Biodiversity is rapidly rising up in the agenda for the fashion and textile sector. Nature loss is no longer an abstract issue happening “somewhere else”, it is unfolding in the landscapes where fashion’s raw materials are grown, grazed and harvested. While biodiversity impacts are often concentrated deep in the supply chain, at raw material and fibre production (Tier 4), these risks are increasingly flowing upstream and becoming relevant for brands, manufacturers and retailers across all tiers.

This introductory webinar, delivered by UKFT in partnership with Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network and the UK Business & Biodiversity Forum (UKBBF), is designed to demystify biodiversity and show fashion and textile businesses how and where to begin.

The session will begin by setting the context for biodiversity in fashion and textiles, explaining what biodiversity is, why biodiversity loss matters for businesses today, and how nature and climate risks are deeply interconnected. The UK Business & Biodiversity Forum will then provide a clear, accessible overview of the fast-evolving regulatory and policy landscape, outlining what emerging requirements, and environmental due diligence mean in practice, and why impacts that sit deep in the supply chain are becoming increasingly relevant for brands, manufacturers and retailers at every tier.

WFEN and UKBBF will explore how businesses can take practical first steps to address biodiversity across their supply chains, from understanding fibre-related risks to engaging beyond Tier 1 suppliers. Drawing on real-world examples from regenerative and Wildlife Friendly wool and cotton supply chains, the session will show how early action at the raw-material level helps identify priority risks and landscapes, strengthens supplier relationships, builds resilience, and supports credible nature-positive leadership. The webinar will also introduce the Nature Positive Business Pledge as a simple, practical framework to help organisations move from awareness to action.

This session is suitable for brands, retailers, manufacturers, suppliers and fibre producers, as well as any business beginning its sustainability journey or looking to future-proof its strategy in response to increasing biodiversity-related risks and opportunities.

About Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network (WFEN)

WFEN is a global organisation working with businesses and producer communities to protect biodiversity through wildlife-friendly and regenerative practices. WFEN supports companies, particularly in fashion and textiles, to strengthen supply-chain resilience, deliver verified nature-positive outcomes, and align commercial activity with the needs of ecosystems and local livelihoods.

Christine Lippai WFEN

Christine Lippai is the Executive Director of Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network (WFEN), a US-based NGO that focuses on conserving endangered and threatened wildlife species and their habitats through biodiversity certification programs that also contribute to the economic vitality of rural communities. Christine is a trained zoologist with over 30 years of extensive experience creating incentives for wildlife conservation and landscape management. She has championed the interface between conservation needs and community livelihoods in several countries, including Madagascar, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. Christine has a strong passion for finding solutions for sustainable livelihoods, coexistence with wildlife, and biodiversity conservation.

Violette Toffier WFEN

Violette Toffier is Project Coordinator at the Wildlife Friendly Enterprise Network (WFEN), where she oversees textile initiatives focused on regenerative and wildlife-friendly fibre production. Working across cotton, wool and leather supply chains in India and Patagonia, she supports fashion and textile businesses to understand biodiversity impacts, manage supply-chain risk and engage more effectively with fibre sourcing beyond Tier 1. Her work bridges practical delivery with strategic insight for brands navigating rising sustainability expectations.

UK Business & Biodiversity Forum (UKBBF) The UKBBF is a business-to-business hub dedicated to mainstreaming biodiversity into business decision-making. We help organizations understand that nature is not just a compliance issue but a core economic dependency. Through our “Nature Positive Business Pledge,” we provide a practical framework for companies to assess impacts, set SMART targets, and report on progress, bridging the gap between high-level policy and operational execution.

Paul Harrison – Director, UKBBF Paul is a strategic international executive and systems thinker with over 25 years of experience in driving commercial success through the integration of strategy and governance. A former senior UN executive, he conceived and led the US$131 million Global Wildlife Programme. Paul now operates at the highest levels of international business, specializing in translating global environmental challenges into actionable business strategies that deliver measurable commercial returns.

Keith Mellen – Director, UKBBF Keith combines a 20-year background in the environmental charity sector with 25 years as Managing Director of Anne Veck Limited, an award-winning SME. His business is the only SME in the world (at the time of writing) to have its nature strategy endorsed by Business for Nature’s “It’s Now for Nature” programme. Keith brings a practical, hands-on perspective to the forum, demonstrating how businesses can successfully blend profitability with purpose to become nature positive.

ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY 101 SERIES

To go alongside its Sustainability 101 Series, the UK Fashion & Textile Association (UKFT) is hosting a programme of webinars focused on sustainability topics such as standards, Green Claims, Greenwashing and Due Diligence. This is part of UKFT’s goal to simplify the journey towards sustainability and help companies make the right choices by providing unbiased, industry-specific guidance.

Note: This webinar can be watched back on demand and accessible to UKFT members only