This web-based toolkit is a response to feedback from International Confederation of Dietetics Associations (ICDA) members as part of ICDA’s Food Sustainability Initiative, which is summarized in this report. In it, Dietitians-Nutritionists shared their vision for sustainable food systems (SFS), and told us that while most nutrition and dietetics professionals feel it is important to contribute to SFS, but they face several barriers in doing so.
- One of the barriers was a professional culture that does not support inclusion of sustainability in practice.
- A second barrier was the lack of a common vision and language to orient actions.
For these two barriers, supporting tools are necessary, and this toolkit is intended to facilitate learning and collaboration among ICDA members. For an overview of the SFS toolkit and ideas how to use it visit the homepage.
Our Vision:
Dietitians-Nutritionists bring a deep understanding of SFS into their practice. Access to a range of practical, evidence-based and context-specific tools and resources supports all Dietitians-Nutritionists in making positive contributions to sustainability. Dietitians-Nutritionists play key roles in creating healthy communities and accelerating a shift towards SFS.
Our Objectives:
- To provide accessible, relevant and transferable information on the interconnections of SFS and human health
- To provide practical, evidence-based tools for incorporating sustainability into dietetic practice in a diversity of roles and cultural contexts
- To facilitate peer-learning and collaboration to deepen understanding and support incorporation of sustainability into dietetic practice
Our Guiding Principles:
In developing this toolkit, we use the following guiding principles:
- Sustainability: using systems approaches that consider environmental, social and economic impacts and strive for health, resilience and continuity in all these systems
- Equity: actively seeking to recognize, acknowledge and strive to address power dynamics including those embedded in systems of knowledge
- Curiosity: spirit of openness towards continual learning and growth
- Transparency: reflecting on and striving to be explicit about our assumptions, perspectives and social locations
- Diversity: reflective of a range of geographic, linguistic, cultural, social and ecological contexts as well as diverse epistemological and methodological approaches
- Dynamism: responsive to changes in our understanding of health and sustainability
- Evidence-based: critical, ongoing evaluation of sources of knowledge and perspectives
While we have curated the resources and interpreted their strengths and weaknesses, we recognize this is based on our perspectives. Therefore, we strive to be transparent about sources to support you to critically assess the quality, relevance and applicability of the resources in your own context(s).
About The Team
The ICDA SFS Toolkit is by us for us – mostly. There are non-members that have contributed to the toolkit and non-members that use it. But, as we collect and curate information, we always have our members in mind and the wide variety of Dietetics roles that they have.
The Board supports the SFS Toolkit, including a part time coordinator who works with ICDA members 2-days a week to continually update the toolkit as new information is available. The sections below introduce you to the ICDA Board of Directors, the Coordinator, and the wider team who are largely self-funded: Researchers, Students, and Advisors.
Feedback? Questions? Ideas? Contact the ICDA SFS Coordinator: ICDAsfs.coordinator@acadiau.ca
ICDA Board of Directors
The team leading the development of this Toolkit and measuring progress include researchers, dietitians, and trainees. We have a representative from the ICDA Board of Directors, and a team of Advisors. In all we have from 16 countries represented on the team and would love to have more of you take part as we use, share, and grow the number of Dietitians-Nutritionists improving our food systems.
All of the work has been supported by ICDA funding and the high-level decision making of the ICDA Board of Directors. The up-to-date membership of the ICDA Board can be found here on the ICDA website.
Current ICDA Board Liaison for the Sustainability Initiative
Danielle Gallegos is a social dietitian-nutritionist and Professor of Nutrition and Dietetics at Queensland University of Technology. She is currently Director of the Woolworths Centre for Childhood Nutrition Research. She is a Fellow of the Dietitians Association of Australia and currently Immediate Past Chair of the Council of Deans Nutrition and Dietetics (Australia and New Zealand). She has previously served on the Board of Dietitians Australia for six years. She has worked in all areas of nutrition and dietetics including acute care, foodservice, private practice, public health nutrition and for the last 13 years in academia. She undertakes research in child nutrition particularly related to the nexus between nutrition and social justice. She is an experienced dietetic educator contributing to the development of both public health nutrition and dietetic competency and accreditation standards. She has published and presented in areas related to competency-based education, entrustable professional activities, programmatic and moderation of assessment and the role of work placements. She has been working in Vietnam since 2009 to develop nutrition and dietetics as a profession. She is currently the ICDA Board member responsible for the sustainability project.
