The Finnish Food and Drink Industries’ Federation (ETL), together with its member companies, has initiated the development of an industry-wide Nature Handbook. The handbook will set a shared direction for advancing biodiversity work within the food industry and provide companies with practical tools, methodologies, and concrete examples to support their efforts.
The initiative builds on ETL’s 2023 report on the importance of biodiversity to the sector, as well as a member survey conducted in spring 2025, which mapped companies’ progress and needs related to biodiversity work.
“Many companies have already integrated nature-related actions into their operations, but they are calling for shared practices and concrete examples to strengthen their work,” says Mari Raininko, Senior Regulatory Affairs Managert at ETL.
The handbook will compile the key perspectives of the food industry’s nature-related work, define shared objectives and guidelines for promoting biodiversity, and highlight good practices and business-relevant tools. It will also identify barriers and opportunities for accelerating biodiversity action, including incentives and emerging financing and collaboration models.
In addition, the handbook will examine how cooperation across the Finnish food value chain can enhance biodiversity. Because nature impacts are inherently local, solutions to halt and reverse biodiversity loss must be tailored to local conditions. For this reason, practical examples, context-appropriate measures, and cross-actor collaboration are essential.
The goal is to support companies in integrating biodiversity considerations into business operations and decision-making while strengthening cooperation across the industry.
“Together with our member companies, we are defining an ambitious direction for Finland’s food industry in its biodiversity efforts. At the same time, we are enhancing collaboration across the sector,” Raininko says.
The handbook will be published in early 2026.
Further information
