Business Ecosystems Training

Business Ecosystems Training (BET) course is a freely-available capacity building program to increase the knowledge and understanding of the links between ecosystems and business. The objective of BET course is to equip companies with the skills they need to better manage their impacts and dependencies on ecosystems and the services that they provide. The program draws on the wealth of WBCSD materials, methodologies and tools that have been developed over the past 10 years.

Implementation

Adaptive management
Certification / standards
Ecosystem management
Mitigation
Offsetting
Policy reform
Procurement

Methods

Cost-based valuation
Cost-benefit analysis
Impact assessment
Institutional analysis
Multi-criteria decision analysis/decision-support tools
Natural capital accounting
Off-setting
Risk assessment
Social impact assessment
Valuation: monetary

Constraints

BET is, in principle, a linear training program, i.e. the audience needs to follow each module one after the other. However, the modules are developed in such a way to allow them to be used individually if necessary.

Product requirements

BET has been designed to get employees from different functions and business units thinking not only about ecosystems and the services they provide, but also how their organization can impact or depend on them. It is structured as four modules, which gradually go into more detail on the topic, depending on the needs of the learner.

Advantages

BET has been developed by the WBCSDin collaboration with KPMGand an advisory committee that brings together some of the world's largest companies, NGOs, UN related organizations, and academic institutions. This collaborative development process makes BET a unique tool for learning about the links between ecosystems and business.

Quality Assurance

Own QA and testing
The structure and content development of BET was governed by an Advisory Committee consisting of WBCSD member companies and Regional Network partners, NGOs, UN and academic institutions.

Links

http://www.wbcsd.org/bet.aspx

Contact details

Violaine Berger berger@wbcsd.org

Business Ecosystems Training

Associated Oppla members