Past ICDA Board liaison to the Sustainability Initiative
Sheela Krishnaswamy, RD, is a Nutrition & Wellness Consultant in Bengaluru, India. She has 37 years of profSheela Krishnaswamy, RD, is a Nutrition & Wellness Consultant in India. She has 39 years of professional experience in the clinical, corporate and communication spaces. Trained in India and overseas, she is active in national and international dietetic associations. Currently, Sheela works independently as an advisor, an anchor, a writer and a corporate trainer. Sheela has been involved as a member of the ICDA Board of Directors directly participating in the Food Sustainability Initiative from 2018-2020. Contact SheelaKrishnaswamy at gmail.com
Board members
Giuseppe Russolillo is a dietitian-nutritionist, with credentials from the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Navarra, a European Masters degree in Nutrition and Metabolism and a doctorate from the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Navarra. Giuseppe’s numerous activities underscores his dedication to the promotion and advancement of the profession of dietitian: He is active in the education of students and the public, is currently is the President of La Academia Española de Nutrición y Dietética (Spanish Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics AEND), and has been serving serving on the Board of the International Confederation of Dietetic Associations (ICDA) from 2008 to the present (current Chair). He had a role in creating the first professional college of dietitians-nutritionists in Spain (Official College of Dietitians-Nutritionists of Navarra), and his current role as performance secretary on the Board of Iberoamerican Alliance of Nutritionists (AIBAN). Most recently Giuseppe was Chair of the XVII International Congress of Dietetics ICD helds in Granada in September 2016.
Judith Rodriguez, Ph.D., R.D.N., F.A.N.D, F.A.D.A, LD/N, is Chair of, and professor in, the Department of Nutrition & Dietetics in the Brooks College of Health at the University of North Florida. She has many peer reviewed and consumer publications, including the Latino Food Lover’s Glossary (Florida Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics) and The Diet Selector (Running Press) and 200 Surefire Ways Eat too Well and Feel Better (Fair Winds Press). Dr. Rodriguez, a Medallion recipient of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the UNF 2013 Distinguished Professor, has received numerous other recognitions. Over the past thirty years, she has been involved in research, educational, and service activities. Dr. Rodriguez received a Ph.D. in Anthropology from Rutgers University, an M.A. in Nutrition and Higher Education, a B.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics from New York University, and is a Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist. She is a Past President of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, (2010-2011), formerly the American Dietetic Association.
Carole has had a long involvement with the British Dietetic Association, holding many positions, including Honorary Chairman, Vice Chairman and Treasurer, and represented the BDA on the Department of Health Nutrition Task Force. She is currently the BDA representative on the International Confederation of Dietetic Associations and has been a Director of ICDA since 2004, and served as the BDA representative on the European Federation of Associations of Dietitians (EFAD) and on the EFAD Executive Committee from 2006 -2014. Carole became a Fellow of the British Dietetic Association in 1993, and in 1997 Carole was awarded the honour of Member of the British Empire (MBE), in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list, for Services to Dietetics. Carole worked as a clinical dietitian for many years specialising initially in renal disease and then liver disease, transplantation and bariatric surgery. From 2003 until she retired in 2013 Carole managed a large dietetic service and a range of other allied health professions, nursing and for a time a GP practice for the homeless.
