Locate, Evaluate and Assess our impacts, dependencies, risks and opportunities, and then Prepare to report (think LEAP). We can do this by using available data on habitats, but -now, a health warning – in Ireland habitat data is quite limited. With some ecological input to help, however, we can gather up what is available, in a useful way.

Language: ecological and nature lingo is nuanced but not beyond our reach. It’s helpful to have someone working with us that can communicate these nuances in a clear, simple way. During our workshop we discovered that acronyms and strange ‘eco’ languages can be off putting initially, but once we get into the flow, we find what we need to know.

Many thanks to Aoife Connaughton and Deloitte for collaborating on this workshop, National Biodiversity Data Centre’s Sarah Kelly, and all our Action Track businesses for participating in our Nature Strategy Accelerator Programme, including CIE and CIE Tours, Cloud Assist, Irish Rail, Irish Trees, Future Energy Ireland, KMK, Scott Cawley Ltd, Shannon Airport, Trinity College Dublin and Watermark Coffee.

Strategy: Setting SMART nature targets for your business

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Following from our kick-off Strategy Track workshop in January where we focused on the key elements of what a Nature Ambition Statement is (and why every organisation should have one!), BFBI Business Programme Lead Dr Catherine Farrell CIEEM, Trinity College Dublin, writes on the next workshop for our businesses on this track – where we outlined how to set SMART nature targets to underpin businesses’ nature strategies.

In our first workshop, we outlined the business need for a deep understanding of impacts and dependencies on nature, and importantly, where these occur along the business value chain. Focusing on our greatest impacts and dependencies on nature is an effective first step towards setting targets to both reduce the impacts, and – critically – to reduce potential financial risks and leverage opportunities at the same time. Risks arise when we are dependent on ecosystem services (also referred to as ‘nature’s contributions to people‘), but the continued flow of those services (perhaps from upstream in our value chain, as in the provision of raw materials), might well be reduced due to an affect beyond our control (think changing weather patterns on crops, for example).

Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound nature targets
And so, armed with this understanding of our value chains, we worked through the process of setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound) nature targets for the businesses present at our workshop. We covered some key elements such as: targets can be generic, broad, and/or highly specific; they can be action- or outcome-focused, short or long-term, but they must always relate to the value chain. Importantly, if we are to set SMART targets, they must be resourced and matched by indicators to track progress. Thankfully, there is a range of useful guidance out there, such as the WWF Corporate Nature Targets publication, and the Science-Based Targets Network framework (with lots of great resources and videos).

As previously, we followed the guidance for the accelerator programme for businesses as set out by Business for Nature under the Commit phase of their ACT-D framework.

Setting targets may seem daunting, but if we focus on one aspect of our value chain to start with, and work through the process, then this builds familiarity and confidence in the process. At our next workshop for this track later in the year, we will focus on how to monitor, evaluate and disclose progress towards our nature targets, and how they link to other sustainability targets.

The team at Business for Biodiversity Ireland wish to extend our gratitude to Thomas Ball and Ellen Cunningham, of the KPMG Ireland Sustainable Futures Nature & Land Use Unit for supporting us in delivering this workshop. Thanks also to our host Geoff Hamilton and ESB for looking after us at their Fitzwilliam Square Head Office in Dublin. Many thanks to our associates in the National Biodiversity Data Centre and Business in the Community Ireland, and to all the businesses in our Strategy Track including An Post, ESB, Bank of Ireland,  Bus Éireann, Cairn Homes, Glenveagh Properties, Gas Networks Ireland and SAP Landscapes for doing this important work with us.

Group of people in a boardroom, some kneeling to fit in the frame

BFBI nominated for Business & Finance ESG Awards 2025

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Business For Biodiversity Ireland is delighted to be named as a finalist in the Business & Finance Media Group ESG Awards 2025 – in association with Grant Thornton Ireland – in the ‘Biodiversity Leadership in Business Award’ category.

The awards recognise the efforts of companies in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) practices, and celebrate those driving change through innovative policies, technology solutions, and sustainable business practices.

Congratulations also to our fellow nominees Wildacres, Biodiversity In Schools, Coillte and Dublin Port Company and to all the nominees across categories including An Post, Dublin Port Company, Bord Gáis Energy and Aldi.

The ESG Leader Award will be presented to Mary Robinson, recognising her dedication to sustainability, climate justice, and social equity on both a national and global scale.

Tracey Carney, Managing Director, Business & Finance, said: “The calibre of entries for the 2025 Business & Finance ESG Awards reflects the remarkable strides taken by organisations across Ireland in integrating sustainability at the core of their business strategies.

“We are seeing a significant shift towards collective responsibility, where entire teams are driving change and delivering measurable ESG impact.”

The winners will be announced in a ceremony on April 10 in The Mansion House, Dublin.

Read more on the Business & Finance site.
Read more on RTE News.

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