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European Business and Nature Summit 2022

18 & 19 October 2022, The EGG, Brussels

Day 1 Programme

18 October

On Day 1, embark on the journey to assess and commit your business relationship with nature. Discover the key speakers, sessions and check the side events.

9.00 - 10.00  |  Coffee and registration

10.00 - 10.30  |  Inspirational keynote

  1. Opening video
    Welcome and opening

    Speakers

    • Virginijus Sinkevičius,  Commissioner for Environment, European Commission
  2. Keynote
    The power of imagination to drive a nature positive world

    Speakers

    • Rob Hopkins, Co-founder of the Transition Network

10.30 - 11.30  |  Opening Plenary

  1. Panel debate
    Policy to accelerate the transition to nature positive

    Speakers: 

    • Florika Fink Hooijer, Director-General, Directorate General for the Environment, European Commission
    • Dr Anne Larigauderie, Executive Secretary, Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)
    • Lidwin van Velden, CEO, NWB Bank and President, European Association of Public Banks
    • Heimo Scheuch, CEO, Wienerberger AG

    Moderator: 

    • Humberto Delgado Rosa, Director for Biodiversity, DG Environment, European Commission

11.30 - 12.00  |  Break

12.00 - 13.30  |  ASSESS

Parallel sessions:

  1. ASSESS | Session 1
    Exploring the potential of standardised measurement and reporting to guide business to a nature-positive world

    A growing number of businesses are recognizing nature as a key priority and taking steps to assess and disclose their impacts and dependencies. However, there still seems to be a lack of standardization in metrics and approaches for assessing nature-related topics.

    Using existing impact methodologies underpinned by real business examples, this session will present the opportunities and needs of current and evolving assessment and reporting approaches on nature to accelerate the transition to a net-zero, nature-positive and equitable world.

    Speakers:

    • Wijnand Broer, Partner CREM, PBAF Programme manager 
    • Elodie Chêne, Manager, Sustainability Standards, GRI
    • Philippe Diaz, Advisor, WWF's Sustainable Finance, and Member, Sustainable Reporting Technical Expert Group, EFRAG
    • Saara Vauramo, Leading specialist, Ramboll Finland
    • Satu Kuoppamäki, Sustainability Manager, S Group
    • Awaz Alfadil, Senior Manager, Value Balancing Alliance

    Moderator:

    • Sharon Brooks, UNEP-WCMC, Coordinator of Align project
  2. ASSESS | Session 2
    SME financing for biodiversity

    Using the agri-food sector as a case study, this session will unpack the various tiers of the financing market and provide interesting insights into how financing SME value chains can accelerate positive impacts. It will also highlight the importance of financing SMEs to facilitate innovation and creative problem solving in the biodiversity space.

    Speakers:

    • Marija Kuzmanovic, Economist and Policy Analyst, Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities at OECD
    • Professor Fergus Lyon, Director, Centre for Enterprise and Economic Development Research, Middlesex University
    • Isabel Reuss, Senior Climate and Social Advisor, Italian Sustainable Investment Forum

    Moderator:

    • Vikas Aggarwal, Regional Head of Public Affairs, ACCA
  3. ASSESS | Session 3
    Exploring the potential of new data technologies to address biodiversity risks of supply chains

    Technology plays an important role in today's society. But how can it contribute to the Nature Positive agenda? And what is the potential for using technology for upscaling action for biodiversity? Open or semi-open source databases on environmental risks, opportunities and exposures exist but are not directly linking company value chains to the biodiversity impact data sets.

    The session will explore the role of new technologies for improving biodiversity management and decision-making for business and finance and its potential role for nature conservation and restoration.

    Speakers

    • Jacob Bedford, Programme Officer, UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre 
    • Hugo Rainey, Senior Advisor, Business & Conservation, Wildlife Conservation Society
    • Giorgia Epicoco, Senior EU Public Affairs Manager, Social & Environmental Sustainability, Huawei.
    • Dr. Sonja Stuchtey, CEO and Founder, The Landbanking Group 
    • Christopher Perceval, S&P Global Sustainable1

    Moderator:

    • Mark Gough, CEO, Capitals Coalition 
  4. ASSESS | Session 4
    "From the why to the how”: Introduction on existing methodological frameworks to guide companies in addressing biodiversity in their action sphere

    Despite the increasing awareness of the importance of biodiversity for businesses, many still face difficulties to get to grips with this topic. Many businesses still don’t know where to start, how to assess their true impact, what targets to set, and how to start acting in a meaningful way.

