Introducing our new BFBI Board Members

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Business For Biodiversity Ireland is delighted to welcome four new board members as we expand our sustainability leadership and compliance expertise in our quest to support every Irish business in moving to Nature Positive.

Joining our Board of Directors as of Q1 2026 are Garrett Quinn of sustainable packaging company Smurfit Westrock; Professor of  Zoology at Trinity College Dublin Nessa O’Connor; sustainability consultant Aideen O’Hora of SustainabilityWorks and Dr Rosie O’Neill, Director of Sustainability at ifac. They join our existing Board made up of BFBI Chair Susan Rossney of Chartered Accountants Ireland, Board Secretary Lisa Davidson, Ed Pollard of the UK Business & Biodiversity Forum and Ken Whitelaw of IDA Ireland.

As we welcome our new directors, we would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to our departing directors Prof Jane Stout of Trinity College Dublin and Dr Kirstie McAdoo of University College Dublin for their years of work with us.

More on our new recruits here below:

Garrett Quinn

Garrett was appointed Group Chief Sustainability Officer at Smurfit Westrock in July 2021 and took on Branding and Communications in 2026. He joined the Group in 2000 and has held a number of roles in operations across the Group in Argentina, France and Ireland before moving to the UK where he managed a number of corrugated box plants. In 2016, he took up the position of Head of Investor Relations, a position held to 2021. Garrett holds a bachelor’s degree in Commerce from University College Dublin and has completed his postgraduate studies with the Cambridge Institute of Sustainability Leadership. He was appointed as Director to the Smurfit Westrock Foundation in 2022.

Prof Nessa O’Connor

Nessa is a Professor in Zoology at Trinity College Dublin and a leading scientist in the field of regenerative ocean farming. Her research examines how coastal ecosystems function, their associated ecosystem services, and how they are responding to stressors, such as climate change, species loss and pollution. Her research team have identified many of the effects of global change on marine ecosystems. She has led several national and European interdisciplinary research projects providing scientific evidence for the suitable development of coastal resources (e.g. mussels, oysters and seaweed) linked to business development of emerging markets and nature-based solutions.

Aideen O’Hora

Aideen is a Co-Founder of SustainabilityWorks, a leading, independent sustainability consulting firm, that brings deep expertise in sustainability strategy, ESG reporting, finance, innovation and communications. An environmental scientist by training, Aideen has experience across the public & private sectors, including with Novartis, Abbott Laboratories, The Sustainability Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI), The Green Way (Dublin’s cleantech cluster) and various local authorities, giving her a uniquely applied perspective that balances priorities on sustainability performance, commercial value and regulatory compliance. Aideen has a Masters in Integrated Environmental Management from the University of Bath and a BSc (hons) in Environmental Science from Atlantic Technical University.

Dr Rosie O’Neill

Rosie is Director of Sustainability at ifac, and holds a PhD from University College Dublin/Teagasc on the impact of management factors on soil microbial communities and nitrous oxide emissions, with a BA in Environmental Science from Trinity College Dublin. She was previously Sustainability Manager at An Post, supporting the company’s sustainability journey through ISO 14001 recertification across a 160-property portfolio, annual sustainability reporting to CDP, EcoVadis and the International Post Corporation, and conducted cost-benefit analyses of low-carbon infrastructure investments. Rosie leads on sustainability advisory practice at ifac, authoring the organisation’s first voluntary CSRD-aligned sustainability report in 2024, ahead of regulatory requirements and aligned with EU Taxonomy, Double Materiality and ESRS standards. She advises clients across the agri-food, SME and public sectors on carbon accounting, ESG strategy, climate risk and environmental compliance.

Read more about our Board of Directors on our BFBI Team page HERE.

Events putting nature firmly on the ESG agenda

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It was a week which underlined how much nature has solidified its place on the business agenda alongside climate issues – with the inaugural Carbon & Nature Forum, a Nature Panel at the Business Post ESG & Sustainable Business Summit, BFBI as a finalist at the ESG Awards and our first Nature Strategy Accelerator workshop of the year.

Our Executive Director Dr Maria Fitzpatrick writes:

We launched into the second quarter of 2026 with a week of inspiring events that really brought home how much nature is now firmly on the business agenda alongside climate – kicking off on Tuesday, April 14th with our first in-person workshop of 2026 with this year’s first cohort of businesses for our Nature Strategy Accelerator Programme’s Action Track Workshop #1, delivered in association with Deloitte’s WorldClimate Team at their HQ in Dublin.

