These case studies are examples of existing work integrating sustainability and nutrition in practice. We share them in the hope that they inspire you in your efforts to apply sustainability to dietetic practice and enable peer-to-peer learning around practical challenges and successes. We hope that they help contextualize the application of sustainability through regionally- and culturally-relevant examples.
Each case study shares the story of a particular initiative, program, document, or organization from various parts of the world, highlighting key learnings and takeaways. Contact information for organizations or people is included in each case—please use this to initiate direct contact, discuss specific issues and opportunities, and deepen your learning.
🖨️ New in 2025: Each case study has been updated and now has a downloadable PDF so that you can print them for events or classes, or download them and share them electronically.
ICDA members who participated in the Delphi-inquiry research provided the foundation for this toolkit. They identified specific barriers that Dietitians-Nutritionists face in integrating sustainability.
Each case study is tagged to indicate which of these specific barriers it addresses to help you identify cases that are most relevant to your particular situation.
- Profits as priority
- Food safety
- Industrialized, capitalist systems
- Food prices
- Environmental degradation
- Professional culture and change
- Finding common ground
✅ Submit your case study using this template:
Chef Rodrigo Pacheco’s Biodiverse Edible Forest and Bocavaldivia (Ecuador)
FAO National Goodwill Ambassador for Ecuador
Jul 2025
NeverEndingFood Permaculture, Malawi (2025)
Using a Permaculture Approach to Nutrition and Community Wellness in Malawi
Jul 2025
Sustainable Collaboration: University College Dublin and Airfield Estate, Dublin, Ireland (2025)
Enabling student training & research relevant to sustainable food systems
Jul 2025
German Example on Integrating Sustainability in Dietetic Courses (2025)
Students experience increase in drive, confidence, and responsibility
Jul 2025
Addressing Food Waste at University College Dublin, Ireland (2025)
Departmental partnerships to turn waste into wealth
Jul 2025
Red-Listed Seafood (2025)
Removing Red-Listed Seafood in Acadia University's Wheelock Dining Hall
Jul 2025
Reducing Food Waste with Recovering Drug Addicts in Germany (2025)
Utilizing "Imperfect" Produce from Distributors in Germany
Jul 2025
Gardening & Nutrition Education in a Speech & Hearing Impaired School – Chennai India (2025)
Supporting Food Sovereignty Through Nutrition Education of the Speech & Hearing Impaired
Jul 2025
Food Sustainability and Nutrition in Violence Prevention in Jamaica (2025)
Supporting Food Security and Sustainability in Jamaican Youth Violence Prevention
Jul 2025
SecondBite, Austrailia (2025)
Using Surplus Food as an Opportunity to Reduce Hunger and Waste
Jul 2025
Community Kitchens: Responding to Crisis in South African Township: Community innovation for nutritious food in the time of COVID-19 (2025)
Creating opportunity to impact food security during a pandemic in a South African township
Jul 2025
SFS Education in Nutrition & Dietetics degrees: Global Case Studies (2025)
International Dietetic educators integrating sustainability into their curricula.
Jul 2025
Reviving Traditional Grain Production and Consumption in India (2025)
Opportunities to integrate sustainability, health and rural economic development in India
Jul 2025
SPP, Small Producers (2025)
Incorporating Social Sustainability and the Role of Certifications
Jul 2025
National School Lunch Program in Japan (2025)
Building Skills and Habits for Healthy and Sustainable Eating in Childhood in Japan
Jul 2025
Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population (2025)
Integrating Sustainability, Traditional Diets, and Cultural Wisdom into National Dietary Guidelines
Jul 2025
Questions? Ideas? Feedback? Contact: ICDAsfs.coordinator@acadiau.ca
The ICDA SFS Toolkit is made to be used & shared freely.
Please cite the authors of the resources you use, and the ICDA SFS Toolkit if you are able:
InternationalDietetics.org/Sustainability
page updated 2025 May