WBCSD And EU Food Group Partner on Regenerative Agriculture

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) and One Planet Business for Biodiversity (OP2B) have partnered with the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Food to implement a blended finance pilot for regenerative agriculture in the East of England, with plans for replication across Europe.

By addressing ongoing constraints within the European regenerative agriculture sector, the partnership aims to enhance sustainability while providing equitable funding for upcoming initiatives.

How the finance model works

Operationally, the agreement defines cost-sharing responsibilities for the transition, ensuring that farmers do not shoulder the financial risks of altering their practices entirely on their own. Under this framework, farmers who participate in the model will gain access to targeted financial support to advance regenerative agriculture initiatives such as adopting reduced tillage, investing in cover crops and utilising more diverse crop rotations. 

Meanwhile, corporations and financial institutions will offer investment pathways aimed at strengthening supply chains, fostering sustainable soils and generating verifiable climate and nature outcomes.

By 2030, this framework aims to transition 1,645 farms and nearly 272,000 hectares of land, representing 40% of the region's arable acreage, to regenerative agricultural practices. This initiative focuses on five major crops: wheat, spring and winter barley, oats and rapeseed. To achieve these goals, the model incorporates measures such as reduced tillage, cover crops, diversified crop rotations, organic fertilisation and on-farm biodiversity enhancements.

Conceptualised in 2025 by One Planet Business for Biodiversity (OP2B), this farmer-focused transition financial model was specifically designed for the East of England. It was later chosen under EIT Food’s 2025 Expression of Interest as part of the Resilient Agriculture Portfolio, which provides deliverables to European farms, crops and farmers. The initiative is currently sustained through a one-year, co-financed partnership between EIT Food and WBCSD-OP2B with a total budget of 185,000 euros.

Collaborators provide insight

Stefania Avanzini, Director, Agriculture and Food and OP2B, WBCSD shares: “OP2B was built on the conviction that collective corporate action can transform European agriculture.

“By aligning the sourcing strategies and financial commitments of our member companies, we create the conditions for transition to become viable at scale. 

“This gives farmers the predictability they need and financial institutions the confidence to engage. The East of England is where we are putting that model to the test, with the ambition of demonstrating its value for the rest of Europe.”

Richard Zaltzman, CEO of EIT Food, adds: “The East of England pilot marks an important step for EIT Food in integrating a finance model with strong potential for replication and adaptation across our growing portfolio of landscapes in Europe.

“It shows how targeted co financing can turn a well designed transition model into a practical tool for farmers and financial institutions, and it strengthens our ability to bring this approach to other regions facing similar challenges.”

Belén Montoya Sancho, who heads Sustainable Sourcing Lead for Nestlé Europe, as a partner of OP2B also spoke about the partnership, saying: “Since 2021, Nestlé has been investing in advancing regenerative agriculture practices in the EoE, demonstrating the value of landscape-level collaboration. 

“The partnership with EIT through OP2B offers a strong opportunity to attract the additional investment needed to further accelerate the transition to regenerative agriculture and build a more resilient supply chain.”

A few of the other companies that belong to OP2B include IKEA, Kering, L’Oréal, LVMH, McCain Foods, PepsiCo and Unilever.