Tandem Global Highlights Restoration Partnership as an Example of a Model for Corporate Funding for Biodiversity
Document released at COP17 explores how corporate funding, conservation expertise and public land management can work together to support lasting ecological outcomes
BETHESDA, MD, November 10, 2026 – Tandem Global has released a new paper, Biodiversity Assurance Model: Planning and Managing Nature Investments for Lasting Results, featuring its work with to support restoration of a globally rare ecosystem along Lake Michigan in Northwest Indiana. The paper illustrates how a structured approach to corporate funding for biodiversity can connect business objectives with ecological priorities, partner accountability, and measurable, long-term outcomes. Download the paper here.
The model was presented and the paper released during an event at the Business and Finance hub at COP17, the United Nations’ global biodiversity conference, in Yerevan, Armenia on October 23: “From Corporate Funding to Landscape Impact: Restoring a Globally Rare Ecosystem,” moderated by Anna Willingshofer, Chief Science and Innovation Officer of Tandem Global.
Case Study: Lake Michigan Dune and Swale Ecosystem Restoration Program
The featured case study focuses on a four-year, $1.5 million Lake Michigan dune and swale ecosystem restoration program. The initiative brings together corporate funding, conservation science, public land-management authorities and local implementation capacity to restore and manage approximately 404 hectares (998 acres) of rare dune and swale habitat within Northwest Indiana’s Lake Michigan watershed.
Tandem Global structured the initiative around shared ecological objectives and clearly defined partner roles. The partnership includes the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Lake County Parks and Recreation, and The Nature Conservancy of Indiana, combining their respective expertise in conservation priorities, land management, restoration and technical support.
“Corporate contributions to nature can do more when it is connected to established ecological priorities, capable implementation partners and clear accountability for results,” said Willingshofer. “Our work in Northwest Indiana is a practical example of how those elements can be built in from the outset, helping partners coordinate their efforts and track progress toward shared and measurable restoration objectives.”
A Framework for Aligning Corporate Funding with Local Conservation Priorities
The paper outlines five elements of the Tandem Global Biodiversity Assurance Model: ecological credibility, delivery capacity, accountability, evidence and durability. Together, these elements offer a framework for aligning corporate funding with local conservation priorities, defining responsibilities across partners, documenting implementation and ecological response, and establishing stewardship arrangements to sustain results beyond an initial funding period.
Rather than focusing solely on the amount of funding provided or reporting results after implementation, the model emphasizes planning for accountability and evidence from the beginning. The case study demonstrates how this approach can help connect corporate biodiversity commitments with the organizations, expertise and long-term management needed to deliver restoration across a complex landscape.
Discussions at COP 17 centered on the private sector focused on de-risking corporate contributions for ecological restoration as one tool to bridge the significant funding gap that exists to implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Tandem Global’s Biodiversity Assurance Model is one such approach to de-risking and assuring metrics and impact.
Download the paper here.