    In this session, you will be able to understand existing frameworks that are being used by businesses to address their relationship with nature, and deep dive in one of them developed by SBTN. You will hear how this framework has been used by businesses and get inspired to start taking actions on biodiversity.

    Speakers

    • Pierre-Alexandre Bapst, Corporate Sustainability Officer, Hermès International
    • Nadine McCormick, Manager, Nature Action, World Business Council for Sustainable Development 

    Moderator:

    • Bart Corijn, Change facilitator, The Shift 
    • Titus Ghyselinck, Program Manager Food & Agriculture, WWF Belgium
    • Recurrent workshop
      Biodiversity Collage Workshop

      More and more businesses are embracing biodiversity as a strategic objective and business imperative. However, many still face difficulties in engaging their own staff on this urgent issue, which impedes rapid business transformation.

      The "biodiversity collage" is a collaborative, playful and science-based workshop to better understand biodiversity and the causes and consequences of its loss. This session will bring together small groups of 5 to 7 people to discover what biodiversity is, understand the causes and effects of its decline and come up with ways to better take biodiversity into account in your daily life and company actions.

      By joining this workshop, you will get familiar with the "biodiversity collage" tool, get inspired by companies that have used it and discover how the tool can be used by your company to take action. 

      Facilitated by the X4Resilience team

    13:30 - 14:30   |   Lunch Break

    14.30 - 16.00  |  COMMIT

    Parallel sessions:

    1. COMMIT | Session 5
      Finding a common language: Translating biodiversity targets into KPIs for business and finance

      This session focuses on the challenges around target and KPI setting for biodiversity. The availability of data for establishing meaningful metrics is often the greatest of these challenges and this session will discuss where to look for solutions in your data gaps. We will also explore how industry is now moving beyond carbon credits to nature positive targets and how businesses can integrate these targets into their strategic plans.

      Speakers:

      • Sam Lacey, Business Development Director, Nature Metrics
      • Benoit van den Hove, Head of Listings Belgium, Euronext
      • Valerio Scartezzini, Climate Strategies Manager, Nature Positive Program, Etifor
      • Michael van Cutsem, CEO and Founder, Beeodiversity
      • Julie Dimitrijevic, Technical Specialist, Corporate Sustainability, Fauna & Flora International

      Moderator:  

      • Dr Johannes Forster, Department of Environmental Politics, UFZ
    2. COMMIT | Session 6
      Towards Nature Positive: What does it mean for business? How to get there?

      The aim of the session is to provide more clarity to the business community on how individual businesses can commit to ‘Nature Positive’. The session will provide guidance for companies aiming to be nature positive or to engage on a journey towards nature positive, based on a common understanding of a series of core principles that should be followed.

      Speakers:

      • Johan Lammerant, Methods Workstream Leader EU B@B Platform, Arcadis
      • Dr Joseph Bull, Associate Professor in Climate Change Biology, Oxford University
      • John Sabet, Business Engagement Associate, Business for Nature
      • Franck Lecomte, Innovation and Sustainable Growth Director, Spadel
      • Géraldine Vallejo, Sustainability Programme Director, Kering
      • Pierre-Yves Pouliquen, Director of Plural Performance and Sustainable Development, Véolia
      • Xinqing Lu, Community Specialist, Champions for Nature, Nature Action Agenda, World Economic Forum
      • Mark Van Loon, Senior Vice President Sustainability and Innovation, Wienerberger

      Moderator:  

      • Mark Gough, CEO, Capitals Coalition
    3. COMMIT | Session 7
      Committing to operate within the earth’s limits: Collective action in an interconnected system

      The aim of the session is to explore the landscape of existing initiatives that support business and finance on their biodiversity journey, and help them to commit and progress towards achieving their commitments. The session will also discuss the need for collective action in an interconnected system to halt and reverse the loss of nature.

