Our mission and history
Our story
In September 2020, a group of 26* pioneering financial institutions launched the Finance for Biodiversity Pledge, calling for urgent action on biodiversity and recognising the critical role of finance in reversing nature loss. Several of these institutions were already collaborating as a finance community, under the EU Business@Biodiversity Platform.
The Pledge was the first global initiative to unite financial institutions on biodiversity, with commitments to: collaborate and share knowledge, engage with companies, assess biodiversity impact, set targets, and report publicly on progress.
Foundation established in 2021
To support signatories and accelerate collaboration, the Finance for Biodiversity (FfB) Foundation was founded in 2021 under the leadership of Anita de Horde (Executive Director) and Anne-Marie Bor.
The first four working groups focused on company engagement, impact assessment, target setting and public policy advocacy. Later, the positive impact working group was launched, with more groups added in 2025.
All working groups are coordinated jointly by co-chairs from member institutions together with the FfB Secretariat. This co-chair model remains the cornerstone of the Foundation’s bottom-up process, ensuring strong member ownership and collaborative leadership.
In April 2022, the FfB Advisory Board was established to advise on strategy and progress.
These collaborative spaces, and the unique guidance developed by each dedicated working group, continue to be the foundation of the Finance for Biodiversity.
Where we are today
Today, the FfB Foundation – an independent non-profit organisation – unites around 200 global financial institutions as signatories of the FfB Pledge. Some 90 members of the Foundation are actively engaged in peer learning and collaboration in FfB working groups, building ongoing guidance and frameworks for the financial sector on integrating nature into strategies, investments and ESG policies.
FfB plays a critical and unique role in supporting financial institutions to act on nature loss and drive positive impact, as well as advocating for world leaders to take decisive action to halt and reverse biodiversity loss this decade.
Together, we are shaping a financial system that values and protects nature.
Our mission
Biodiversity faces urgent threats. Financial institutions both depend on and impact nature, facing growing risks if they fail to act – but they also have the power to drive change. We empower the finance sector to integrate biodiversity into strategies and decision-making through peer learning, collaboration, and the development of guidance. Our core purpose is to align financial activities and investments with nature recovery by reducing negative impacts, increasing positive contributions, and advocating for policy and systemic change by:
Our vision
We envision a future where financial institutions have mitigated their negative impact and enhanced their positive impact on nature, and where they contribute to the systemic changes needed to advance a nature-positive economy and a world in which humanity lives in harmony with nature by 2050.
*ACTIAM N.V., Achmea Investment Management, AEGON Nederland N.V., Allianz France, ASN Bank, ASR Nederland, Bank J. Safra Sarasin, Bankinter, AXA Group, Groupe Caisse des Dépôts, Domini Impact Investments LLC, Etica Sgr – Responsible Investments, HSBC Global Asset Management, Karner Blue Capital, Mirova, New Forests Pty Ltd, NN Investment Partners, NWB Bank, Piraeus Bank, Coöperatieve Rabobank U.A., Robeco, Triodos Bank, Triple Jump, UFF African Agri Investments, Vancity Investment Management and Volksbank