The focus: getting practical and helping our member organisations identify what’s truly material for them when it comes to reporting and strategy. More on that in future, with two more workshops in the pipeline. Huge thanks to all who participated in an interactive day-long session, to the BFBI team and our new Business Programme Lead Caroline Cawley making her workshop lead debut, to our Business Programme Advisor Dr Catherine Farrell for her continued input into the 2026 programme and to our workshop delivery partners Deloitte Ireland’s Sustainability Leader Caítlín Flanagan for their ongoing support.

That same day, the first Carbon & Nature Forum at Trinity Business School, hosted by the fantastic BE IMPACTFUL team, brought together a powerhouse line-up, with Asst Prof of Business & Nature Dr Catherine Farrell joining the panel discussions. Huge thanks to Tom Popple, Orlaith Delargy, and Louise French for creating such a valuable space. It was one of those sessions you don’t want to leave (even when your calendar says otherwise). Looking forward to being part of what comes next.

The evening of nature and climate conversations continued at the Climate Heist in The Sugar Club with Climate Cocktail Club – an engaging and thought-provoking mix of music and conversation, featuring voices such as Lesley O’Connor and Aoife O’Leary, alongside inspiring examples of climate innovation and entrepreneurship. BFBI is delighted to get involved in the Climate Cocktail Club’s second annual Climate Carnival ‘From Siloes to Systems’ coming up in September so stay tuned and join the mailing list for more updates on registration and collaboration opportunities. See www.climatecocktailclub.org/events

Wednesday took us to the Business Post ESG and Sustainable Business Summit in Croke Park, moderated by broadcaster Philip Boucher-Hayes, where BFBI was proud to take the stage on the dedicated Nature Panel, with Caroline Cawley joining Bob Hamilton, CEO of Irish Trees Ltd, (valued members of our Nature Strategy Accelerator Programme), Dr Siobhan McQuaid of GoNaturePositive!, Horizon Nua, Trinity College Dublin and Stewart Gee, of Climate KIC, and keynote speaker Anne Reaney of Rebalance Earth, sharing insights on how businesses are moving to a nature-positive way of working. Our team, including Research & Tech Lead Dr Emer Ní Dhúill and myself were on hand to chat to delegates at our BFBI exhibition stand. Another day of great discussions, strong engagement, and plenty of follow-ups already in motion.

We wrapped up the week on Thursday, April 16th, as finalists at the ESG Business & Finance Awards 2026 in the Biodiversity Leadership in Business category for the second year in a row. While it wasn’t our day, congratulations to Coillte on a well-deserved win. And a big thank you to Chartered Accountants Ireland and our Chair Susan Rossney for the warm hospitality and great conversations.

 

Also a big thankyou to our funders National Parks & Wildlife Service and to our associates in KPMG Ireland Sustainable Futures, the National Biodiversity Data Centre, Business in the Community Ireland, Natural Capital Ireland and SustainabilityExamples.com – and to everyone who has been involved in supporting our work helping Irish businesses to integrate biodiversity into business strategy to date.

It’s weeks like this that act as a reminder of just how much momentum is building around bringing nature into the boardroom. So many brilliant people, conversations and ideas – all contributing to what can sometimes feel like an uphill climb but one that’s absolutely worth it.

A strong reminder that progress happens through collaboration, persistence and showing up – again and again.

Ready to show up for nature? Sign up free today to our Nature Strategy Accelerator Programme Discovery Track to access free resources & webinars and take our 10-step module to build your biodiversity knowledge – https://businessforbiodiversity.ie/how-it-all-works/

ESG Summit photos by Maura Hickey

National Biodiversity Week coming up from May 15-24

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This year’s annual National Biodiversity Week is taking place May 15th – 24th with over 200 free events nationwide, and more being added to the website.

Biodiversity Week, coordinated by the Irish Environmental Network (IEN) and supported by organisations such as the Heritage Council, features a wide range of events designed to educate, inspire nature connection and raise awareness about biodiversity, with a focus on the importance of native plants, animals and habitats.

Activities include school events, guided nature walks, gardening for biodiversity and educational workshops, with opportunities for all to explore our native ecosystems to learn more about the intricate relationships between flora, fauna and the environment.

Explore all events now at www.biodiversityweek.ie – and keep an eye out for more Biodiversity Week announcements to be shared on our social media.

Got an event to share? Tag us on social media or get in touch with our Communications Lead at fiona.smith@businessforbiodiversity.ie

BFBI nominated for Business & Finance ESG Award

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Business For Biodiversity Ireland has been announced as a finalist in the Business & Finance ESG Awards 2026, in association with Grant Thornton Ireland.

We have been nominated in the ‘Biodiversity Leadership in Business’ category for the second year running, alongside Biodiversity in Schools, Coillte, Dole Ireland, Dublin Port Company, Energia Group, Glenisk and VOYA.

Well done to all the nominees working hard in the sustainability space – and especially to our team, our Board and our members for all your dedicated work.

