Background The loss of biodiversity is a crucial and urgent challenge. It is believed that the current rate of species extinction, due to human influences, is up to 1 000 times higher than the natural extinction rate. To tackle European biodiversity loss, the European Commission’s 2006 Biodiversity Communication identified the engagement of the private sector in partnerships for biodiversity conservation as a key action. The engagement of the private sector will contribute to sustainable ecosystem services and goods upon which Europe’s sustainable development depends. The Commission, Member States and many stakeholders have all identified the need for the integration of biodiversity criteria into business decision-making and corporate governance as a priority. This need was clearly expressed at a high-level conference on business and biodiversity in Portugal in 2007, which was attended by more than 400 decision makers. In the ‘Message from Lisbon on business and biodiversity’ (2007) the participants stated that “the primary need to promote an even greater awareness of the importance of biodiversity throughout the business sector as well as consumers, to make knowledge, information and relevant expertise available to business and assist companies in shaping their commitments to biodiversity”. The message also emphasised that the major focus should be on micro-, small- and medium-size companies. Furthermore, the Commission committed to establishing a technical facility to support the European Business and Biodiversity Initiative, which was launched under the Portuguese Presidency of the EU in 2007. Objectives The European Business and Biodiversity Campaign project aimed to: Improve the awareness and understanding among corporate decision makers about the impacts of business operations and about business opportunities in relation to biodiversity conservation; Promote biodiversity partnerships between business, NGOs and other stakeholders; Improve the quality of biodiversity partnerships between business, NGOs and other stakeholders; Provide information about existing business and biodiversity initiatives, such as the EU Business and Biodiversity Initiative/Technical Platform, IUCN Countdown 2010, Germany’s business and biodiversity initiative and other national and regional initiatives; Disseminate information and demonstrate methodologies and tools that help businesses to assess and mitigate their impacts on biodiversity; Refine the global challenge of loss of biodiversity at the local level and motivate and support concrete action at local and regional level by SMEs. Results The project carried out a wide range of awareness raising activities totalling around 200 events and presentations. Biodiversity checks were implemented in 30 companies from various sectors and of different sizes, such as the automotive manufacturer Daimler, the tour operator TUI, energy company Iberdrola and the outdoors outfitter VAUDE, as well as the extraction industry in Germany. The aim of these biodiversity checks was to evaluate biodiversity issues in the companies and to give recommendations in order to compensate any ecological destruction. Biodiversity checks have become a success story for the project beneficiary, GNF. After the project end the beneficiary signed contracts with several companies for the checks and five permanent jobs were created. Another success story was the landscape auctions. In total 12 landscape auctions were held in Germany, Spain and The Netherlands. These function in the same way as normal auctions, but bids are made for elements of the landscape or local biodiversity. The auctions were very successful events and a good door opener to discuss biodiversity issues with companies and to increase understanding on the issue. Auctions were moreover not limited to landscape conservation but also included such activities as the protection of bats and the planting of trees. Forums on biodiversity were held in six European regions with the aim of engaging SMEs in biodiversity protection. The purpose was again to increase understanding on the abstract issue of biodiversity and to underline the reality of biodiversity loss. By the end of the project such activities as the biodiversity checks and landscape auctions had been very well taken up by the private sector and are likely to be continued after LIFE funding. In addition, the beneficiaries will maintain the established contacts, particularly with companies and NGOs, and will attend international conferences and events. The beneficiaries, with the support of the German Association for Environmental Management Professionals, will continue capacity building for auditors and certified companies in Germany and the rest of the EU. Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report (see "Read more" section).