Food Industry's Gender Equality Efforts Spotlighted at the United Nations

Geneva, 26 August 2025 – The global food industry’s progress on gender equality has been showcased on the world stage, as Meat Business Women Founder & Global Chair Laura Ryan presented The Food Business Charter at the United Nations in Geneva today (August, 26)

Ryan addressed a UN meeting attended by experts from the meat industry from over ten nations, including China, Brazil, France, Qatar, Australia, the Philippines, and Poland to share how leading food businesses are taking measurable, practical action to improve gender balance and create a more inclusive industry

Discussions covered how the industry can better collaborate with professional bodies, shape strategies and engage individuals. The level of global interest highlighted the Charter’s relevance and potential impact across different regions and sectors.

Launched earlier this year at the House of Lords, the Food Business Charter sets an ambition of achieving 40% female representation across the food industry by 2035. Since its launch, the number of signatories has more than doubled — with 43 businesses across food manufacturing, retail and foodservice now signed up, including Tesco, Cargill, Cranswick, Hilton Food Group, Minerva Foods, Greencore, Meat & Livestock Australia and Australian Meat Group.

Speaking at the UN, Laura Ryan said: "The Food Business Charter is a defining moment in our industry's journey toward gender balance. This isn’t about setting distant targets, but instead it’s about taking practical, measurable steps that make a real difference to women’s careers whilst also supporting the long-term sustainability of the meat and wider food sector."

Co-created with industry leaders and Diversity & Inclusion experts, the Charter is supported by a practical Action Planning Toolkit which enables businesses to benchmark, share best practice and implement strategies that accelerate change, regardless of their starting point.

The work of the Charter directly supports the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality) and demonstrates how pre-competitive collaboration can deliver meaningful results.

"What we’ve achieved so far shows the power of collaboration," Ryan added. " To secure the future of our meat and food manufacturing sector, we must attract and retain the best people and build a resilient sector for the future. Businesses that join us now will be at the forefront of shaping that future."