In 2022, public affairs experts at FIPRA Public Affairs provided training on EU policy processes for Beeazy, a charitable organisation in Poland, with the aim of protecting grasslands and insects.

Pollinators are critical for ecosystems and agriculture: 4-in-5 of the world’s plants are insect pollinated, so they need bees and other pollinators to reproduce. Therefore, action is needed to stop pollinator numbers declining.

Beeazy aims to restore insect populations by informing leaders and landowners about the importance of grasslands. Through the Little Forest Initiative, they call on landowners to limit the amount that they mow their land.

One of their goals is binding EU rules that better protect grasslands and ensure they are managed in a more environmentally friendly way. To this end, Beeazy requested assistance through Pro Bono Europe to help influence policymakers.

The Good Lobby matched them with FIPRA, a firm that advises businesses and organisations on political and regulatory processes.

Getting prepared to lobby at the EU level

Ana Londoño Botero and Eliot Goarant from FIPRA’s Green Transition Practice explained which advocacy processes were available and identified the key policymakers and stakeholders that Beeazy should engage with.

In terms of policy monitoring, FIPRA provided information and guidance on two main milestones at the EU level:

• The revised EU pollinator Initiative that aims to establish an effective and integrated approach to reverse the decline of wild pollinators;
• and the European Citizen’s ‘Save the bees’ Initiative, which has gotten more than one million signatures.

“The assistance provided through Pro Bono Europe was very helpful, and showed us how unprepared we were to engage with the bureaucratic structures of the EU. FIPRA was very well oriented in the matter. Their know-how was easily transferred to my team, who didn’t have such an understanding of lobbying and political processes.”

Władysław Kastory, Beeazy

Building a persuasive narrative

Once a strategy was decided, FIPRA and Beeazy defined a clear narrative that was used for an open letter to European Parliament Members and in other communications. FIPRA also supported Beeazy by providing feedback and ideas for media articles that aimed to raise awareness on the issue.

More generally, FIPRA’s input made Beeazy rethink their entire advocacy strategy, to be better prepared for future policy activities.

Thanks to their positive experience, FIPRA is very motivated to work on more projects through Pro Bono Europe: “We would recommend that all public affairs professionals find some time in their busy agendas to work with purpose-driven organisations. They will find that it is not only gratifying to help a good cause, but that they will also learn a lot in the process.”

  Eliot Goarant, FIPRA

Are you working on environmental conservation projects in Europe and want support? Or perhaps you have the expertise to support on a pro bono basis?

Get in touch with Pro Bono Europe and we can match you with the perfect partner.