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Dr Monika Zurek is a titular associate professor and Lead of the Food System Transformation Group at the Environmental Change Institute at the University of Oxford, UK. For more than 25 years she has worked on food systems change, environment and development interactions with foresight methods in research, international organisations and in the consulting and the philanthropic sector. Prior to joining ECI in 2015, Monika worked with Climate Focus, a consulting firm focusing on climate change mitigation and land use issues. Before that, she was part of the Agricultural Development Team of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation managing grants to improve the environmental sustainability of agricultural systems and risk management in agriculture. She also served as an economist at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and supported the Scenarios Working Group of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. Monika started her career as a researcher at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), working on agricultural sustainability projects in Costa Rica and Mexico. She was also a lead author for various environmental assessments such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC, AR4), the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and the International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD). Monika holds degrees from the University of Hohenheim (MSc equivalent/Diploma in agricultural biology) and Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Germany (PhD in agricultural economics).
Josiah Meldrum is co-founder of Hodmedod, a Suffolk company whose aim is to encourage us to grow and eat a wider range of British grown pulses, grains and seeds – creating healthier and more diverse diets and farming systems. 15 years ago he and two colleagues realised that growing and eating pulses offered answers to almost all the critical questions we face; from biodiversity loss and climate change through to diet related ill-health and inequalities in food access. Working with farmers Hodmedod has pioneered ‘new’ crops for the UK, such as lentils and revived long-forgotten staples, like fava beans. Finding engaged markets to support primary production has been central to this work.
Joanna has a decade of experience working with partners to drive progress on healthy sustainable diets in the UK and beyond. She is currently Director of Partnerships at ProVeg International, where she leverages her significant research, policy and corporate engagement experience to ensure that ProVeg’s activities drive real-world impact. Joanna has a PhD in Sustainability which investigated the role of retailers in enabling more sustainable consumer diets, and she was previously Head of Consumption at WWF-UK where she led the organisation’s work on healthy sustainable diets.
Chloe is a Public Health Officer in the Food System Team at Birmingham City Council. She joined the team in 2022, with a background in nutrition as a Registered Associate Nutritionist (ANutr). Her role in the team focuses on developing resources and tools that support diverse, healthy, and sustainable diets across the city. She is also actively involved in the local Birmingham Full of Beans campaign and related initiatives.
Laura is a PhD researcher at the UK Food Systems Centre for Doctoral Training at the Centre for Food Policy, City St George’s, University of London. Focusing on food system transformation for improved health and environmental outcomes, her research brings together her experience in sustainability and nutrition. Laura's PhD focuses on the opportunities for increasing the production and consumption of beans, peas and other pulses in the UK, with a particular emphasis on the role of the retail sector.
Beth works across the food system to join the dots across policy, practice, relationships and networks, building equitable food futures with ethics and care. She is co-chair of the Belfast Sustainable Food Partnership, co-founder of Carrick Greengrocers and deputy director of the Food Ethics Council.
Ali is Co-Founder of Planeatry Alliance, working with organisations across the food value chain at the intersection of health and sustainability. She has worked across the food system for 20 years, from advising global institutions and shaping government nutrition policy, to consulting on Scope 3 emissions and sustainable food baskets for major businesses. Ali is passionate about connecting the dots between health and sustainability, and believes that transforming how we eat - as well as how our food is produced - is one of the most powerful ways to tackle today’s interlinked crises in public health, climate, and nature.
As Bold Bean Co’s "Beanologist”, I work closely with supermarkets and to grow the beans category while also leading our health and sustainability initiatives. In a typical day I’ll be analysing consumer behaviour and shopper data to identify trends and uncover growth opportunities for beans. Before joining Bold Bean Co, I led Commercial and Category teams at health-focused brands Deliciously Ella and BOL Foods, and began my career at Kantar Worldpanel.
Roger has been CEO at the Processors and Growers Research Organisation since 2012/13. As the UK's centre of excellence for peas and beans, the PGRO has a long and highly valued track record of providing authoritative, up to date information and project work based on solid, reliable research. The PGRO is a non statutory levy body supported by our grower members, the UK trade and also by a substantial amount of outside funding for our research work. This is carried out both on our own and in partnership with UK, European and worldwide research and commercial organisations. We are proud of our stability and consistency over the years. As a forward-looking organization, the PGRO team will continue to develop our services to the benefit of our levy payers as well as our research-based and commercial partners.
Paul is a strategic innovator and executive leader with 25+ years of expertise managing complex stakeholder relationships, designing campaign strategies, and extensive knowledge of the not-for-profit sector. A skilled communicator with a narrative that entices people to get on board, he starts movements that make global impact and drives change in sustainability and food systems, delivered through consistent and competitive methodologies, strong network development, innovative communications and superior client service and executive presence. Paul founded the SDG2 Advocacy Hub in 2016, a secretariat convened to connect NGOs, advocacy groups, civil society, private sector, and United Nations agencies around Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger.
