Businesses as key actors in halting biodiversity loss

Information of the event

Recording of the event (youtube.com)
The language of the event is Finnish. The English subtitles are available.
Date and time: Tuesday, 10 March 2026, 1:00–4:00 pm EEST, including coffee service from 3:15–4:00 pm
Venue: Veranda 3 Hall, Finlandia Hall (Mannerheimintie 13 e, 00100 Helsinki) and online livestream.

Integrating biodiversity into business activities is not only an opportunity but a necessity for long-term competitiveness and a sustainable future. While progress has been made, the pace and scale of action remain insufficient. How can safeguarding biodiversity be embedded into profitable business models? What responsibilities lie with businesses themselves, and how can governments, financial actors and other stakeholders encourage businesses to reduce their biodiversity impacts?

These questions were addressed on Tuesday, 10 March 2026, at the event called Businesses as Key Actors in Halting Biodiversity Loss. The event focused on the key messages of IPBES’ recently published Business and Biodiversity Assessment and their relevance for Finland. The event was organised by the Ministry of the Environment in cooperation with the Finnish Nature Panel, the Finnish Environment Institute (Syke), One Planet, the Climate Leadership Coalition, and the National IPBES working group.

The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) published its Business and Biodiversity Assessment in February 2026. The assessment synthesises scientific knowledge on how all businesses depend on and impact biodiversity and nature’s contributions to people, and how these impacts and dependencies create risks and opportunities for business activities.

The assessment presents key methods for measuring, reporting and managing business impacts and dependencies on biodiversity, and identifies actions through which governments and other societal actors can create an enabling environment that aligns what is profitable for businesses with what is beneficial for biodiversity and society. The Finnish Nature Panel published a related report highlighting the most relevant findings and recommendations from a Finnish perspective for policymakers and business decision-makers. You may find the report at the Nature Panel’s website. 

• Luontopaneelin mietintö: Liiketoiminta vahvistamaan luonnon monimuotoisuutta (luontopaneeli.fi) Please note that the report is available only in Finnish.

During the March event, the interconnections between business activities and biodiversity in Finland were be explored together with researchers, business leaders, policymakers and key stakeholders. Introductory presentations were given by Eeva Primmer, IPBES Bureau member and Research director at the Finnish Environment Institute, and Janne Kotiaho, Chair of the Finnish Nature Panel.

The discussions were moderated by Tuuli Kaskinen, CEO of the Climate Leadership Coalition, Emma Kari, Partner at One Planet, and Leif Schulman, Director General of the Finnish Environment Institute.

Programme

• 1:00 pm Opening of the event
  Kirsi Marja Lonkila, IPBES National Focal Point, Ministry of the Environment
• 1:05 pm Key messages of the IPBES Business and Biodiversity Assessment
  Eeva Primmer, IPBES Bureau member, Research Director, Finnish Environment Institute (Syke)
• 1:15 pm Presentation of the Finnish Nature Panel’s report
  Janne Kotiaho, Chair, Finnish Nature Panel
• 1:25 pm Q&A
• 1:35 pm Panel discussion: Finance and risks
  Moderator: Tuuli Kaskinen, CEO, Climate Leadership Coalition
  Panellists:
  • Eeva Salmenpohja, Senior Vice President, Group Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainability, LocalTapiola Group
  • Karoliina Lindroos, Head of Responsible Investments, Ilmarinen
  • Kimmo Collander, Executive Director, The Finnish Landowners’ Organization
• 2:05 pm Panel discussion: Opportunities of nature value markets
  Moderator: Emma Kari, Partner, One Planet
  Panellists:
  • Nina Elomaa, Senior Vice President, Sustainability, S Group
  • Kati Ihamäki, Vice President, Sustainability at Fiskars Group
  • Virve Viertiö, Development Manager, Lassila & Tikanoja
• 2:35 pm Panel discussion: How can an enabling environment for businesses be created?
  Moderator: Leif Schulman, Chair of the National IPBES Working Group, Director General, Finnish Environment Institute (Syke)
  Panellists 
  • Tytti Tuppurainen, Member of the Parliament, Social Democratic Parliamentary Group
  • Antti Kurvinen, Member of the Parliament, Centre Party Parliamentary Group
  • Saara Sofia Sirén, Member of the Parliament, Parliamentary Group of the National Coalition Party
• 3:10 pm Closing remarks
  Kirsi Marja Lonkila, Ministry of the Environment
• 3:15 pm Livestream ends and coffee service begins
• 4:00 pm End of the event