 Supply, Standards, and StrategyAn International Conference Examining How to Make Public Sector Food and its Supply Systems More Sustainable15 February 2007, London City Hall, London UK Download the conference brochure (PDF) Conference OverviewThis international conference on sustainable food procurement will draw some 150 leaders and practitioners in food procurement and supply systems from around the world to share their knowledge and expertise on sustainable food systems and standards in the public sector. Conference Aims
Conference SpeakersAn international cast of politicians, officials, academics, business people, and practitioners will be on hand to discuss their direct project and work experiences. Sir Donald Curry CBE who is chairing the group implementing the UK Government’s Sustainable Farming and Food Strategy (SFFS); Ms. Jenny Jones, Chair of the London Food Board, a commission that looks at ways of giving Londoners fresher, healthier and more affordable food while reducing the environmental impact of our current food supply; Mr. Arie van den Brand, former member of the Netherlands Parliament, and Ms. Marijke Vos, Deputy Mayor of Amsterdam will provide keynote talks. Mr. Bruce Tozer of JP Morgan Chase will end the day with a synthesis and closing remarks. Mr. Tozer has extensive experience in structured trade commodity finance and commodity price risk management, emerging market food and agribusiness investment, farming, and integrated crop management as it applies to food supply chains and consumer branding. VenueThe conference will be held at London City Hall, home of the Greater London Authority. This new “green” building uses a quarter of the energy consumed by a typical high specification office building of its size. This is due to its innovative spherical design and other features that maximise daylight, minimise solar gain, and recycle heat and water—concrete proof of the progress that London is making towards becoming one of the world’s most sustainable capital cities. Conference Programme09.30-10.30 Opening PlenaryOpening Comments:Clive Peckham, Director, AlimenTerra, Conference Chair Keynote:Jenny Jones, Chair, London Food Board: Green Party Member, London Assembly Keynote:Sir Donald Curry, CBE; London Development Agency--Chair, Sustainable Farming and Food Implementation Group Keynote:Arie van den Brand, President, Bio Logica, former Member of Parliament, the Netherlands; and Marijke Vos, Deputy Mayor of Amsterdam 10.30-11.15 Plenary Panel Presentation, Part IPanel Overview and Introductions:Clive Peckham, Director, AlimenTerra, Conference Chair Challenges and Opportunities in Creating Sustainable Food Supplies for Large Metropolitan Areas: Is There a Shared Agenda and Can Common Solutions be Developed?The Copenhagen DOGME 2000 Project, Kristin Kokøl, Project Leader Supply Chains: How Do We Develop the Capacity of More Local, Small, and Sustainable Producers and Suppliers to Enter the Catering Market?Craig Watson, Vice President, SYSCO Corporation, USA Tully Wakeman, Director, East Anglia Food Link Increasing Public Sector Demand for Sustainable FoodJohn Turenne, Former Executive Chef, Yale University Joanna Collins, Food for Life Project, Soil Association, UK 11.15-11.45 Break11.45-12.45 Plenary Panel Presentation, Part IIMonitoring and Measuring the Benefits of Sustainability: Can We Set Standards for the Public Sector and Their Supply Chains?Using the Recognized Sustainability Standards in Public Food Systems--Organic, PGI/PGO, and IPM, Regional Government of Tuscany, IT Developing a Sustainability Metric for Public Food Systems, Kevin Morgan, Cardiff University Fishery Standards--How Can We Impact the Sustainability of the Resource Base While Allowing the Fishing Community to Maintain Their Livelihoods, Bruno Correard, Responsible Fisheries Alliance, Sustainable Food Lab Framing "Sustainable Foods: Is it Possible to Communicate About Food System Sustainability in Ways that Galvanize Action by Purchasers and Citizens?Ali Webb, WK Kellogg Foundation Kath Dalmeny, Sustain: The Alliance for Better Food and Farming Questions and Answers12.45-13.45 Lunch13.45-14.45 Breakout SessionsChallenges and Opportunities in Creating Sustainable Food Supplies for Large Metropolitan Areas: Is there a Shared Agenda and Can Common Solutions be Developed?Cities and city-regions are well-placed to be primary drivers in the procurement of sustainably-produced food. Because of cities’ diversity of cultures and ethnicity, coupled with their size, population density, and scope, they present distinct food supply challenges not present in other areas. The differing cultural and social infrastructure needs of the population must be met. The value of a sustainable food system is often lost in a city because people are so far removed from where their food actually comes from. “Localness” of the food does not matter to the average consumer. Yet, like London, metropolitan areas can use their muscle to shift public policy, public procurement practices, and the way consumers think about the food they buy, cook, and eat. Chair: Penny Bramwell, Head, Sustainable Development Unit, GOL; Member, London Food Board Speakers: Kristin Kokbøl, Project Leader, Copenhagen DOGME 2000 Project Toni Liquori, New York City Public Schools, Columbia University Teachers' College Karen Karp, Karp Resources, working with New York State Department of Agriculture and New York City Department of Education Pascal Verdier, Head of Agriculture, Rennes Metropolitan Region Supply Chains: How do we Develop the Capacity of More Local, Small, and Sustainable Producers and Suppliers to Enter the Catering Market?For a wide variety of reasons, supply chains have become more focused on bulk availability and costs of commodity crops. Buyers look for large suppliers where ease of purchase and infrastructure issues are streamlined. Where the food is actually produced or how much variety offered is not important. Operational efficiency is at the forefront. In small regions or rural areas, this may be somewhat easier to accomplish, but in large-scale, global supply chains it presents many challenges. How can local, small, and sustainable producers effectively enter and compete in such a marketplace, whether small or