The Future Food Movement has partnered with VotesForSchools to create a food and climate-focused Youth Advisory Board.
The food industry network’s Youth Industry Advisory Board is the first of its kind in the UK and is focused on the food industry’s impact on the planet.
The board is hoped to give a voice to young people in Gen Z and Alpha by enabling them to speak directly to the UK’s biggest food businesses. They will be given the opportunity to voice their thoughts and challenges about the future of the sector.
“There is a great deal of climate anxiety with the younger generation so it’s our responsibility to actively listen to their concerns and act on them,” said Kate Cawley, founder of the Future Food Movement.
“Learning what young people think and feel about our food system and the role of businesses today is an area that is currently lacking informed input from younger generations.”
The advisory board is made up of 17 young people aged between 13 and 18 recruited by VotesForSchools, a company which launched in 2016 to reduce voter apathy and promote the youth voice.
The board will meet monthly to discuss issues and each term will meet with food industry leaders.
“It’ll be our generation who will have to live through the consequences,” said Sean, 17 and member of the advisory board. “If everyone’s opinion and everyone’s outlook on the world is taken into account now, we can try to help limit the change that is happening.”
FFM is a climate-first industry network designed to accelerate climate action in the food industry and reduce the impact of the food industry, which is currently the second-largest carbon emitting sector.
It is supported by major food industry businesses including Moy Park and Quorn Foods, both of which will be taking part in the initial board sessions.
“We’re excited that the Youth Industry Advisory Board is giving young people a ‘seat at the table’ and we look forward to hearing their ideas on the future of the food industry and the implications for our business,” said Tess Kelly, head of external engagement at Quorn Foods.
This sentiment was echoed by Chris Kirke, president at Moy Park, who described it as an “incredible opportunity to listen to new perspectives, ideas and challenges, but also to engage and attract this talent of the future into the food industry to help us address these issues in the longer-term”.
The Grocer is hosting a conference on How to Win with Gen Z in March. For more information, visit www.thegrocer-conferences.co.uk.
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