Elizabeth Solis is currently a full-time professor at the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León (UANL), Mexico, where she is the Director of Business Incubation and Technology Transfer Center and Chair of the Childhood Obesity Program in the Public Health and Nutrition School. She has also served as the Chief Executive Officer, Dean and Member of the University Board. Elizabeth is a Certified dietitian (NC) by the Mexican College of Dietitians. As a recognized pioneer and leader in nutrition and dietetics in Mexico, she has been involved in the Mexican Association of Public Schools (President), Mexican Diabetes Federation (Chair of Nutrition Board), Mexican Society of Nutrition and Endocrinology (Nutrition Board), Mexican Board of Accreditation and Certification in Nutrition (Coordinator and founder), Mexican Association of Nutrition Schools (President) and Mexican College of Dietitians (MCD), and is currently elected by her association to be part in the ICDA Board. Elizabeth Solis has served as an adviser of the Ministries of Health and Education, and she contributed to the development of important public policies for Obesity prevention. Since 2014 she is a member of the National Committee which elaborated the National Examination for Dietitians in Mexico. She has received multiple awards, honors and recognitions, including the Academic Excellence Award by the Government of Nuevo León, the Professional Excellence Honor by the Federation of Professionals of Nuevo León, and a Distinction by Filigrana Editorial to be part in the Book: The 24th Mexican Dietitians.
Teiji is the President of Kunagawa University of Human Services, and of the Japanese Dietetic Association.
Corinne Eisenbraun, MA, RD, FDC has a long history with Dietitians of Canada (DC) as a volunteer and staff, including as Senior Director, Education Policy and Programs with DC. Corinne is ICD 2024 Congress Chair and was part of the USA-Canada team that hosted the 13th ICDA Congress in Chicago in 2004. She was a member of the Board of Directors of the Canadian Dietetic Association in the early 1990s and part of the transition team that created Dietitians of Canada in 1996. She has served on national and regional Boards and alliance organizations including the Partnership for Dietetic Education and Practice, the Chronic Disease Prevention Alliance of Canada, the Manitoba Council for Child Nutrition and Healthy Start for Mom and Me to name a few. She became a Fellow of Dietitians of Canada in 2014. She was appointed Director on the International Confederation of Dietetic Associations in July 2019 as official Representative of Dietitians of Canada. Prior to her work with DC, Corinne was Executive Director of the Manitoba Association of Registered Dietitians. She worked as an Administrative Dietitian throughout the prairie provinces in acute and long-term care settings as well as in consumer level product testing and quality control for international food service and food manufacturing companies.
Coordinator
In 2022 we added a part time coordinator to support us in scaling out. Contact: ICDAsfs.coordinator@acadiau.ca
Stacia joined the team in 2022 as a part time coordinator, taking over from Haley and Chati, who remain as advisors to the team. Stacia is no stranger to ICDA – she wrote an article for the newsletter in 2000 – has taken part in ICDA Congresses, and provided information about her work in a podcast and case study for this ICDA SFS. Stacia lives in Malawi and is a Registered Dietitian focused on indigenous resources for sustainable diets, healthy living, and strengthening systems with Permaculture design. She has worked internationally for over 30 years with agriculture, health, and education to improve nutritional health through innovative policy and program designs. She has studied hundreds of locally available foods, which she and her family have collected, multiplied around their home, and shared. She worked with the United Nations to compile the Sustainable Nutrition manual, which is used in homes, schools and churches – available freely on her family’s website: www.NeverEndingFood.org
Research Team
Liesel is a dietitian and Assistant Professor in the School of Nutrition and Dietetics at Acadia University, Canada. She co-chaired the Dietitians of Canada Sustainable Food Systems Leadership Team from 2016-2019. Her research and community work focuses community-level engagement with sustainable food systems and diets, and currently, the strategic role of dietitians in that work. She has been working on the ICDA Food Sustainability Initiative since 2017.
Dr. Edith Callaghan is a Professor of Business Strategy at the F.C. Manning School of Business at Acadia University, and the Coordinator for the Environment & Sustainability Studies Program at Acadia University. She also holds a post as a guest researcher in the Department of Strategic Sustainable Development in Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden. Her research focuses on organizational change for sustainability, with a particular focus on sustainable food systems and leadership for change. Dr. Callaghan graduated from Boston University (2002), School of Management, with a Doctor of Business Administration. She earned a Master of Arts, with a focus on Urban & Environmental Policy from Tufts University in 1994. She has been working on the ICDA Food Sustainability Initiative since 2017.
