ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability and the UN One Planet Network launch the ‘Power of the Public Plate’ Podcast. Each episode explores the story of a champion of public food procurement. Listeners of the podcast will learn how public authorities from around the world leverage procurement to positively impact the food value chain, to ultimately contribute to sustainable food systems.

Even though the power of public procurement is determined by its regional context and legislation, purchasers across the world hold significant leverage to shape the food system. The podcast showcases this perspective as episodes feature stories from the Philippines, Ethiopia, Italy, Brazil, Kenya, USA, Denmark and Ecuador.

As one of the co-leads to the Sustainable Public Procurement Programme of the One Planet Network, ICLEI supports and facilitates dialogue between public purchasers with the ambition to foster learning and create an understanding of how to use procurement strategically for the achievement of sustainability targets.

“Public procurers are in a unique position. Their decisions shape how food is being grown and by whom, what meals are being cooked and served to school children, public sector staff or in hospitals. More and more public authorities are realising that they hold responsibility and at the same time the mandate to contribute to sustainable food systems. With the Power of the Public Plate - Podcast we created a platform for the change agents working for public authorities to share their stories of how to do better. The podcast features the makers, the people that take action, implementing on the potential public procurement holds, to create the change needed - for people and planet.” - Josefine Hintz, Officer, Global Initiatives, Sustainable, Innovation and Circular Procurement, ICLEI - Local Governments for Sustainability

“Sustainable food procurement is so much more than feeding and cost-effective purchasing. In fact, it is about investing in public health, biodiversity, culture, small farmers and companies, and most of all in the territorial community. We have created the 'Power of the Public Plate' podcast to share inspiring stories of champions who are making a real change through sustainable food procurement, and surprisingly, often spend less money.” Peter Defranceschi, Global Food Program Coordinator, Head of ICLEI Brussels Office

You can listen to the podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcast, Google Podcasts, YouTube.

For any queries contact: Josefine Hintz - josefine.hintz@iclei.org