WE Lead Food

Do you want to make a real difference?

Now, more than ever, is an ideal time. EIT Food creates a network of women leaders who wish to drive change, innovation and sustainability within the food sector as we face supply chain challenges. All you need to be is a woman who is passionate and committed about driving change within the food sector.

The WE Lead Food Programme is designed to equip you with the tools to make that difference and achieve results. The network is open to all discipline backgrounds; research, business, policy, civil society members. The WE Lead Food Programme will continue to be offered online, as it started to happen in 2020 and has been designed specifically to ensure a high level of interactions, spontaneity and dynamism to build the network and opportunities for collaboration.

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until all places have been filled.

A recent report by McKinsey entitled Women in Food has highlighted that while the food sector employs around 49% women at entry levels, in the upper levels these numbers drop to as low as 9%. The reasons are many and complex but some key ones identified in the report and through the work of the WE Lead partners are:

1. Less women then men feel that entrepreneurial leadership is for them
2. Lack of manager support
3. Significant systemic commitment to gender and diversity matters within organisations
4. Explicit and implicit signalling about privileged leadership stereotypes
5. Ineffective, or worse, undermining communications about gender matters

WE Lead will be addressing all of these issues during the programme and equiping participants with insights and tools to navigate exiting and future food organisations as well as drive change within them. This programme offers early and mid-career researchers and professionals women an opportunity to explore and develop both their entrepreneurial and leadership self, address systemic issues, define their vision for a more sustainable food system, and devise a plan for the change each one wants to drive.

Programme structure

The programme will take place online over 6 weeks from the 2nd November – 3 full days and every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon.

Entry qualification

  • Those who identify as women
  • Have a passion and commitment to drive the transformation a more sustainable food system
  • Currently in, or have been in, a leadership position in the food system
  • All discipline backgrounds welcome
  • Research, Business, Policy, Civil Society members welcome

Apply for the programme HERE