On 27 October 2020, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development and Transformative Investing in Food Systems (TIFS) convened a Food Systems Dialogues for Investors. GreenBiz Verge Food was a supporting partner of the event.

Sixty-five individuals participated in a two-hour online dialogue from impact investor networks, philanthropic foundations, financial institutions, food companies and agribusinesses. Attendees included corporate financial professionals, risk officers, asset management professionals, program officers, ESG directors, chief sustainability officers, and others.

Seven key Dialogue discussion themes or “prompts” were discussed:

1. Investing tools that comprehensively account for impacts in human and natural communities have been identified and are being widely used to advance food system transformation.

2. Investors comprehensively assess supply chain risks resulting in investments in more resilient supply chains.

3. Investment products have been developed to fill the gap in financing for growing companies.

4. Soil health and production practices influence the nutritional level of food.

5. Aligned definitions for risk, return, scale, and efficiency are widely understood and used to construct financial solutions that support transitions to sustainable and equitable food systems.

6. Food systems policy directs public sector finance and fiscal policy towards farming and food production with better outcomes for the environment, health and nutrition, and resilient communities.

7. Learnings from the COVID-19 crisis inform investments in food systems transformation.

For more information about the Dialogue outcomes and next steps, please contact Rex Raimond.