The second “Breakfast Inspiration Session” with a focus on Biodiversity, was held on the 23rd of May 2023 at ASN Impact Investors office.   

The workshop, organised by the NAB, the Impact Institute, the Dutch chapter of Impact for Breakfast and EVPA, was well attended by 50 professionals, including asset owners and managers, impact measurements’ experts and advisors. The objective of the workshop was to take a practical deep dive into Biodiversity from different perspectives; from emerging to developed markets; asset managers; asset owners; banks, and the ways each of them can make a positive contribution. 

The Impact Institute opened with a discussion on the various steps of the lifecycle of biodiversity investments and their framework for biodiversity impact measurements through data, continued by Pensioenfonds Rail & OV who outlined their journey to biodiversity investments and explained why biodiversity is important for institutional investors, and the investment opportunities to contribute positively. Triodos IM discussed the system changes needed to have positive impact and showed real-life cases from both the Bank and the IM activities; thereafter Triple Jump gave an overview of their investment in biodiversity-rich areas and outlined the archetypes of investable companies. Lastly, ASN Impact Investors disclosed the benefits of investments in biodiversity sectors from a social, financial and impact perspective, highlighting the importance of focusing on sectors rather than in asset classes. 

The Q&A session covered topics such as how to balance risk, return and impact; the role of blended finance; social and rights dimensions of nature protection; the limits and opportunities of existing biodiversity data and the sectors where opportunities for investments can be found, as regenerative organic agriculture.  

Key takeaways:  

• $8.4 trillion in investments are needed by 2050 to finance solutions to fight climate change, loss of nature, and land degradation  

• There are more than 43,000 listed companies worldwide… 0.01% do not harm biodiversity 

• Blended finance, a combination of investments and non-financial support, is most needed in developing economies 

• The topic is complex and nascent: start investing for positive impact now, do not wait for the perfect indicator, otherwise you'll be too late and will not be able to keep up with upcoming regulations 

• Portfolios can be built with a balance of net-positive and biodiversity-improving investments optimised for target returns 

• Cooperation is key! Partnering with knowledge experts and blended finance structures are tools that can lower barriers to biodiversity investments 

Download the presentations HERE. 

Here’s a list of additional materials related to the presentation: 

1. Pensioenfonds Rail & OV “RAIL & OV ON THE WAY TO BIODIVERSITY”: why biodiversity is a relevant topic for institutional investors such as Rail & OV (in Dutch and English) 

https://railov.nl/documents/838/Rail__OV_biodiversiteit_DEF.pdf  

https://railov.nl/documents/899/Rail__OV_biodiversiteit_Engels.pdf  

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2. Pensioenfonds Rail & OV “RAIL & OV ON THE WAY TO BIODIVERSITY”: Summary (in Dutch and English) 

https://railov.nl/documents/839/Rail__OV_biodiversiteit_samenvatting_DEF.pdf  

https://railov.nl/documents/900/Rail__OV_biodiversiteit_samenvatting_Engels.pdf  

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3. ASN Impact Investors “Impact Report 2022” (in English) 

https://beleggingsfondsen.asnbank.nl/nieuws-en-visie/impact-report-2022-asn-impact-investors-1.html