New Charter Aims for 40% Women in Global Food Supply Chain

Industry leaders from across the food supply chain gathered at the House of Lords on March 6 to officially launch The Food Business Charter, a new effort to increase the number of women in leadership roles across the global food industry. The Charter sets a goal of reaching 40% female representation by 2035.

Meat Business Women developed the Food Business Charter in partnership with 19 founding companies, including Greencore, ABP Food Group, Cargill Protein, Morrisons, Hilton Foods, and Cranswick Plc. The companies represent all parts of the food supply chain, from manufacturing and processing to retail and food service.

Baroness Minette Batters DL hosted the launch event, which took place just days before International Women’s Day. The Charter comes at a time when gender balance in the food industry has worsened. According to Meat Business Women, women made up just 33.5% of the meat industry workforce in 2023, down from 36% in 2020.

Laura Ryan, Global Chair and Founder of Meat Business Women, called the launch “a defining moment in our industry’s journey toward gender equality and a major milestone for our 10th year of Meat Business Women.” She added, “Working with senior leaders who understand the benefits of a gender-balanced workforce, we’ve created not just a vision but a practical roadmap for change.”

Greencore, one of the first companies to sign the Charter, said the commitment fits into its ongoing work to build a more inclusive workforce. “We are committed to building a team where women have equal opportunities to lead, innovate, and shape the future of our business,” said Dalton Philips, CEO at Greencore. “Success comes from having the smartest and most capable people in the room, and the broader the talent pool we draw from, the stronger we become.”

Philips added that creativity and collaboration drive the industry forward. “That means ensuring every voice is heard. Our commitment to The Food Business Charter is another step along our journey to make meaningful progress on representation.”

The Charter also includes an Action Planning Toolkit, created with Diversity and inclusion experts. The toolkit offers companies practical strategies to help attract, develop, and retain more women across the food supply chain.

“This isn’t about setting targets – it’s about transforming our industry’s future to ensure it remains profitable and sustainable,” Ryan said. “The Charter provides a framework for organizations to implement practical talent attraction and retention strategies, share best practices, and create lasting change. With the support of our industry partners, we’re confident we can achieve sustainable change.”

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