      Speakers:

      • Marie-Alix Devauges, ESG Data Analyst, Amundi
      • Viktor Eliot, Senior Researcher, University of Gotenborg, Biopath 
      • Jerome Kisielewicz, Mainstreaming Workstream Leader, European Business and Biodiversity Platform, and Lead Managing Consultant, ICF
      • Nicolas De Meulemeester, Legal Director & Head of Sustainability, Lhoist Southern Europe
      • Justine Mariette, Project Officer, CDC Biodiversité

      Moderator:  

      • Martin Lok, Executive Director, Capitals Coalition
    4. COMMIT | Session 8
      Committing finance for nature: Redirecting investments by setting targets and measuring progress

      Many financial institutions recognise the critical role that financial intermediaries play in addressing the global biodiversity crisis and are taking action to address this. Efforts to set concrete targets to “reverse nature loss” or become “nature positive” are underway but various challenges remain to mainstream these practices across the market.

      In this session, you will hear from leading financial institutions that are committing to nature, setting concrete targets and monitoring progress.  NGO’s and scientists will join the debate sharing their perspective on ongoing initiatives and on the gaps that remain to be tackled to drive the sustainable finance transition. 

      Speakers:

      • Roel Nozeman, Head of Biodiversity Team, ASN Bank, Programme Chair of the Partnership for Biodiversity Accounting Financials (PBAF)
      • Emine Isciel, Head of Climate and Biodiversity at Storebrand Asset Management
      • Sharon Brooks, Principal Business & Biodiversity Specialist at UNEP WCMC
      • Katie Leach, Head of Biodiversity at ShareAction
      • Romie Goedicke, Project and Technical Manager Nature at UNEP FI

      Moderators:

      • Anne-Marie Bor, Lead, Finance and Biodiversity Community,  EU B@B Platform, and Coordinator, Finance for Biodiversity Foundation
      • Anita de Horde, Advisor Finance and Biodiversity Community,  EU B@B Platform, and Coordinator, Finance for Biodiversity Foundation
    5. Recurrent event
      Biodiversity Collage Workshop

      More and more businesses are embracing biodiversity as a strategic objective and business imperative. However, many still face difficulties in engaging their own staff on this urgent issue, which impedes rapid business transformation.

      The "biodiversity collage" is a collaborative, playful and science-based workshop to better understand biodiversity and the causes and consequences of its loss. This session will bring together small groups of 5 to 7 people to discover what biodiversity is, understand the causes and effects of its decline and come up with ways to better take biodiversity into account in your daily life and company actions.

      By joining this workshop, you will get familiar with the tool, get inspired by companies that have used it and discover how it can be used by your company to take action.

      Facilitated by the X4Resilience team

    16.00 - 16.30  |  Coffee break

    16.30 - 17.30 

    1. Inspirational keynote
      The value of nature and people

      Speaker:

      • André Hoffmann, Vice Chairman of Roche Holding, Switzerland

    17:30 - 19:30   |   Drinks

    Day 2 Programme

    19 October

    During Day 2, embark on the journey to transform your relationship with nature. Discover the key speakers and sessions, and check out the side events.

    9.30 - 11.00  |  Opening plenary

    1. Panel debate
      Tackling the twin crisis of climate change and biodiversity

      Addressing the synergies between mitigating biodiversity loss and climate change offers the opportunity to maximize benefits and meet global development goals. This opportunity is however threatened by current geopolitical issues, which brings other crises, such as the energy crisis and food security concerns in Europe. While addressing the biodiversity and climate change crisis it is fundamental to have a solid legislative and reporting framework, which ensure ambitious standard, integrates the current corporate metrics and shows a deep understanding of environmental risks.

      Speakers:

      • Joe Walston, Executive Vice-President, Global Conservation Programme, Wildlife Conservation Society
      • Dr. Richard Mattison, President, S&P Global Sustainable1 and CEO, S&P Global Trucost
      • Gilles Tisserand, Vice-President, Sustainability Climate & Biodiversity, Tetra Pak
      • Alexandre Paquot, Director, Innovation for Low-Carbon, Resilient Economy, DG CLIMA, European Commission

      Moderator:

      • Humberto Delgado Rosa, Director for Biodiversity, DG Environment, European Commission

    11.00 - 11.30  |  Break

    11.30 - 13.00  | TRANSFORM 

    1. TRANSFORM | Session 9
      Harnessing collective action to transform food systems in a resilient and regenerative way

      Despite its high productivity growth intensive agriculture has led to several drawbacks such as biodiversity loss, climate change, erosion, and pollution of air and water. Biodiversity-based agriculture is seen as an alternative to address these multiple environmental crises while providing economic benefits to farmers and industrials.

