During the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) officially launched the Business 4 Land (B4L) Champions Council. This council, composed of global corporate leaders, is a high-level coalition dedicated to advancing large-scale land restoration and enhancing drought resilience. The launch event, co-hosted by UNCCD and InTent, brought together champion members and partners for a dynamic and in-depth discussion on accelerating private sector action in sustainable land management.
The B4L Champions Council unites ten visionary leaders from diverse regions and industries, including food, fashion, and insurance. As a key high-level advocacy platform under UNCCD's flagship B4L initiative, the council aims to mobilize corporate power to restore 1.5 billion hectares of degraded land by 2030. It also seeks to inspire more businesses to adopt "land-positive" and regenerative business models that generate economic value alongside environmental benefits.
The inaugural B4L champion members include: - Bayanjargal Byambasaikhan, Vice Chairman of the Business Council of Mongolia - Benedikt Bösel, Founder of Gut & Bösel - Birgit Cameron, Co-Founder of Patagonia Provisions and CEO of B. Cameron Consulting - David Canassa, Executive Director of Votorantim Nature Reserves - Alexandre Capelli, Deputy Environmental Director of LVMH Group - Mathieu Dondain, General Manager of Nexira - Lorenzo Fattibene, Global Business Transformation Leader and Global Sustainable Insurance Leader at EY - Julie Greene, Chief Sustainability Officer of Olam Group - Adrienne de Malleray, Co-Founder of Genesis Soil Health - Maria Luiza de Oliveira Pinto e Paiva, Executive Vice President of Sustainability, Communications, and Brand at Suzano
At the Davos launch event, Dr. Yasmine Fouad, Executive Secretary of UNCCD, stated: "The B4L Champions Council represents a pivotal shift in how we address land degradation—placing the private sector at the forefront of sustainable land management and putting people at the center. Land restoration is not just a government priority but an essential requirement for global economic development."
Representing the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at the launch, Dr. Osama Ibrahim Faqeeha, Deputy Minister of Environment and Advisor to the COP16 Bureau, served as the inaugural Chair of the B4L Champions Council. He remarked: "Land restoration is a wise investment in our shared future. By launching the Business 4 Land Champions Council, we are creating a platform for private sector leaders to make commitments, collaborate, and catalyze tangible real-world impact. Every company can become a land champion."
The chairmanship will integrate the council's work into the UNCCD Conference of the Parties (COP) processes and align corporate leadership with national and global commitments to land restoration and drought resilience. The Mongolian COP17 Bureau, represented by Mr. Munkhtamir Batbayar, Deputy Minister of Environment, will assume the chairmanship in August 2026 and continue to provide leadership in the following years.
Deputy Minister Batbayar emphasized: "The Champions Council is not a symbolic mechanism but is established to lead private sector action in land restoration and drought resilience. From Mongolia's perspective, we want businesses to engage in achieving three transitions: from pledges to measurable land outcomes, from fragmented pilots to investable project pipelines, and from 'do no harm' to creating positive land value. By aligning with our 'Grassland Action Agenda,' the council can drive collective leadership, leverage markets, influence peers, and foster healthy competition in land governance."
Mr. Bayanjargal Byambasaikhan, Vice Chairman of the Business Council of Mongolia, added: "We aim to bring the necessary funding and technology to businesses to accelerate land restoration while safeguarding lives and livelihoods."
As global attention turns to the upcoming UNCCD COP17 in Mongolia, the establishment of the B4L Champions Council marks a significant milestone—formally placing land at the core of corporate strategy. Amidst multiple global challenges and intense competition for resources and priorities, corporate investment in regenerative, land-positive solutions is more critical than ever to build a sustainable future for people, nature, and the economy.