News
Last updated
Last updated
Source: , Date: April 8, 2025
A group of senior professionals from within the UK’s largest food producers, manufacturers, and retailers warns investors of an imminent crisis in the food system. Drawing from insider knowledge and decades of experience, the memo outlines how environmental degradation—such as soil depletion, water scarcity, and climate instability—is now threatening the short-term viability of global food supply chains.
Key Points:
Systemic Risk Ignored: Internal reports and data confirm a severe threat to supply chain predictability and yield. However, these insights are often treated as compliance exercises rather than integrated into corporate strategy.
Superficial Mitigation: Current sustainability and resilience strategies are insufficient. Many plans are underfunded, overly optimistic, or based on untested assumptions (like sourcing from alternative regions).
Flawed Industry Logic:
Each company believes its plan is sound in isolation, but collectively, the industry's strategy is unsustainable.
Many are over-reliant on vulnerable single-commodity supply chains.
Companies resist regulation yet demand a level playing field, creating a paradox that blocks progress.
Structural & Cultural Obstacles:
Short-termism and pressure for quarterly results dominate decision-making.
Legal, financial, and audit systems are ill-equipped to handle or even recognize systemic environmental risk.
Industry competition discourages honest dialogue and collective action.
Call to Action for Investors:
The memo encourages investors, creditors, and board members to:
Ask tough questions of company teams (risk, legal, sourcing, policy, etc.) regarding their actual preparedness.
Commission independent assessments of supply chain viability and corporate resilience.
Push for Covid-level urgency and collaboration in addressing food system threats.
Proposed Changes:
Honest assessments of business model viability under future disruptions.
Cross-sector coordination with government and suppliers in key regions.
Major investments in soil, water, and climate resilience.
Stronger auditing and executive-level accountability.
Conclusion:
This is not a divestment campaign, but a call for proactive, engaged leadership. The authors urge investors to help catalyze real change and avoid a food and land system collapse.
Read original memo .
