Alternative proteins — meat, dairy and eggs made from plants and cultivated from cells — are one of climate tech’s biggest sources of optimism. They have lower carbon, water, energy and land footprints than animal-based equivalents, are more affordable than many other climate technologies, and can plug seamlessly into people’s lives. No wonder alternative protein companies have gone through a staggering growth period. Still, it’s not a given that the industry will reach its full potential in transforming the global food system. Critical aspects ranging from science and technology to consumer demand, public policy and funding are still in flux.

This tutorial will help explore what it will take for the alternative protein industry to move beyond current roadblocks and seek answers to some of the most pressing questions:
Are plant-based foods replacing meat consumption, or are consumers merely increasing their total protein intake?
How can companies expand their sales beyond climate- and health-conscious consumers?
What are the biggest technological and policy challenges being worked on today that will enable the industry to scale?
How would a large-scale shift away from conventionally produced meat and dairy products affect the livelihoods of farmers and workers in those supply chains?
How can larger food companies best integrate these innovative foods into their existing product portfolios and leverage them for ESG impact and strategies?

Co-hosted by the Good Food Institute, the Breakthrough Institute and GreenBiz, this interactive tutorial will clarify where the field stands today and reflect on where it should go. It will allow entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders to dig into the industry’s inflection point and collectively workshop strategic paths forward.

It’s time to use product portfolios and marketing channels to proactively shape sustainable demand.

The average consumer lacks a clear understanding of climate and nutrition science. Even if they tried to adjust their eating habits to address these issues, they would most likely fail. The challenges of navigating accessibility, personal and cultural preferences and the pressure of advertising are simply too great. Food companies, in return, play a much more significant role in shaping demand than they often admit. It’s time to own up to that responsibility. Learn how to redirect consumption to nutritious and low-carbon meals by redesigning your product portfolios, leveraging marketing channels and supporting consumer education campaigns.

2:45 pm: Welcome

2:50 pm: Is a Better Blue Food System Possible?

3 billion people around the world depend on aquatic foods as their primary source of protein. But fisheries and aquaculture are rife with challenges, including fraud, overfishing, and worker exploitation. Chefs, companies, and other food system advocates are working to make a more sustainable blue food system that is better for people and the environment. What will it take to produce foods more sustainably while maintaining equitable access?

3:20 pm: Just BIPOC Sourcing in Corporate Supply Chains 

BIPOC producers have long faced challenges accessing mainstream markets. But food service companies, distributors, food hubs, and restaurants can change this dynamic by leveraging their purchasing power as a force for good. Strategic partnerships between food businesses and BIPOC producers can help to ensure mutual economic success while supporting practices that serve people and the planet. Speakers will share case studies to underscore the influence of purchasing agreements and how technology can help these agreements reach their full potential.

3:50 pm: Where Innovation Meets Food Security and Resilience

Technology and innovation are changing how we produce and eat food. They are helping companies and organizations grow fresh produce, keep excess food out of landfills, and ensure that everyone can access healthy meals. Speakers will discuss the unique adaptation strategies their organizations are implementing to mitigate the climate crisis, prevent food waste and develop more just food and agriculture systems.

4:20 pm: Fireside Chat with Impossible Foods’ Founder Pat Brown

It’s well known that the adoption of plant-based proteins around the world, especially so in high-income countries, is a critical climate solution. But the social and economic implications of this transition are less discussed. How does the rise of plant-based meat, dairy and egg consumption affect consumer nutrition and health, rural communities and supply chain workers? During this fireside chat, Impossible Foods’ founder Pat Brown will reflect on how alternative protein companies can ensure that their efforts foster equitable and just food systems, in addition to improving environmental outcomes.

How can your company use this essential tool to understand and disclose its climate-related transition risks and opportunities?

The climate crisis poses novel transition risks to the operations and business models of companies that rely on food, agriculture and forest products. The technological, regulatory and economic changes unfolding over the next decade to reach mitigation goals will profoundly impact this sector. Scenario analysis has been an underused sustainability tool. But its ability to identify, understand and manage risks makes it ripe for use in this decisive decade.

The Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) proposed climate-disclosure rules would require companies to report their resilience to climate risks in more detail. To help companies prepare for these changes, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) has developed a new set of climate transition scenarios for food, agriculture and forest product companies. Attend this workshop to understand why they matter and how to include them into your strategic planning.

Reducing reliance on industrial fertilizers and pesticides has never been more urgent. These innovators are making it happen.

The Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine disrupted supply chains and sent the price of fertilizers and pesticides sky-high. One side-effect is that this may finally reduce the use of these chemicals, long after it has become clear that the inputs are detrimental to farm workers, ecosystems and the climate. How can we shift to a more sustainable and equitable system of farm inputs while protecting productivity? Get to know the new input ecosystem's leading data-driven, biological and technological solutions, and understand what role you can play in promoting adoption and accelerating the transition.

Interest in scaling carbon drawdown on agricultural lands is at an all-time high. But markets may be outpacing their scientific and technological foundations.

Can agricultural lands securely and permanently draw down carbon? If so, which companies should have the right to attribute the sequestration toward their net-zero targets? It’s easy to assume that these fundamental questions have been answered given the speed at which soil carbon markets have grown. But the reality is different. Some soil carbon developers claim to operate a robust sequestration approach and advocate for open markets. Other industry players want to restrict the circulation of soil carbon credits within agricultural supply chains. Meanwhile, scientists aren’t yet confident in our ability to sequester carbon in soils and warn companies from relying on them for any form of emissions reduction. Why do these stakeholders disagree?

How can you support promising but often overlooked technologies for cutting methane emissions?

Seaweed feed additives used to reduce methane emissions from cow burps have rightly been embraced as an exciting climate tech innovation. But the quest to reduce methane emissions, which was elevated to a global priority at COP 26, doesn’t stop there. Companies also need to address methane emissions from sources such as manure, rice cultivation and food waste. Gain a holistic understanding of how to build a methane reduction roadmap and discuss opportunities for incorporating them into your sustainability strategy.