Our motivation
We envision a world with a liveable climate, thriving biodiversity, a fair society, and good health for all. Realising this vision requires reversing several persistent negative trends rooted in today’s food system. Within this system, food retail chains are the most influential actors.
At least 70% of all food purchased by consumers is bought from food retailers. These retailers not only affect how their suppliers produce food upstream, but also shape consumption patterns downstream, making them extremely influential actors in the food system. The pressure to maximise short-term profit, often leads retailers to prioritise financial gain over the environment, public health, and human rights - leaving society to bear the costs.
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Our strategy
Our commitment is to transform the food system into one that is healthier, environmentally sustainable, and fair. Our strategy is to leverage the influence of food retail chains - either directly or via government regulation. We follow three pathways that lead to change:
1) Race to the top: By benchmarking Europe’s largest food retailers and combining research with civil society campaigning and strategic media exposure, we aim to spark competition at both national and international levels, encouraging companies to adapt to higher standards.
2) Collaborative Action: We bring together retailers, suppliers and market authorities to address shared challenges and aim for sector agreements on collective measures.
3) Institutionalisation: We advocate for a level playing field created through legislation and for governments taking the role of monitoring retailers. Through solicited and unsolicited advice, with white papers, policy briefs, and public debate, we feed the political debate and engage in national policy development.
Programs
Our activities are organised into four programs:
Our team
Research
Director
Research
Research
Data collection
Finance & HR
Director of programs
Collaborations
Data collection
Software Technology
Communications & Partnerships
Communications
Research & Software Technology
Our Supervisory Board
Independent consultant, Wetlands International - board member
Boardroom consultancy, strategy & positioning
Public@stake - Founder
Marketing & Communications
Governance & Integrity - sr advisor, BRAC International - Supervisory board
Non-Exec Director and Advisor on Strategy and Transformations
Global director strategy at IDH
Our Scientific Council
Our scientific council advises us on research methodologies to ensure our research adheres to scientific standards
Wageningen University - Marketing & Consumer Behaviour
HAS Green Academy - Nutrition & Health
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam - Nutrition & Health
Head of Sustainability Group at FiBL Switzerland
Researcher at The Beijer Institute of Ecological Economics at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and the Stockholm Resilience Centre, Stockholm University
Associate Professor of Sustainability Research, University of Basel
Our Governance
Our core activity consists of independent projects. These are funded by donations from philanthropic funds and civil society partners. Names of funders can be found with the description of each individual project.
On occasion, when it truly aligns with our mission, we deliver data and research services on commission.
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
Our Funders
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