The European Commission is launching the fifth phase of the EU B&B Platform (2023-2025). As it moves towards its tenth year of operations, the Platform builds on the momentum created by the early adopters and their pioneering efforts to integrate biodiversity into business practices. The adoption of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF) marks a major milestone in the push towards making biodiversity a matter of concern for all businesses, not just a few. The goal for this new phase will be to engage a critical mass of businesses to increase the uptake of biodiversity-inclusive business models.

NEW EU B&B WEBSITE

We are delighted to kick-off this phase by launching a brand new EU B&B Platform Website, complete with a modernised logo and a freshened up look. The new website will serve as a hub for all the resources related to the Platform, including news, events, tools, guidance, and case studies. It will also help to streamline engagement with stakeholders and support the Platform's goal of raising awareness about the importance of biodiversity for business and finance.

ONBOARDING AND INFORMATION ON THE PLATFORM

If you would you like to learn more about the EU B&B Platform and how you can take part, you may join our next onboarding call. Participation is mandatory for membership applicants to succesfully become new members - and all applicants will be automatically invited to the onboarding on March 30^th 10:00 – 10:30 CET. The event is also open to potential future members who just wish to get informed. Join the to learn about what you can get from the Platform and to meet the team! Non-membership applicants are invited to join by first registering here.

REVISITING BIODIVERSITY FUNDAMENTALS

The Platform will continue promoting the integration of biodiversity within the decision-making processes. Our first set of activities will be the biodiversity basics sessions, overviewing the relevant regulations and policy developments, and providing a mapping of the initiatives, frameworks and tools that are available. Register here to join our first session on April 6^th 13:00 – 14:00 CET.

NEW ACTIVITIES FOR 2023 - 2025

The Platform is relaunching its activities targeting leading businesses and financial players and will now include a key demand-driven innovation: the sector sprints. Their goal is to facilitate sector-wide transformative actions in line with ‘nature-positive’ pathways by helping sectors identify key technical, finance and policy bottlenecks slowing down their progress towards improved biodiversity performance. Three sectors will be addressed during 2023 – 2025: the construction sector in 2023, retail in 2024, and blue economy in 2025. The sprints will provide new solutions and point to the key steps for the sectors to progress in their integration of biodiversity.

Businesses and financial institutions across Europe are showing a growing interest - and also new concerns - about how to move forward in their efforts to consider biodiversity. The Platform assists their journey by providing new guidance via annual thematic reports. Based on a clear demand coming from European businesses, this year’s report will focus on biodiversity disclosures. While new frameworks and tools are becoming available, there is a lack of clarity about how these will help to comply with new EU regulations. At an international level, it will also help to clarify how they may be used to support the implementation of the GBF.

The Platform will also continue working closely with the financial sector through its Finance and Biodiversity Community. Regular workshops will be held bringing the Community together to discuss the technical and policy challenges faced by financial institutions, with a view to strengthen their engagement with key business sectors of the economy.

EUROPEAN BUSINESS AND NATURE SUMMIT

Finally, the Platform will deliver the following editions of the European Business and Nature Summit (EBNS). The Summit has become a widely recognised event to discuss biodiversity within business, establishing itself as a unique brand in the sustainability space. Catering to the needs and demands widely shared by businesses and financial institutions, the next EBNS edition will emphasise its focus on implementation – by showcasing best practice and providing clear examples of transformative change and by exemplifying the business case for financing biodiversity.