Dr. Emīlija Veselova is an emerging expert in nature-positive business and economy.

For 8+ years, she researched how we can reach sustainability by incorporating natural non-human entities—such as organisms, species, and ecosystems—in design and decision-making processes.

In her doctoral research, Emīlija coined the designing with nature for sustainability approach by building integrative, cross-disciplinary links between design research ands practice, sustainability science, socio-ecological systems, systems thinking, ecology, and environmental ethics. Additionally, her research pioneered a novel systemic approach and typology for identifying natural nonhuman stakeholders and critically investigating the identification of natural nonhuman needs. 

Dr. Emīlija Veselova holds a Doctor of Arts degree and a Master of Arts degree in design. She has completed a postdoctoral research period at the Department of Design, Aalto University.

In her studies and career, she has collaborated with the European Commission, Finnish Prime Ministers office, Finnish Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Transportation and Communications and Ministry of Economic Affairs and Employment.

Her specialties are:

• Nature-positive strategy and innovation.

• Nature-inclusive processes.

• Actionable nature-inclusive approaches and tools.

• Capacity-building for nature-positive transitions.