Sustainability is becoming essential and actively debated in the food sector, influencing companies and stakeholders globally. Sustainability practices have been developed and integrated into food industry actions and policies to meet present needs without compromising future needs. The aim of this study was to explore the current sustainability practices across the food industry in Europe and how initiatives are developed, implemented and evaluated to achieve food sustainability targets. This study formed part of a larger European project (2022-1-IE01-KA220-VET-000087508 Digitalisation of Sustainable Health Education). In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 food industry employees with expertise in sustainability across Ireland, Poland, Lithuania, and Cyprus. Interviews were transcribed and thematically analysed. Three themes were identified: sustainable practices challenges, facilitators of green practice, and thinking to the future, Complying with the Science-Based Targets initiative, and setting emissions targets such net zero by 2050 and reducing waste output, drove sustainable activities. Participants identified barriers to initiative development and implementation including cost, monitoring time, product quality, and employee engagement. Employee and stakeholder understanding were crucial to sustainability initiative success. Gaps in research were identified as the proliferation of environmental labels and greater company collaboration to share sustainability data. A key consideration highlighted in discussions was the importance of collaboration and education for raising awareness and strengthening the implementation and long-term maintenance of food sustainability practices within industry. Greater collaboration between large food companies to share raw sustainability metric data could strengthen initiative outcomes and raise greater awareness among stakeholders, bridging the knowledge gap with producers or stakeholders who operate on a smaller scale.

Education is pivotal in shaping a future geared toward climate neutrality and cultivating agents of change capable of addressing sustainability challenges. Educators’ understanding of food sustainability influences how effectively it is integrated into educational programs. This study examined the knowledge and understanding of food sustainability among nutrition and agri-food educators in Europe as part of a joint European-funded project (2023-1-IE01-KA220-VET-00156916: Train to Sustain). After ethical approval, a survey was distributed to educators in Ireland, Slovenia, Poland, and Italy. Data were analysed using qualitative and quantitative methods. Of the 123 educators who participated, 81% agreed they fully understood “food sustainability,” and 97% believed it is important to include it in education, yet only 62% reported that it was currently taught in their programs. This reveals a gap between perceived importance and implementation. The data also offered insights into how educators understand food sustainability across environmental, economic, social, cultural, and food security dimensions and how these are incorporated into teaching and awareness raising. Three themes were identified: (1) understanding sustainable food systems, (2) sustainable resource management, and (3) educating for food security and resilience. Participants emphasised environmentally friendly food practices, often linked to zero waste goals. The qualitative findings underscored the importance of societal access to healthy food, focusing on food security. However, references to economic and cultural aspects of sustainability were limited, suggesting a potential gap in educators’ understanding. This study highlights the need for educators to possess comprehensive knowledge of food sustainability to advance education and address climate and sustainability challenges.

The European Green Deal is Europe’s ambitious and multi-layered response to climate change. Translating its objectives into action for a green transition has created a need for new skills and competencies. Vocational and Education Training (VET) systems are uniquely positioned to equip learners with these emerging green and transversal competences through their dual focus on knowledge dissemination and applied practice. However, current VET curricula remain oriented towards traditional occupations and are not adequately aligned with the sustainability and skills needs of the agri-food sector. This study, as part of a joint European-funded project (2023-1-IE01-KA220-VET-00156916: Train to Sustain), aimed to: (1) identify practical strategies for integrating sustainability concepts and innovative pedagogy into VET programs, and (2) gather multi-stakeholder perspectives on how VET agri-food education can be adapted for greater alignment with the green skills required by the sector. Following ethical approval, data were collected through semi-structured focus groups involving key agri-food stakeholder groups across Ireland, Slovenia, Poland and Italy. The data were qualitatively analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA). Five themes were identified: (1) Innovative and Sustainable Practices in Agri-Food systems, (2) Education, Awareness and Consumer Engagement, (3) Institutional and Structural Approaches, (4) Community and Localised Responses, and (5) Barriers, Opportunities and Future Directions. The findings highlight the significant potential VET offers in preparing a workforce with the cross-cutting sustainability competences and sector-specific skills needed to drive the innovation and growth of the agri-food sector. However, achieving this requires institutional change, strengthened collaboration, and a shift from traditional technical training toward curriculum models that embed sustainability principles across diverse local and regional contexts.

Introduction: Agri-food systems in Europe are predominantly male-dominated. Female food entrepreneurs can play a key role in the development of novel, sustainable food products. The aim of the present study was to gain an increased understanding of the various barriers which female agri-food entrepreneurs situated in rural areas perceive as hindrances to their entrepreneurial growth and development. Methodology: A total of five separate focus groups (n = 29 participants; 18 females) were carried out with agri-food entrepreneurs throughout Europe (Ireland, Belgium, Poland, Italy). The discussions were semi-structured and revolved around individuals’ perceptions of the support received from their surrounding infrastructure and their opinions on mentorship programmes. A reflective thematic analysis was conducted following verbatim transcription of the conversations from the focus groups. Findings: Three major themes were identified: 1. Business Initiation and Development, 2. Perceived Barriers, and 3. Mentorship Programmes. Of these central themes, each of these themes was further divided into accompanying sub-themes. The most often-cited theme was the lack of adequate financial support and experiencing frustration with the complexity of funding application administrative processes. Socio-cultural support was oftentimes lacking, with participants noting they often felt more senior, experienced entrepreneurs gatekept information to avoid their development and expansion. Females in particular experienced gender-discriminatory behaviour from peers and those more senior than themselves. Finally, the vast majority of participants were aware of the benefits of an online presence but lacked confidence in their digital abilities and were unsure where to source the relevant support. Conclusions: These findings highlight a range of issues that need to be addressed to improve the infrastructure surrounding agri-food entrepreneurs throughout Europe and sustain the food sector. This knowledge may be used to guide policymakers and those at decision-making levels.

Supporting the growth of rural agri-food entrepre­neurs requires a clear understanding of the specific supports they need to succeed. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into the infrastructure supporting agri-food entrepreneurs situated rurally in the West of Ireland, and their perception of this infrastructure. Twenty-nine participants (n = 18 women; n = 11 males) took part in five separate focus group discussions. The discussions were guided by a semi-structured interview framework, and the resulting transcripts underwent thematic analysis. Three main themes were identified: (1) Financial Supports: (a) government funding and (b) insufficient and inaccessible funds; (2) Supportive Resources: (a) networking, mentoring, and training, and (b) isolating work environment; and (3) Social Supports: (a) online support groups and (b) percep­tions from peers. The findings provide an under­standing of the factors influencing entrepreneurial activity and will assist policymakers in the develop­ment and adaptation of the necessary supports.

The food industry is intertwined in every continent and culture, shaping dietary habits and economies worldwide(1). Sustainability has become an | POSTER