The economic activities of a company can exacerbate the direct drivers of biodiversity loss, such as land and sea use change, exploitation of natural resources, pollution, and the introduction of invasive alien species. Direct drivers have impacts on species and ecosystems while affecting people who rely on ecosystem services for their livelihood. In addition, the majority of the world’s largest companies have a significant dependency on nature across their direct operations.

Conversations about biodiversity have focused on ecological conservation efforts, habitat restoration, and on-the-ground fieldwork in specific locations. In recent years, biodiversity reporting frameworks that attempt to capture the total financial impact and dependency of individual corporations have begun to emerge. Frameworks such as TNFD, GRI 101, and ESRS E4 will shape corporate disclosure on how issuers impact and rely on biodiversity, illuminating the financial risks related to this dependence, and highlighting steps companies can and should take to mitigate their impact on biodiversity loss. Dr. Satyajit Bose, Associate Director of the Climate School’s Research Program on Sustainability Policy and Management and Professor of Professional Practice at SPS, will interview a panel of ecology, biodiversity, financial, and corporate disclosure experts about the challenges and potential for corporate management of natural capital.

Welcome Remarks: Dr. Steven Cohen is the Director of the Research Program on Sustainability Policy and Management at Columbia’s Climate School. He is a Professor in the Practice of Public Affairs at the Columbia University School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA), the Senior Vice Dean at the Columbia University School of Professional Studies (SPS), and the Program Director of the M.S. in Sustainability Management program at SPS and the MPA in Environmental Science and Policy program at SIPA.  From 2006 to 2018, he was the Executive Director of Columbia University’s Earth Institute.

Moderator: Dr. Satyajit Bose is the Associate Director of the Research Program on Sustainability Policy and Management at Columbia’s Climate School and Professor of Professional Practice in the M.S. in Sustainability Management program at ththanke Columbia University School of Professional Studies (SPS).

Panel

Adam Guerino, Associate portfolio manager, Nuveen.

Gillian Mollod is a Senior Manager at ICE (Intercontinental Exchange) where she sits on the product team within Sustainable Finance.

Dr. Viorel Popescu is a quantitative conservation scientist and wildlife ecologist whose research focuses on biodiversity monitoring, conservation planning, and understanding animal responses to human activities (focused on large carnivores and herpetofauna).

Ralph Schmidt is an adjunct professor at the Earth Institute of Columbia University, New York, and is also an advisor for a major international reforestation program for Haiti. His work with forests started in 1970 in Colombia.
RECEPTION

Light refreshments will be served at this event.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For further information please contact Lili Csorba, lcsorba@climate.columbia.edu (SUMA/SUSCI).

For additional information about program offerings at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies, please contact an Admissions Counselor at 212-854-9666 or inquire@sps.columbia.edu.

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