On 7 May, the We Value Nature partners (WBCSD, IUCN, ICAEW in association with the Capitals Coalition) organized a Food & Beverage Roundtable to gain more insight into how companies in the Food & Beverage sector deal with natural capital-related risks and opportunities and what they see as the biggest challenges within the sector, to get a better understanding of what type of support companies need to meet these challenges and seize opportunities. Nature^Squared was asked to help organize and facilitate this Roundtable.
Needs: Case studies, internal support, streamlining
There appeared to be a great need for case studies – how are other companies acting upon natural capital? What challenges do they face? And what lessons can be drawn from these experiences? Several companies indicated that it is very instructive not only to present success stories but also to tell the honest story. The professionals moreover indicated that they face barriers in creating internal support. A clear revenue model is important, as is convincing communication with management. Also, the participants voiced a need for a clear overview of all the different natural capital initiatives and approaches – what already exists and how are these initiatives and approaches related?
In the coming period, We Value Nature will be working on the outcomes of this Roundtable and developing specific training materials that meet the needs of the Food & Beverage industry.
