We are ProVeg
ProVeg UK is a part of ProVeg International, a food awareness organisation working to transform the global food system by replacing 50% of animal products with plant-based and cultivated foods by 2040.
ProVeg has received the United Nations’ Momentum for Change Award and works closely with key UN food and environment agencies. We have observer status with the UNFCCC, the IPCC, and the CBD, special consultative status with ECOSOC, and are accredited for UNEA.
OUR VISION
Our vision is a world where everyone chooses delicious and healthy food that is good for all humans, animals, and our planet.
What we do
In the UK, our School Plates programme supports local authorities, multi-academy trusts, individual schools, and contract caterers by helping them to make small changes to school menus that can have a big impact on both children’s health and the health of the planet. We review menus, offer advice, create new recipes, and host plant-based cooking workshops in order to increase the quality and availability of plant-based food in schools.
As part of the School Plates programme, our ProVeg School Plates Awards recognise the positive steps that school caterers are taking to make school food healthier and more sustainable.
We have also developed a brand-new educational programme – Canteen to Classroom – that aims to empower and nurture a generation that is both health- and environmentally-conscious. The programme provides teachers with all the resources they need to teach children about the food they eat: where it comes from, how it’s made, and its impact on our health and the planet.
Internationally, we engage with all relevant stakeholders to help build a food system where everyone chooses delicious and healthy food that is good for all humans, animals, and our planet. ProVeg has received the United Nations’ Momentum for Change Award and works closely with key UN food and environment agencies. We also have observer status with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, as well as special consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council , and are accredited for the UNEnvironment Assembly.
ProVeg UK is a non-profit organisation. We are registered as a community-interest company and are entirely donor-funded.
OUR MISSION
Our mission is to replace 50% of animal products, globally, with plant-based and cultivated foods by 2040.
Why we do it
Many of the world’s most pressing problems share a common cause – animal agriculture, which contributes to climate change, lifestyle diseases, global hunger, and animal suffering.
ProVeg is dedicated to raising awareness about how we can tackle these problems through diet and food-systems change. ProVeg empowers people and institutions to transform the global food system by promoting attractive plant-based and cultivated foods. Transforming the global food system is a multiproblem solution.
Reasons to be ProVeg
Taste
Enjoy delicious food
Health
Improve your health
Justice
Help build a fairer world
Animals
A better life for animals
Environment
Save the planet
Our Guiding Principles
Maximising our long-term impact
We strive to maximise our long-term impact in order to achieve our mission of reducing the global consumption of animals by 50% by 2040. Our work is informed by the principles of effective altruism – using limited resources to do the most good.
Influencing the influencers
We focus on institutional change across key sectors of society. To this end, we target the most impactful multipliers, thought leaders, and innovators in three main areas: the food industry, the media, and our communities. These multipliers have a huge influence, not only on their own sector but also on society as a whole, acting as levers to move everyone in a more plant-based direction.
Positive and incentivising
We motivate and incentivise people and institutions to shift towards eating more plant-based foods and other alternative proteins through positive messaging focused on the benefits.
All motivations
We acknowledge that there are different reasons for people changing their eating habits. We value each of them equally: taste, health, justice, animals, and environment. These are also our 5 Pros.
Diverse solutions
We support plant-based and cultured foods, and other alternatives to conventional animal-based products. We also support manufacturers of such products, independent of their size or the sector they operate in. We consider all actors and stakeholders to be critical parts of the solution. We endorse interventions directed at food-systems transformation rather than improving animal welfare, although we encourage all such improvements.
The UK Team
Jimmy Pierson
Director
A former lawyer and journalist, Jimmy created School Plates in 2018. It is now a well-established programme helping schools and local authorities make delicious, sustainable food.
… Read MoreDirector
A former lawyer and journalist, Jimmy created School Plates in 2018. It is now a well-established programme helping schools and local authorities make delicious, sustainable food.
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Colette Fox
Head of Programme
Colette leads the School Plates programme and the Global Plant-Based School Food Network, which brings together organisations across five continents with the shared goal of…
Read MoreHead of Programme
Colette leads the School Plates programme and the Global Plant-Based School Food Network, which brings together organisations across five continents with the shared goal of making school food planet-friendly. She is a certified nutrition coach.
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Alex Jemison
Programme Coordinator (Awards)
Alex is the School Plates Awards Coordinator. A former opera singer with a degree in modern languages, she has always been passionate about communicating, so…
Read MoreProgramme Coordinator (Awards)
Alex is the School Plates Awards Coordinator. A former opera singer with a degree in modern languages, she has always been passionate about communicating, so it’s no surprise that she loves to share her passion for School Plates!
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Liz Kelliher
Office and Finance Manager
Liz is the Office and Finance Manager for ProVeg UK. Liz ensures the smooth running of our UK entity, helping to ensure ProVeg CIC…
Read MoreOffice and Finance Manager
Liz is the Office and Finance Manager for ProVeg UK. Liz ensures the smooth running of our UK entity, helping to ensure ProVeg CIC is both an effective organisation and a great place to work. Liz is responsible for bookkeeping and finance, HR support, compliance, as well as supporting the UK School Plates team, and assisting with running the Global Plant-Based School Food Network meetings.