The ceremony will be held on 16 April 2026 at the Mansion House, Dublin. Read more on the ESG Awards on the Business & Finance site HERE.

Join our members in leading in the charge to a nature-positive economy for Ireland by developing a strong Nature Strategy with BFBI. Get on track today, learn more about the benefits for your business HERE or contact manager@businessforbiodiversity.ie for a chat about your options.

BFBI Partner Event: ESG & Sustainability Summit

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We are pleased to announce that Business for Biodiversity Ireland is partnering with the Business Post ESG and Sustainability Summit 2026, taking place at Croke Park, Dublin on 15 April.

The Summit will convene senior leaders from business, government and finance to examine how organisations are embedding ESG into strategy, operations and reporting. This year’s agenda focuses on practical delivery, including climate transition planning, nature and biodiversity, resilient supply chains, governance standards and the skills required to compete in a lower-carbon economy.

Our Business Programme Lead Caroline Cawley will join the Nature panel to discuss how it can affect decision-making in supply chains, finance, business strategy, risk management and investment. Our team will also be on site to participate in the day’s discussions, with an exhibition stand to chat about our work with businesses on Ireland’s Nature Strategy Accelerator Programme.

Business for Biodiversity Ireland’s partnership reflects our commitment to advancing credible, commercially grounded sustainability leadership and to contributing to informed, cross-sector dialogue on the future of responsible business.

  • As part of this partnership, Business for Biodiversity Ireland is offering an exclusive 15% discount on delegate tickets. To avail of this discount, BFBI Members can enter BFDESG15 when registering to attend.

We look forward to working together to deliver a focused and solutions-driven forum for organisations navigating the ESG agenda.

Register here: https://esgandsustainablebusinesssummit.ie/

Webinar: FIT Counts to Monitor Pollinators

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Our colleagues in the National Biodiversity Data Centre (NBDC), which co-ordinates the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, have a free ‘Lunch & Learn’ webinar coming up on April 1st, 12pm – FIT Counts to Monitor Pollinators in 10 minutes.

As flowers begin to bloom and more bumblebees and butterflies emerge, it’s the perfect time to get ready for the busy biodiversity recording season ahead. Whether completely new to recording or looking to build your skills, this webinar will give you everything you need to get started with 10-minute pollinator monitoring. Discover how you can play a vital role in monitoring bumblebees and butterflies on your business site, or anywhere you find a patch of flowers.

The session will cover how FIT Counts or Flower-Insect-Timed-Count surveys work, what data is collected and why it matters, how your FIT Counts contribute to understanding pollinator trends, and practical tips on how to recognise different insect groups.

  • Title: ‘FIT Counts: How to Monitor Pollinators in 10 minutes’
  • Speaker: Michelle Larkin – NBDC’s Pollinator Research Officer
  • Date: 1 April 2026, 12.00-13.00
  • Level: Suitable for beginners – no specific knowledge necessary.
  • Prior to the session: Download the FIT Count App – Android or ios
  • Register: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/nationalbiodiversitydatacentre/2017795

How does this webinar apply to my business?
Flower-Insect-Timed-Counts (FIT Counts) is listed at Action 22 of the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan’s Businesses: actions to help pollinators evidence-based guidelines. They are an easy, entry-level, scientifically robust way of tracking insect abundance as you make changes on your business site, in your garden, or through local community sponsorship, in line with the AIPP evidence-based actions.

How do we track easily if AIPP actions are working on-site?
  • Invite Biodiversity Champion(s), your Green Team, or colleagues to start submitting either monthly or weekly FIT Counts from 1 April through to 30 September.
  • Watch a 50cm2 patch of flowers (e.g. clover) for 10 minutes and ‘tap what you see’ (e.g. bumblebee, butterfly etc.).
  • Consider centralising FIT Count data gathering by creating a biodiversity@companyX.com email.

Register here for the NBDC webinar to learn more: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/nationalbiodiversitydatacentre/2017795

 

 

New: National Biodiversity Action Plan progress report

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A progress report on the 4th National Biodiversity Action Plan 2023-2030 has been published with almost 80% of 194 actions on track or complete.

Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Biodiversity, Christopher O’Sullivan TD, has published the report, prepared by the National Parks and Wildlife Service with input from the Inter-departmental Biodiversity Working Group, which finds that 44 actions have been fully completed since the National Biodiversity Action Plan was published in early 2024.

These include:

  • the establishment of a new online tool to track progress
  • actions for designated habitats and protected species, including the expansion of the network of National Parks and Nature Reserves.
  • new guidelines for the development of Local Authority Biodiversity Action Plans.
  • annual reporting for public bodies with a guidance document drafted by BFBI’s Research and Technical Lead Dr Emer Ní Dhúill launched last summer.
  • restoration efforts have intensified with a series of key stakeholder events regarding the preparation of the National Nature Restoration Plan (NRP).

