Large_WW180279

Who we are

WWF Impact Ventures is a global program of the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF) that supports impact investors and conservation businesses in their efforts to have positive impacts on biodiversity and nature.​

Original_WW25045

"We are the first generation that has a clear picture of the value of nature and the grave situation we are facing. We may also be the last generation that can do something about it."

- Living Planet Report, 2018

Our history and goals

WWF Impact Ventures was established in 2013 for supporting the development of market-based solutions for conservation. The program aims to guide investors to the most impactful companies, to support conservation businesses, and to contribute to the development and growth of the impact investing industry.


The program works across WWF’s six major topics - forests, oceans, wildlife, food, climate & energy, and freshwater – and the five drivers of biodiversity loss – changes in land and sea use, direct exploitation of organisms, climate change, pollution, and invasion of alien species. ​


Our ultimate goals are to:​

  • Increase private investment for reversing the current trend of biodiversity loss​
  • Improve the state of the world’s biodiversity​


Until 2018, we supported over 40 small and growing businesses and helped to raise over USD 5 million in investments. The current focus is on supporting impact investors in their effort to select the most promising companies from a biodiversity impact perspective. The work with conservation businesses is currently on hold.

The Challenge

We live in an age of rapid and unprecedented planetary change. Our economic growth and standard of living is impacting nature and people around the globe. According to the most recent Living Planet Report, wildlife populations have declined on average by 69% since 1970 and humanity’s demand on natural resources overshoots the Earth’s biocapacity by at least 75%.


The mission of WWF is to stop degradation of the planet's natural environment and to build a future in which people live in harmony with nature. In 2022 WWF invested EUR 613 million in conservation work in nearly 100 countries.


WWF runs about 2,750 projects at any one time. Our organization has traditionally relied on philanthropy and corporate partnerships to address environmental issues, but these sources of funding cannot meet the scale of the challenges we face. To reverse the decline in biodiversity by 2030, the world needs to spend USD 722-967 billion per year, an average of USD 711 billion per year more than what was spent in 2020. This only highlights the need for new, more innovative and ambitious approaches that can bend the curve of biodiversity loss and generate more impact. Investing in impactful ventures is part of the answer.

Our Team

Sbn_crop

Sybille Borner

Senior Biodiversity Advisor
Juanita4

Juanita Olano Marín

Biodiversity Consultant

Contact

We look forward to hearing from you!


Thank you for visiting our website. If you are interested in collaborating with us or want to learn more about our work, do not hesitate to contact us directly via:

info@wwf-impact.ventures


For inquiries regarding the general activities and programs of WWF Switzerland and WWF International, please refer to www.wwf.ch and www.panda.org, respectively.

Small_WW2106387