Now in its sixth year, the annual Trade for Sustainable Development Forum (T4SD) is one of the leading global events focused on major trends in sustainable value chains and voluntary sustainability standards. Organised by the International Trade Centre (ITC), the T4SD Forum will again take place in conjunction with the World Trade Organisation Public Forum, from 7 to 9 October 2019.
This year, the T4SD Forum will reflect the new realities of international trade and focus on sustainability mainstreaming – the process of embedding sustainability into the DNA of every organisation and every business. The three-day event will look at sustainability mainstreaming from every angle: from its policy implications to its implementation on the ground, from its environmental dimension to its social dimension, from small and medium-sized entreprises (SMEs) to large corporations.
This event will provide a unique platform for a diverse range of actors – from high-level officials to SMEs owners and young entrepreneurs – to exchange views, share good practices and catalyse solutions that will help deliver a shared vision for a more inclusive and sustainable future.
Greg S. Garrett, GAIN's Director Food Policy and Financing, is one of the speakers of the 3rd session, titled "Healthy planet, healthy people – sustainability mainstreaming in food systems".
The food sector is a prime candidate for sustainability mainstreaming as intensive production methods stretch the environment to its limits, while excessive food waste continues to contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. In that light, how can we firmly integrate sustainability considerations into food production and consumption processes? How can we limit or prevent supply chain waste? How can technology be leveraged to drive change at scale?
This solution-oriented session will bring together producers, non-profit experts and innovators – key stakeholders of the food value chain – to explore practical examples of mainstreaming and touch upon the possible synergies between sustainability and technology in food systems.