Minister O’Sullivan said:

“The progress we are seeing reflects a truly collaborative effort across Government, public bodies and wider society to protect and restore nature, and I would like to thank everyone whose work has helped us get to this point. It’s vital now that we maintain this focus and keep moving forward together.

“Sustained commitment is essential to ensure that Ireland’s fourth National Biodiversity Action Plan – which was ranked as one of the best in the world by the WWF – can be translated into the lasting recovery that our natural world needs. More people than ever understand that nature is at the root of our culture, our health and wellbeing, and our economy.”

To progress the remaining actions, including some of the several of which BFBI is an owner, the report identifies a critical need to increase private sector participation and supports, and to improve the our biodiversity data infrastructure to inform future decision-making.

The NBAP is scheduled for a formal update in 2027 following the publication of the NRP.

Discover your business case for biodiversity – resource

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Have you explored our new and improved Discovery Track?

We recently repackaged our Discovery resources into 10 swift steps for an easy-to-follow introductory module for our Nature Strategy Accelerator Programme for Irish businesses and sustainability teams. Aligned with international best practice and frameworks, with a Certificate of Completion, the foundational Discovery Track will help you to identify:

  • Key definitions, policies and legislation relevant to your business – and to your supply and value chain

  • Resources to help you to report on nature and begin to develop your nature-related strategy for greater business resilience

  • How to make a strong business case for nature in your organisation

Sign up free to Discovery Track if not already a member, or log to your members area to get started on your comprehensive 10-step module to solidify your foundational knowledge and get ready to apply it to future-proof your business. Register HERE.

Upon completion of the short self-paced Discovery Track, consider applying to progress to our 2026 Action Track – limited places available now.

To arrange a chat about the right option for your business, email manager@businessforbiodiversity.ie

IPBES Business & Biodiversity Report 2026

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IPBES Business & Biodiversity Report Summary: Landmark report by the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) with guidance for policymakers from 79 experts from 35 countries, drawn from science and the private sector, in consultation with Indigenous Peoples and local communities.

Approved by more than 150 member governments at the IPBES Plenary in Manchester, UK, the Methodological Assessment Report on the Impact and Dependence of Business on Biodiversity and Nature’s Contributions to People (known as the Business and Biodiversity Report), finds that businesses are central to halting and reversing biodiversity loss but that many lack information to address their impacts and dependencies, as well as the risks and opportunities relating to biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people.

Read what urgently needs to change for the sake of economy and society and the future of our planet HERE.

Irish businesses can get on track for biodiversity with our Nature Strategy Accelerator Programme: Register now.

Caroline Cawley is our new Business Programme Lead

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Business for Biodiversity Ireland is delighted to announce that Caroline Cawley will be taking over as our Business Programme Lead.

Caroline, who will be working with our Nature Strategy Accelerator Programme member organisations as they progress through our workshop series for 2026, is a senior sustainability and circularity leader with over 15 years’ experience helping organisations embed sustainability, climate action, circularity, and nature considerations into core business strategy and decision-making.

She has worked across consumer electronics, telecommunications, and environmental services sectors, building and leading sustainability functions, developing materiality-led ESG strategies, targets and reporting frameworks, and delivering Net Zero roadmaps and decarbonisation programmes aligned with the Science-based Targets Initiative. Caroline is recognised for her ability to connect sustainability priorities with commercial outcomes, risk management and long-term value creation. She is also recognised as an expert in fostering circular cultures and ways of working in organisations.

Most recently, Caroline served as Head of Corporate Sustainability at Bang & Olufsen, where she established the company’s sustainability function and integrated circularity, product longevity and climate targets into corporate strategy, financing, governance and product development. She has also held a senior sustainability role with TDC Group in Denmark and with Liberty Global in the Netherlands, delivering commercially impactful initiatives in circular and sustainable product design, eco-packaging, supply chains and energy management.

Caroline holds an MBA from Rotterdam School of Management and an MSc in Environmental Science from Trinity College Dublin. She brings a strong business-led perspective to advancing a circular, low-carbon and nature-positive economy which will be a real asset to the delivery of our programme guiding Irish businesses to boost resilience with a strong nature strategy.

We are also pleased to announce that our previous programme lead Dr Catherine Farrell will be staying with us in the role of Nature Strategy Accelerator Programme Business Programme Advisor.

To begin your Nature Strategy Accelerator Programme with us, register for the introductory Discovery Track HERE.

Or contact ccawley@businessforbiodiversity.ie to discuss your business’ options for our advanced tracks.

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