A Place-Based Approach to Sustainable Food Systems

We prioritise nurturing strong relationships with local business and SMEs, policymakers and communities, ensuring our research translates into practical solutions that are delivering real-world impact. Our management faculty plays a key role in this process, applying their expertise to develop and implement sustainable food system models that are not only environmentally sound, but also economically viable and socially responsible.

Our commitment to sustainability goes beyond environmental concerns. As with our research into the circular economy, we take a triple bottom line approach, considering economic, social, and environmental factors. This approach allows for collaboration across various departments, including engineering, humanities, natural and social sciences, and even marine biology.

The human element is central to our approach. We actively involve communities and local businesses in our research process as we recognise that successful sustainability initiatives require a deep understanding of the social dimension. This approach allows us to generate and collate data that is driving change more effectively than the traditional academic approach.

Professor Steffen Boehm, Professor in Organisation and Sustainability, is a key member of Exeter’s Sustainable Futures initiative and is leading the way on research into place-based understandings of environmental sustainability. He is achieving systemic change by working closely with SMEs, community groups, policymakers and NGOs.

With a particular focus on the agri-food sector in Cornwall, his work investigates how to achieve systemic changes through agroecological and collaborative practices. He utilises participatory action research to directly involve local producers and institutions, empowering communities to drive change “from the bottom up” by integrating the social dimension of the circular economy.

By incorporating the "people factor," his research sheds light on how social dynamics within communities impact the adoption and effectiveness of circular practices in the agri-food sector. Empowering real people to engage with, and bring about change in, places is the key to ensuring current ‘green economy’ technology and market-based solutions can be truly and effectively transformative.

Professor Steffano Pascucci, head of Exeter’s Management department, is building a global reputation for his work in environmental sustainability within the agri-food industry. As a Professor in Sustainability and Circular Economy, his research goes beyond traditional agribusiness models and analyses the interplay between sustainability, innovation and value chain configurations.

He views food and agriculture as a platform for testing theories and collecting data, evolving how communities, institutions and organisations engage with food systems from an innovation or entrepreneurial perspective.

His role exemplifies the University of Exeter Business School’s uniquely collaborative approach to research and reflects the university’s ambition to help other institutions to reposition themselves in a more inclusive and open way.

Leading the way in terms of organisation studies and management, Steffano’s recent projects include Circular Food in the Southwest and two Horizon 2020 projects, Strengths of Food and Diverfarming, which continues as In Best Soil.

Evolving Farm to Fork

A EU and UK initiative to support soil fertility and soil health, In Best Soil is reshaping the industry, driving the diversification of food systems and supply chains, and addressing an important social ecological challenge that is contributing to biodiversity loss, land use change and planetary boundaries problems.

By actively engaging with communities, delivering practical approaches, developing prototypes and tools we are reshaping agreements in the supply chain, championing the potential of technology and smart design. We need to continue upskilling SMEs through initiatives like the ARCA project and our work is revolutionising farming practices today, while enabling sustainable entrepreneurship that will secure a thriving agricultural future.