About us

Questionmark is an independent think tank. We contribute towards a healthy, sustainable, fair and animal-friendly food system.

We conduct action-oriented research and provide advice - for policy development or practical business conduct. Our work is mostly unsolicited and sometimes solicited. 

We target, connect and partner with industries, governments, civil society, media and scientists across European countries.

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Strategy

Action-oriented research and advice to develop and disseminate solutions for a future proof food system. From farm to fork and from personal health to planetary ecosystems, from human rights to animal welfare. Our research and advice helps decision makers in and around the European food sector understand the urgent challenges the food system faces and develop and disseminate new solutions. 

Looking for solutions we follow the ‘system approach’. We consider all of the different elements that make up the food system and influence each other. 

With our programmes we 

  • Create transparency, by uncovering the workings and facts of the food system
  • Stimulate a race to the top, by pointing our accelerators and retarders of change
  • Leverage power, by focusing on well organised actors in the system, such as retail and advertising
  • Transform consumption patterns and production methods throughout Europe 

Strategic levers

Our programmes target the power of the retail and advertising sectors. They have the potential to stimulate healthy, sustainable, just and animal friendly production and consumption of food.

Retail

Seventy percent of what people in Europe eat comes from supermarkets. At the same time only a handful of supermarkets per country are situated between food producers and consumers. This makes supermarkets a substantial lever to transform eating patterns and food production methods. 

Advertising

Current food advertising practices encourage untenable levels of consumption. The majority of food promotion targets unhealthy and unsustainable food. Responsible advertising can positively influence consumption norms and contribute to healthy and sustainable consumption.

Our core values

Our work is always

  • Value-driven  
  • Pioneering
  • Scientific
  • Independent  
  • Constructive

20

European supermarkets in our scope

29

Civil society partners

5

Countries

3000+

Newsletter subscribers

Team operations

Meet the team that makes our work for a future proof food system possible.

Charlotte Linnebank

Director

Gustaaf Haan

Head of research

Puck Simons

Communication

Dore de Jong

Researcher

Robert van Veen

Head of operations

Pien Nijpjes

Researcher

Deborah Winkel

Senior researcher

Willem van Engen

Lead technology

Madhu Srinivasa

Software developer

Bart van Opzeeland

Policy advisor

Ancilla Antens

Data collection

Tim van Kuppenveld

Data collection

Angela Hekman

Data collection

Ijfana Hekman

Data collection

Board

The statutory board appoints the CEO and approves the strategy and budget plan proposed by the CEO.

Miriam Offermans

Owner and founder Public@stake

Emma Schukkens-Coles

Director Data and Healthcare relationships at Voeding Leeft

Lisa Jordan

Managing Director at DRK Foundation

Adrie Papma

Independent consultant, board member Wetlands International

Yvan Jansen (audit commission)

Non-Exec Director and Advisor on Strategy and Transformations

Sylvia Borren

Retired, senior adviser for Governance & Integrity, supervisory board member BRAC International

Scientific Council

Our scientific council advises us on the research methodology and execution to ensure our research adheres to scientific standards.

Hans Dagevos

Wageningen University

Ellen van Kleef

Wageningen University

Annet Roodenburg

HAS Hogeschool

Jaap Seidell

Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Michelle Westerman-Behaylo

Universiteit Amsterdam

Governance and financials

Our independent projects are funded by donations from philanthropic funds and civil society partners. On occasion we deliver data or research services on commission, under the condition that the assignment aligns with our mission.

Accountability for our governance and finances can be found in our annual reports

We have an integrity policy in order to avoid conflicts of interest and adverse incentives.

Annual reports

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