      Various initiatives are emerging across Europe to support a consistent transition within and among farming systems, supply chains and natural resource management in strong opposition to efficiency-substitution agriculture. But various challenges remain to expand biodiversity-based agriculture at scale.

      Based on practitioners’ experiences and concrete business examples, this session will highlight the main drivers and levers to bringing regenerative agriculture to scale in the EU.  

      Speakers:

      • Clotilde de Montpellier, Founder, Farm for Good
      • Pierre-Yves van Haute, CEO, Domaine La Falize
      • François-Xavier Vauchelle, Senior Director, Government and External Affairs, Continental Europe, McCain 
      • Edouard Lanckriet, Directeur du Développement Agrosolutions, InVivo
      • Eric Servat, Sustainable Sourcing Vice President, Livelihoods Funds
      • Viktoria de Bourbon de Parme, Food and Agriculture Transformation Lead, World Benchmarking Alliance
      • Robert Konrad, Advisor for the Farm to Fork Strategy, DG ENV, European Commission

      Moderator: 

      • Stefania Avanzini, Director, One Planet Business for Biodiversity
    2. TRANSFORM | Session 10
      How can SMEs reinvent their relationship with nature? Lessons from the Brussels ecosystem

      Science (IPBES and IPCC) and policy (the global post-2020 biodiversity framework and the EU biodiversity strategy) emphasize that biodiversity loss can only be tackled through transformative system change. Research, innovation, but above all, bold action is needed for these transformative changes. Brussels is becoming a hub for innovative companies challenging existing business models and reinventing their relationship with nature to generate economic, social and environmental benefits. What can we learn from these companies and what is needed to scale up such initiatives?

      Speakers

      • Sébastien Morvan, Co-founder, Brussels Beer Project
      • Camille Mommer, Co-founder, Natura Mater
      • Benjamin Moncarey, Co-founder, Sonian Wood Coop
      • Steven Beckers, Founder, BIGH & Circular Economy Expert & Developer, Bopro

      Moderator

      • Jerome Kisielewicz, Mainstreaming Workstream Leader, EU B@B Platform, and Lead Managing Consultant, ICF
    3. TRANSFORM | Session 11
      The vital role of nature-based solutions in the nature-positive economy

      With a rising demand for pragmatic solutions to the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change, we will explore the current state of finance for biodiversity and nature-based solutions. What does it take to deliver the financial resourcing for biodiversity and how can we mobilise resources in a practical way?

      Speakers:

      • Daniela Rizzi, Senior Officer for Nature-Based Solutions and Biodiversity, ICLEI
      • David Young, Senior Fellow, Broadway Initiative
      • Sébastien Soleille, Global Head of Energy, Transition and Environment, BNP Paribas

      Moderator

      • Chantal Van Ham, Senior Expert in Sustainability and Natural Capital, Arcadis Belgium
    4. Transform | Session 12
      Measuring what counts: targeting business steps for nature positive

      Speakers:

      • Kendall Jones, Conservation Planning Lead, Wildlife Conservation Society
      • Jamie Graham, Principal Specialist, The Biodiversity Consultancy
      • Nadine McCormick, Manager, Nature Action, World Business Council for Sustainable Development
      • Julie Dimitrijevic, Technical Specialist, Corporate Sustainability, Fauna & Flora International
      • Erin Gianferrara, Director, Pollination

      Moderator

      • Hugo Rainey, Senior Advisor, Business & Conservation, Wildlife Conservation Society
    5. Recurrent event
      Biodiversity Collage workshop

      More and more businesses are embracing biodiversity as a strategic objective and business imperative. However, many still face difficulties in engaging their own staff on this urgent issue, which impedes rapid business transformation.

      The "biodiversity collage" is a collaborative, playful and science-based workshop to better understand biodiversity and the causes and consequences of its loss. This session will bring together small groups of 5 to 7 people to discover what biodiversity is, understand the causes and effects of its decline and come up with ways to better take biodiversity into account in your daily life and company actions.

      By joining this workshop, you will get familiar with the "biodiversity collage" tool, get inspired by companies that have used it and discover how the tool can be used by your company to take action. 

      Facilitated by the X4Resilience Team

    13:00 - 13.30  | Closing Plenary

    1. Closing speech
      From targets to triumphs, what we need to succeed

      Speakers: 

      • Katherine Tubb, Rewilding Business Lead, SCOTLAND: The Big Picture
      • Mieke Siebers, Executive director, Foundation for Sustainable Development