You may notice on our jobs page that there is a lot of variety in sustainable food employers. Jobs in non-profit organisations working on food are probably the biggest share of this market, however there are many opportunities across the public and private sectors as well as industry and academic.
Non-profits: This includes charities, NGOs (non-governmental organisations), social enterprises and other organisations that don’t make a profit and work in the interests of society. Examples include nationwide organisations like Sustain or the Soil Association that work on food and sustainable issues or ones such as Ubele Initiative who focus on broader social justice and have food-related programmes. There are also many local organisations including community gardens, coops and kitchens. Explore our jobs page for an idea of current recruiters.
Public sector: The public sector is made up of local and national government and any organisation funded by the public purse. This can range from roles within the Department for Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and other national directives to food partnerships and networks within local councils. It is worth considering the scope of work within each organisation and role and whether you would always be pursuing the development of a more sustainable and progressive food system.
Private sector: The private sector is made up of profit-driven businesses and where they are considered part of the sustainable food movement is where they are driven by or committed to environmental, social or ethical good. This sector also contains entrepreneurs and small ethical businesses such as cafes, restaurants and even ethical software or tech firms that are working towards a more sustainable food system.
Industry: This is an interesting sector as there are many sustainability jobs in food corporations that overall may not be deemed very sustainable or ethical companies. Working in industry allows you to influence from the inside as well as gaining excellent experience – and typically a higher salary – that could be transferred to the public or third sectors.
Academia: The global food system is complex and evolving which requires consistent research and development, often done through academic institutions. This sector also contains the breadth of teaching and learning in higher education. To find out more about relevant subjects and courses visit our sustainable food and farming courses page.
Find out more about the different parts of the sector in our careers resource.
Search for job opportunities on our jobs page.
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