large? Chair: Clive Peckham, AlimenTerra Speakers: Marie-Eve Sebaoun, GAB (Organic Farmers Association), Ile de France Tully Wakeman, Director, East Anglia Food Link Tim Brock, Local Food Manager, Hampshire Fare Increasing Public Sector Demand for Sustainable FoodWhat can make the market change its habits and consumers shift their food preferences? Does it take policy change? Or is it culture change? If a procurement director purchases sustainable foods as ingredients, but the chef isn’t interested in using them and lets them sit on a steam table for hours at a time, they’ll lose nutritional value, become unappetising and consumers won’t want to eat them. However, when the chef is open to preparing those fresh, sustainably-produced ingredients in a way that highlights their best characteristics then the consumers need to decide whether they will shift their habit and eat this “new food.” How can we change consumer attitudes so that they embrace these ingredients rather than take their business elsewhere? Chair: David Rabey, Director of Purchasing and Supply, Defra; Chair of Food Procurement Implementation Group Speakers: John Turenne, Former Executive Chef, Yale University, USA Joanna Collins, Food for Life Project, Soil Association, UK Paul Winter, South London and Maudesley Hospital Trust; London Hospital Food Project 14.45-15.15 Break15.15-16.15 Breakout SessionsMonitoring and Measuring the Benefits of Sustainability: Can We Set Standards for the Public Sector and Their Supply Chains?How can we best incorporate social and environmental criteria into currently recognized standards that are used by the public sector when buying and preparing food? Can the establishment and adoption of standards be a means of raising the quality of food served and ensuring improved sustainability? Or do they need to be supplemented in other ways too? This topic explores the role standards can play in creating consistency and driving increased impact. Chair: Kevin Morgan, Cardiff University Speakers: Regional Government of Tuscany, IT (Invited) Tensie Whelan, Executive Director, Rainforest Alliance Jan-kees Vis, Sustainable Agriculture Manager, Unilever Netherlands Bruno Correard, Responsible Fisheries Alliance, Sustainable Food Lab Mainstreaming Sustainability: Under What Conditions Can Food Service Providers Become More Active Partners with Public Buyers to Improve the Sustainability and Healthiness of Food?Many universities and health care facilities are achieving considerable progress toward a more sustainable and healthy food supply. For Some public institutions, however, particularly rimary education, proce constraints and other policy-related barriers impede progress. What would it take to make faster progress with large quantities of food supplied in the industry? Is there sufficient conversation among all the players? Could we stimulate greater conversation and institutional changes? Chair: Sir Don Curry, London Development Agency--Chair, Sustainable Farming and Food Implementation Group Speakers: Craig Watson, SYSCO Corporation, USA Val Carter, Aramark UK Maurizio Mariani, Sotral, IT Addressing Equity and Sustainability in the South: Can We Effect Social Change Through Supply Chain Management?In developing countries, unacceptably high rates of poverty, hunger, and environmental degradation are particularly acute in rural areas, home to the majority of the world's poor. Expanding the participation of small-scale farmers and other rural people in food supply chains in ways that promote better livelihoods and more sustainable production is an important strategy for reducing poverty in these areas. Unfortunately, the increasingly stringent standards for quality, traceability, and even environmental performance from buyers have often reduced access to the markets for these smallholders. This session will explore how institutional buyers and retailers can adopt standards, practices, and new partnerships through their supply chains that promote more equitable and sustainable production. Chair: Bill Vorley, International Institute for Environmental and Development Speakers: Freddie Payton, AgrofronTerra Juan Cheaz Peleaz, Oxfam Michael Dupee, Green Mountain Coffee Roasters 16.15-16.30 Break16.30-17.00 Closing Plenary | Summary and Synthesis of the Day | Bruce Tozer, JP Morgan ChasePractical MattersLocationThe conference will be held from 09.30– 17.30 on Thursday, 15 February 2007 at London City Hall, Greater London Authority, The Queen's Walk, London SE1 2AA DirectionsFor directions to London City Hall, please visit http://www.london.gov.uk/gla/locationmap.jsp ConfirmationOnce you have registered you will receive an email confirming your attendance. If you have not received this confirmation email within three business days of registering please email LeAnne Grillo at grillo_at_generonconsulting.com. Special NeedsPlease email LeAnne Grillo at grillo_at_generonconsulting.com if you require any special accommodations in order to participate in this event. Cancellations and SubstitutionsAll cancellations must be received via email to grillo_at_generonconsulting.com. The amount paid less a£ 15 (or equivalent) cancellation charge will be refunded as long as notice is received by 8 February. After 8 February, there is no refund, but a substitute may be sent. Registration Deadline8 February 2007 Space is limited. Please register early. Registration InformationThe conference registration fee includes materials, lunch and breaks. Registrations will only be processed when accompanied by payment. Registration CostsSpecial fee for UK residents: £ 65 (due to the support from the UK government) Regular fee: $150 US; €130 How to RegisterChoose one of the following three ways to register: 1. With a credit card (Visa or Mastercard): Register online 2. By cheque in£: Complete the Registration Form and mail it with your cheque, payable to Sterling Travel Associates to: 3. By international bank transfer in €: Please inform your bank that you will be paying any fees charged. Complete the Registration Form and either fax ((+44) 1628 773415) or mail it to: International Bank Transfer Information:Bank Name: Ulster Bank Speakers are subject to change without notice. |
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