The Food Business Charter, developed by Meat Business Women in collaboration with founding signatories from 20 businesses across food manufacturing, retail and foodservice supply chain, was launched at an event hosted by Baroness Minette Batters DL.
The initiative reflects a strategic commitment from senior leaders to address gender imbalance and the attraction and retention of talent into the global food industry.
The initiative follows a Meat Business Women industry roundtable last year that highlighted the ‘urgent need’ for action, with women representing just 33.5% of the meat industry workforce which was down from 36% in 2020.
Laura Ryan, global chair and founder of Meat Business Women, said: "The Food Business Charter is a defining moment in our industry's journey toward gender equality and a major milestone for our 10th year of Meat Business Women.
“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. This Charter demonstrates our industry's collective determination to remove barriers and create meaningful opportunities for women at all levels.
"This isn't about setting targets – it's about transforming our industry's future to ensure it remains profitable and sustainable. The Charter provides a framework for organisations 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."
The Food Business Charter has gained a letter of support from HRH The Princess Royal, who is a long-time supporter of Meat Business Women, having previously spoken at their conference.
Baroness Batters added: “As a female beef farmer myself and the first woman to lead the National Farmers Union (NFU) in 113 years, I’m delighted to sponsor the launch of the Charter. I believe it marks a critical milestone in providing a much needed framework for enabling and empowering women to progress their careers in the meat industry.”
For more information about Meat Business Women and how to sign The Food Business Charter, visit: www.meatbusinesswomen.org.