The Community of Practice Business and Biodiversity brought companies together to share knowledge and form new coalitions for biodiversity restoration. 

Client Netherlands Enterprise Agency
Duration 2012 – 2014

The Community of Practice Business and Biodiversity brought companies together to share knowledge and form new coalitions for biodiversity restoration.

Context

Within this Community of Practice, companies dedicated to improving biodiversity shared insights and learned from one another’s strategies. Participants included companies that depend on nature and have an impact on it, such as Kruidenier Food Groep and Heineken, as well as companies that only have an impact, such as Heijmans and Eneco. There were also companies that primarily have a positive impact, such as the green roof company Leven Op Daken and the seaweed farm Hortimare.

Objective

Accelerating the transition regarding businesses and biodiversity by

• Learning from each other's practices
• Forming networks and new coalitions
• Dialogue with government policy makers and knowledge institutes

Process approach

New partnerships have emerged, and sharing knowledge about the relationship between businesses and ecosystems has accelerated the transition. NextGreen facilitated the interactive segments of the meetings led by RVO. We contributed ideas regarding the agenda and the speakers to be invited. Participants also contributed to the preparations. RVO and NextGreen jointly produced the final publication, which alternates between substantive chapters on lessons learned and practical stories from each participant.

The Companies and Biodiversity CoP led to the creation of a new CoP in the financial sector (through participant ASN Bank) and to the Green Deal on Green Roofs (through participant Leven op Daken).

Participants

Het Anker Marina, Antropia Conference Center, ASN Bank, Brabant Water, Eneco, Heijmans, Heineken, Hortimare Sea Farm, Interface Carpets, Kruidenier Foodservices, Leven op Daken, Tata Steel, Verwolde Estate

Services and activities

Establish and lead the CoP | Co-facilitate 10 sessions | Organize 2 broader meetings | Support the systems study | Produce a publication