Hans Biemans, Head of CSR Business Development, Rabobank, Netherlands

What do you and your company do in the Biodiversity & Ecosystem Finance sector?
Rabobank Group is a full-range financial services provider founded on cooperative principles. We are a global leader in Food and Agri financing and in sustainability-oriented banking. This combination is very important. Food and Agrisectors are high impact sectors when it comes to biodiversity and ecosystems.

How well do you believe the sector is performing in engaging the corporate world? 
The companies that have most impact on biodiversity and ecosystems are not just multinationals who have professional environmental risk managers and CSR officers to engage with on a corporate level. The majority of companies in the food and agrisector are SME's (sometimes subsidiaries of multinationals) and farmers. The engagement success of the financial sector depends largely on the (trained) abilities of normal relationship managers in the field to have a succesful dialogue with these smaller clients on risks and opportunities related to biodiversity and ecosystems, if necessary combined with the right incentives.

What is the biggest challenge facing the sector in the short term (1-3 years)?
Creating a level playing field for the application of sustainability principles amongst all financial institutions active in high impact sectors. Creating an awareness amongst NGO representatives and scientists that these standards must be used and understood by normal banking professionals at the low "sustainability competence levels". Their first small step towards a better world does not bring us to the best world at once but makes such a big difference if standing still is the alternative.

What is the biggest challenge for the sector in the longer term (4-6 years)? 
Sustainability linked performance management. The financial sector still has to go a long way towards the end goal.

What do you think are the most exciting innovations in this area at the moment?
Assets Under Engagement. Components of ecosystems have no voice and cannot defend their rights. Engagement services for investors play that role in a modern way. Many other sustainable innovations in the financial sector are niche products, but their purpose is raising the sense of urgency.

How can Biodiversity & Ecosystem Finance attract more investment?
Price the components (and sell them?).