Journal article

Responsible investing for food system sustainability: A review of current practice in Australia

Christine Parker, Rachel Carey, Laura Boehm, Gary Sacks, Ella Robinson

Environmental and Planning Law Journal | Thomson Reuters (Professional) | Published : 2021

Abstract

This study investigates what role if any responsible investment by the finance sector is playing in promoting sustainable food systems in Australia. We report the findings of a preliminary desktop review of environmental, social and governance reporting by 35 of the most prominent responsible investment funds managers in Australia. Only one responsible investment fund had a comprehensive policy in relation to food system themes and 16 did not specifically mention the environmental, social and governance issues raised by food systems at all. Some addressed labour rights and intensive animal agriculture issues in the food system, and a few mentioned the climate change, biodiversity loss and wa..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Grants

Awarded by Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellowship from the National Heart Foundation of Australia


Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Centres for Research Excellence entitled Reducing Salt Intake Using Food Policy Interventions


Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Centre of Research Excellence in Food Retail Environments for Health (RE-FRESH)


Funding Acknowledgements

Christine Parker and Rachel Carey receive funding from the Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute, the University of Melbourne. Rachel Carey receives funding from a Lord Mayor's Charitable Foundation initiative grant. Ella Robinson is funded through an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship. Gary Sacks is supported by a Heart Foundation Future Leader Fellowship (102035) from the National Heart Foundation of Australia. He is also a researcher within National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Centres for Research Excellence entitled Reducing Salt Intake Using Food Policy Interventions (APP1117300) and a Centre of Research Excellence in Food Retail Environments for Health (RE-FRESH) (APP1152968). The funders had no role in the design of the study, data collection, analysis, interpretations of the data or in writing the manuscript.