Past Coordinators, Researchers & Assistants
Dr. Barbara Seed is a Registered Dietitian with over 30 years of experience working in public health. In her work and volunteer capacities, she has straddled many sectors including government, civil society and academia. Barbara currently works as a consultant in food and nutrition policy, focusing on integrating nutrition, food systems and the environment. She led the development of the first dietary guidelines in Qatar in 2013 – one of the first in the world to include sustainability principles. Barbara has since been working to advance the concept of integrating sustainable, healthy diets within national level dietary guidelines, as a lecturer and webinar speaker across Canada, publishing in peer-reviewed journals, and as one of the lead writers for the Dietitians of Canada (DC) Sustainable Food Systems role paper. In 2016, she wrote a background paper for Health Canada examining the integration of environmental sustainability principles into dietary guidance.
Chaiti Seth is a part time faculty member in the Department of Community Development at Acadia University, Canada. She is an environmental educator and specialist in sustainable food systems. Her Master’s research focused on identifying factors to effectively facilitate shifts towards healthy, sustainable, and just institutional food systems. Chaiti grew up in India, has spent time living and working in Japan, and now calls Canada home. Chaiti coordinated the development of this web-based toolkit and contributed to ideation, design, new content development.
Haley is a recent graduate of the School of Nutrition and Dietetics at Acadia University, Canada. Originally from a small town in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, she has always had the desire to help others and make an impact, big or small, in the world. It was through this desire and a combination of international volunteer experiences, as well as an independent study opportunity offered at Acadia University, that her passion of sustainable food systems was discovered. This once-in-a-lifetime experience with the ICDA Sustainable Food Systems Initiative has made her gratitude for all those who constantly advocate, promote, or incorporate sustainability into their lives, in any form, grow immensely. Haley has been actively working on design and content for this site since 2018, through coursework and as a Research Assistant.
Originally from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, Rachael is currently completing her Masters in Public Health Nutrition at Memorial University. She also holds a BSc in Nutrition (Dietetics) at Acadia University. Her interest in sustainable food systems was sparked after completing an independent study on the topic at Acadia University. She is also passionate global health and hopes to focus on these areas in her future profession as an RD. Rachael currently works as a Research Assistant for the ICDA SFS tool kit related to indicators, and quantitative and qualitative research.
Advisors
Initially this toolkit was developed with feedback and support from a team of international Advisors, many of whom still provide input as the topic continues to develop and improve – see Community of Practice: Regional Contacts.
New Advisors / Regional Contacts have joined our collaborating team as well, and if you are a member of an ICDA NDA, we welcome YOU to join us as well!
We express gratitude to:
- Ariel Ho, (Shih-Ying), RD, Taiwan
- Catherine Pereira-Kotze, RD, PhD (Candidate), South Africa
- Eduardo A. Gómez Infante, Lic. Nut., MSP, PhD, México
- Jo McCormack, Australia
- Júlia Muñoz Martínez, Spain
- Kathy Faulkner, APD, Australia
- Liza Barbour, Advanced APD, PhD (Candidate), Australia
- Manuel Monino Gomez, RD, Spain
- Margaretha af Trolle, RD, Sweden
- Marie Spiker, PhD, MSPH, RDN, USA
- Opeyemi Bolajoko, PhD, Nigeria
- Patricia Thompson, RNutr. M.Sc., DMS. SNS, MSN, Jamaica
- Roshan Delabandara, Rnutr., MSc., Sri Lanka
- Roxane Wagner, RD, MBA, Farmer, Canada
- Sandra Murray, APD, MSc, Tasmania
- Seema Puri, PhD, India
- Shane Warner, IT support
- Sylvie Borloz, RD, Switzerland
- Tânia Cordeiro, Nutritionist, PhD, Portugal
- Gina Tüfer, Sweden
- Zenaida Velasco, RND, MAP, Philippines
For an overview of the SFS toolkit and ideas how to use it, visit our homepage at: https://icdasustainability.org
Feedback? Questions? Ideas? Contact the ICDA SFS Coordinator: ICDAsfs.coordinator@acadiau.ca