REACT

At the Future Forest Forum 2023, our innovation lab was presented, ideas for charitable projects were collected and a panel discussion was held with Voelkel and ForTomorrow, two companies that focus on the common good. Approaches to rewarding the forest's ecosystem services were discussed.

At this public welfare workshop format in October 2023, (potential) start-ups addressed public welfare-oriented topics such as "The forest as a cultural asset", the importance of the water balance in the forest and the concept of the sponge forest.

In addition, our first monthly consultation hour took place at the Startup Weekend, where we provided advice and support to (potential) founders. The second consultation hour entitled "Innovations for nature conservation for the common good" took place digitally in December 2023. The focus was on professional input, networking and the opportunity to discuss questions and topics in a smaller group. The target group was start-ups and stakeholders from our community.

Internally, we have organised workshops for the common good in which existing ECG accounting approaches and sustainability standards in the NatureTech sector were discussed and further developed. As a result of these workshops, we have developed the following definition for companies and start-ups orientated towards the common good in the context of NatureTech and nature-based solutions:

According to the FFI definition, companies that are oriented towards the common good are companies ...

...which prioritise the public good aspect and the associated impact goals.
...that observe economic framework and hygiene factors, but do not aim to maximise profits.
...whose profits are largely reinvested in order to achieve their sustainable goal.
...that are managed in an entrepreneurial, responsible and transparent manner in line with ESG criteria.

Based on the results of the workshop, we have designed a guide that we will publish soon as a support programme for start-up projects that are oriented towards the common good.

Finally, we have initiated two pilot projects in the areas of "sponge forests" and "reservoirs", which will be implemented in 2024 with various partners, including NABU Saxony-Anhalt.