Piia Pessala
Executive Director, Biodiversity Lead, Sweco
Piia Pessala is responsible for developing and implementing biodiversity-related consulting services at Sweco Finland, working with a multidisciplinary team of experts. In 2025, she leads Sweco Group’s international Urban Insight initiative. These reports provide society, businesses, and decision-makers with the knowledge needed to understand and address current and future sustainability challenges.
Page pulished: 6th October 2025
Education
Piia began her studies at the University of Helsinki in the Department of Applied Chemistry and Microbiology, graduating with a Master of Science in Agriculture and Forestry in 1999. Her desire to understand natural processes and apply knowledge to practical solutions led her deeper into research, earning her PhD from the same department in 2009. Her academic and research background spans microbiology, chemistry, limnology, soil-plant sciences, and biotechnology—giving her a strong foundation to bridge science and practice.
Career
In November 2024, Piia became Executive Director at Sweco Finland, leading biodiversity efforts. Before joining Sweco, she worked nearly 20 years at Gaia Consulting Oy, a Finnish sustainability consultancy. She held various roles including expert, project manager, business director, and management team member. Gaia Consulting merged with Sweco in 2021. Piia’s career began at the Finnish Environment Institute, where she researched harmful substances from 2000 to 2006.
Leading biodiversity work at Sweco
Piia’s mission is to ensure biodiversity is integrated into corporate strategies and societal development. She develops services that help clients identify nature-related risks and opportunities and supports organizations in promoting biodiversity. Her work includes strategic consulting and building practical tools and models.
International collaboration is central to her role—bringing together experts from different countries to shape shared views on integrating biodiversity into business and urban planning. These insights are shared widely through Urban Insight reports, which offer tools and examples to support decision-making across sectors.
Piia’s strength lies in combining her broad scientific background, extensive consulting experience, and deep sustainability expertise into practical solutions that benefit companies, municipalities, and government agencies.
Publications
Piia actively writes for Sweco’s blog on biodiversity and sustainability.
One Step Forward, Two Steps Back at COP16? (11/2024)
She also leads Sweco’s international biodiversity-themed Urban Insight reports:
1/2025: Five Key Trends Shaping Europe’s Biodiversity Work – read the report
2/2025: Biodiversity: Key Factors for Future-Proof Business – read the report
Two questions for Piia
What sparked your interest in corporate responsibility and sustainability?
“I’ve always felt a strong need to stand up for the vulnerable. Humans dominate and often overburden the environment. It’s important to rethink this relationship and learn to live in balance with nature rather than exploit it. Since nature can’t defend itself, we need people to be its voice and make choices that support its wellbeing.”
What is the biggest challenge for companies in biodiversity and sustainability work today?
“The biggest challenge lies in value chains: their transparency and understanding are often lacking. Every company needs materials and procurement, but few know exactly where they come from or their impacts. I encourage persistence—sometimes the origin information is just one email away!
Another challenge is short-term quarterly economics, which clashes with biodiversity protection that requires long-term commitment. Real change demands courage from both companies and society to view nature as a long-term value, not just a cost in the next report.”
Sweco
Sweco is Europe’s leading engineering and architecture consultancy, providing solutions for the sustainable development of cities and societies. Sweco’s sustainability consultants in Finland support their clients in promoting biodiversity and achieving sustainable development goals.
Further information:
Piia Pessala
Strategic planning