Marks and Spencer Knowledge Exchange Fellowship

The productivity of our global food system is threatened by environmental degradation, resource scarcity and climate change. At the same time the demand on the system is increasing due to a growing global population and increasing consumption. Sir John Beddington calls this a 'perfect storm' of challenges that must be addressed if our food system is to become sustainable. Business has a key role to play in meeting these challenges through minimising waste, helping to balance supply and demand, and contributing to better governance of the global food system (Foresight, 2011). Plan A makes M&S uniquely placed to become a leader and model for business engagement with and contribution to these issues. The KE Fellowship is a key step in that process, by facilitating the integration of science and business for the development of a more sustainable food system.
The aim of the fellowship is to be a knowledge broker that facilitates and filters between NERC and M&S to maximise the uptake of NERC funded environmental science research relevant to business, and to promote mutually beneficial new KE and research projects through the development of a responsive partnership.