Food Ethics Council
Non-profit organization
Our work is about transforming the discussion around food and farming, using ethics and values as our foundation, to pave the way to a fair food system that respects people, animals and the planet.
Location: London, United Kingdom
Our vision is of a world where it is easy to eat well and global hunger is a distant memory; where farmers and food producers make a decent living, animals are treated humanely, and the environment is respected.
The Food Ethics Council a charity, and our work is not for profit. We are not affiliated to any political party or religious organisation. We aim to make ethical decision-making a standard practice in the food and farming sectors. We work with changemakers in the food system – in civil society, policymaking and business – to help find a way through controversial and complex issues surrounding food and farming.
We stand up for our principled ethical approach: respect for wellbeing, autonomy and fairness. We value our independence and are non-profit (a registered charity in the UK). We promote inclusivity by taking into account diverse perspectives (for example in relation to gender, culture and faith). We take a long-term view and believe in tackling root causes. We believe in openness and honesty, and we listen to, and learn from, each other.
We are experts on fairness and sustainability in food and farming, and a leader on ethical food issues. Our work ranges from questioning who sets the research agenda on food and farming, to highlighting the issues of food & poverty and workers’ rights, to critically exploring emerging policy ideas, from meat taxes to plain packaging on junk food. We’ve brought diverse voices around the table to find a way forward for meat & livestock, and advocated for fair play in how businesses engage with each other and their workers, with everyone being given a fair say.
Our Mission and Role
Our mission is to accelerate the shift towards fair food systems that respect people, animals and the planet. Decisions about our food system are often made without sufficient ethical consideration. This means they are likely to be short-term, single issues and without adequate thought for the wider consequences. We want to ensure long-term decisions are made ‘in the round’ and with sufficient thought for wider consequences.
Our purpose is to bring ethics to the centre of the food system.
Our role is threefold – we:
NOURISH – we bring expertise together and provide ethical tools and a safe space for honest, meaningful dialogue
CHALLENGE – we challenge the status quo and accepted ways of thinking
INSPIRE – we promote ‘in the round’ ethical approaches and considered solutions that tackle root causes
Meet Food Ethics Council here:
