The Vital Role of Food Systems in Sustainability

Alistair Monument joined ISEAL in August this year to support credible and effective sustainability systems through robust practices, multistakeholder engagement and supply chain solutions at a global scale. Alistair leads the Impacts and Innovations Programme, driving impact on climate, biodiversity, livelihoods and human rights while also helping to shape strategy and build global partnerships.

Before, he was WWF International’s Conservation Impact Director in Asia Pacific, supporting regional and national teams to build impactful strategies, partnerships and programmes. He previously served as Global Forest Practice leader for WWF, as the Asia Pacific Director for FSC and was the founding Director of ASI. Alistair has expertise across fields including conservation, forestry, climate, labour rights, land rights, development, standards and certification.

I was born in 1963 and lived in Italy then the UK until I was 8-year-old when my parent moved back to France, I studied in Paris and graduated in Architecture in 1987. My first professional experiences were in London then Paris. In 1996 I passed an M.Phil. in Architectural History and soon after I moved to HK where I taught architecture at the Chinese University Department of Architecture. From 1998 to 2019 I have been involved in a wide range of architectural projects locally and abroad. Parallel to this I have been studying and documenting the biology of the local bees and wasps, publishing over 20 scientific papers on the subject. I started R-Farm HK, a regenerative organic farm out of Kam Tin in 2021, with the aim to supply through Community Supported Agriculture local families with high quality nutritious vegetables devoid of any chemical agents and, in addition to this I set aside 10% of my production supplying vegetables to charities.

My Sustainability Goals for 2025:

1. Increase the awareness of the need of farms and farmers with government departments
2. Decrease our dependency on imported farm products (vegetables)
3. Increase biodiversity

With over seven years of experience in customer experience and sustainability at Compass Group, Gigi Lau is a dynamic professional dedicated to transforming the corporate catering landscape. As the Customer Experience & Sustainability Director, she leads a team that collaborates with culinary experts, nutritionists, and suppliers to create engaging workplace and school dining solutions.

Her expertise in promotional strategies, vendor engagements, and project management ensures that catering services align with eco-conscious goals. Passionate about reducing waste and enhancing customer experiences, Gigi aims to inspire organizations to adopt sustainable practices that are adaptable in practical forms.

My Sustainability Goals for 2025:

1. Increase awareness of food waste issues in HK, and more household waste solutions
2. Driving a greener diet across different ages; promote plant-forward diet