SIAL SUMMITS

"Bridging the gap between food science disciplines and supporting different stakeholders to deliver more sustainable food systems"

The UNESCO Chair in World Food Systems was founded in 2011 by Professor Jean-Louis Rastoin (Montpellier SupAgro) with a multidisciplinary group of teachers and researchers from various institutions of the Agropolis campus (Montpellier, France). It was accredited by UNESCO for a first 4-year cycle, and again in 2015 and 2019.

The Chair has consolidated a number of core commitments through its activities over the years:

• Food is a major issue for societies and represents a vital link between humans and the environment. It is an essential component of human health and that of the planet, of their wellbeing and that of other living organisms, of social bonds and cultural identity building. Food is concurrently an economic, social, political and artistic activity.
• Embedding societal issues in training and research is necessary to boost the relevance of these activities.
• Scientific disciplines should interact and converse with other forms of knowledge (professional, artistic, etc.) and with citizens—thereby overcoming barriers to knowledge.

CIRAD is France's agricultural research and international cooperation organization for the sustainable development of tropical and Mediterranean regions. With its partners, it co-constructs knowledge and solutions for resilient agricultures in a more sustainable and inclusive world. It mobilizes science, innovation and training to achieve sustainable development goals. It puts its expertise at the service of everyone, from producers to public policy-makers, to promote the protection of biodiversity, agro-ecological transitions, the sustainability of food systems, health (of plants, animals and ecosystems), the sustainable development of rural areas and their resilience in the face of climate change. Present on every continent in some 50 countries, CIRAD draws on the skills of its 1,800 employees, including 1,240 scientists, and on a global network of 200 partners. It supports France's scientific diplomacy.

Food Paradoxa is a duo of two independent food experts: Diane Leroy and Stéphane Brunerie. Sharing a positive vision, they have created the first workshop-based trend book for companies in the food industry. Drawing on their complementary expertise, they work as a duo with food industry players on innovation and marketing issues. They are renowned for their interactive workshops and conferences on food transition issues. Each of them has more than 20 years of experience in the food industry. Diane Leroy has worked for more than 30 French and Global food brands on communication, marketing and innovation projects. She is also a Certified Professional Coach and one of the founders of "Elles sont food!", the community for women working in the food sector. Stéphane Brunerie was Marketing Director for St Michel and Bonne Maman brands. Today, he supports food industry players in marketing and innovation. He is also a conference speaker, and the founder of StripFood, a professional media outlet on food transition.

SprintProject - End-to-End INNOVATION

SprintProject puts competitive intelligence at the service of innovation.

SprintProject supports corporate groups in the Supply Chain, Food & Drink, Retail and FMCG sectors, in their innovation strategy, from strategic thinking to the implementation of practical solutions.

SprintProject is an unique expertise that: consolidates strategic data and provides its clients with an exhaustive and exclusive monitoring service; raises awareness and educates decision-makers about innovation trends and new business models; leads and supports innovation and transformation in the ecosystems of the Supply Chain, Food and Beverage, Consumer Goods and Retail; helps and guides large groups and investors in their collaboration with start-ups; pilots large-scale innovative programs in a collaborative and multi-actor (public/private) mode.