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“Local is always best.”

“Certified is always sustainable.”

“Some products should be boycotted (e.g. palm oil).“

“Transportation is the main CO2 impact driver.“

“Plastic is the biggest devil.”

These are just some of the most common paradigms that responsible and socio-environmentally aware consumers are often exposed to and that companies have to be aware of and plan for in their sustainability strategies.

Consumers are a huge driver in furthering sustainability efforts in the food industry. It is therefore paramount that they are aware and knowledgeable when deciding what foods to buy and not to buy. Companies, on the other hand, will focus on sustainable foods if that’s what consumers demand but they also have a more holistic view of what is truly sustainable. Companies need to consider food waste, the energy that goes into production and the working conditions along the supply chain. Consumers often have an incomplete picture of what plays into a product being sustainable or not.

So take a step back and ask if the common beliefs of sustainable consumption and foods are true. Which misconceptions do consumers have about sustainable food production? What even is sustainability in the food industry? And most importantly, how should and can companies respond to the existing paradigms? What is their role and responsibility, if any, in educating consumers?

The purpose of this event is to challenge common perceptions of sustainable food and to discuss them with various actors from the industry.

We will hear from a diverse panel of experts from within the food industry – from academia to industry – to hear their view and assessment of the existing paradigms and how they see their role in trying to shift them!

Key questions we will discuss at the event are:

• Existing paradigms: Which are the most common (mis)perceptions regarding sustainable food?
• Shifting paradigms: How can consumers’ perceptions be changed? What can businesses do to help the shift?
• Responsibility: Who is responsible for trying to bring about a paradigm shift with consumers? What’s the role of businesses in the paradigm shift?

Join us on October 28th to understand more about what drives sustainability in the food industry and how to communicate this to consumers.

Programme

18:00 – 18:30 Registration

18:30 – 18:45 Welcome by GreenBuzz & our Moderator Fidel Chiriboga, Global Experiments Project Manager at Crowther Lab | ETH

18:45 – 18:55 Speaker Input by John Garcia Ulloa, Programme Manager at Biovision Foundation

18:55 – 19:05 Speaker Input by Rahel Scheidegger, Project Manager Sustainable Nutrition at Environmental & Health Protection Zurich

19:05 – 19:15 Speaker Input by Julia Schaad, Environment Food Specialist at Migros

19:15 – 19:25 Speaker Input by Thomas Egli, Fishery Project Manager at Blueyou Consulting

19:25 – 19:45 Discussion based on Audience Questions

19:45 – 19:50 Wrap up

19:50 – 21:30 Apero / Buzzing