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Martin Skingley
Education Manager
Martin is the Education Manager and has 16 years of experience as a primary school teacher, senior leader, and curriculum coordinator. He leads the development and…
Read MoreEducation Manager
Martin is the Education Manager and has 16 years of experience as a primary school teacher, senior leader, and curriculum coordinator. He leads the development and implementation of our education programme, Canteen to Classroom, which informs and teaches children about the food they eat: where it comes from, how it is made, and its impact on our health and the planet.
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Polly Higginson
Programme Coordinator (Scotland and Northern Ireland)
Polly has spent her career working in food and sustainability. She worked for over 10 years in the hospitality industry as a…
Read MoreProgramme Coordinator (Scotland and Northern Ireland)
Polly has spent her career working in food and sustainability. She worked for over 10 years in the hospitality industry as a restaurant chef and business owner and is passionate about cooking healthy, delicious plant-rich food. She is a parent of two primary-aged children, and is School Plates Programme Coordiantor for Scotland and Northern Ireland, as well as one of the programme’s chef trainers.
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Sarah Morton
Programme Analyst
Sarah is our Programme Analyst, trained as a chartered accountant she is a self-confessed data geek. She worked in Local Government for 31 years before following…
Read MoreProgramme Analyst
Sarah is our Programme Analyst, trained as a chartered accountant she is a self-confessed data geek. She worked in Local Government for 31 years before following her passion into a career more focused on sustainability. She has a young daughter, so school food is very important to her personally, as well as for the planet’s future.
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Jade Chapman
Communications Manager
Leading on all things communication at ProVeg UK, Jade is passionate about the environment and food systems transformation. With years of experience in the environmental charity…
Read MoreCommunications Manager
Leading on all things communication at ProVeg UK, Jade is passionate about the environment and food systems transformation. With years of experience in the environmental charity and public health sectors, she hopes to empower communities and inspire positive change through her work.
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Sophia Millar
Programme Manager
Sophia is a former primary school teacher and senior leader with 18 years of experience in education. She is a registered nutritionist and nutritional therapist, with…
Read MoreProgramme Manager
Sophia is a former primary school teacher and senior leader with 18 years of experience in education. She is a registered nutritionist and nutritional therapist, with a focus on children’s gut and immune health, bringing her much valued clinical and teaching experience to our team. Sophia oversees the management of our School Plates programme, and also coordinates the programme across Wales, where she is based.
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Ellie Murphy
Programme Coordinator (England)
Ellie has a background in nutrition and 20 years of experience planning and delivering cookery and caterer training. She manages our partnerships in England and…
Read MoreProgramme Coordinator (England)
Ellie has a background in nutrition and 20 years of experience planning and delivering cookery and caterer training. She manages our partnerships in England and supports local authorities to make their menus healthier and more sustainable. She also delivers our caterer training.
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Senior Leadership Team
Jasmijn de Boo
Global CEO of ProVeg International
Jasmijn de Boo (MSc, DipEd) has more than two decades of international experience and has worked in national and global leadership positions since…
Read MoreGlobal CEO of ProVeg International
Jasmijn de Boo (MSc, DipEd) has more than two decades of international experience and has worked in national and global leadership positions since 2011.
Jasmijn is the Global CEO at ProVeg International, where she is responsible for overall strategic direction and growth, international operational management, and governance of the ProVeg country offices and programmes.
Jasmijn is a co-founder of the European Alliance for Plant-based Food (EAPF) and the Plant Based Food Alliance UK (PBFA). She is a director of five entities in four countries.Jasmijn has previously worked in a range of international organisations, including as CEO of SAFE for animals in New Zealand. She has worked as a researcher, global education manager, lecturer, curriculum developer, and programme adviser.
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Tim Polkowski
International Director
As International Director of ProVeg International, Tim drives the development and implementation of strategies across ProVeg’s global offices in order to accelerate the transition to a…
Read MoreInternational Director
As International Director of ProVeg International, Tim drives the development and implementation of strategies across ProVeg’s global offices in order to accelerate the transition to a healthier and more sustainable food system. He has over 20 years’ experience in strategy and innovation consulting, and has worked with diverse clients across various sectors and regions, from Fortune 500 companies to nonprofits, governments, and entrepreneurs. Tim founded the Plant Based Health Alliance in Malaysia, a social enterprise aimed at preventing and reversing chronic diseases through plant-based nutrition. He is passionate about solving complex challenges and creating positive change at the intersection of health, environment, and society. With a focus on overseas assignments throughout his career, Tim currently resides in Michigan, USA.
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Stephanie Otto
Head of International Operations
As Head of International Operations, Stephanie, together with her team, implements central structures and processes that facilitate smooth and effective collaboration between the ProVeg…
Read MoreHead of International Operations
As Head of International Operations, Stephanie, together with her team, implements central structures and processes that facilitate smooth and effective collaboration between the ProVeg countries and departments in order to support ProVeg with achieving its global mission. Stephanie studied sociology, intercultural business communication, and economics. She has worked in various fields from international event management to international B2B sales and business development, as well as in project and strategic partnership management for a range of different organisations, from a large B2B media group to tech startups. Five years ago, Stephanie changed her career for the better via the On Purpose Leadership Programme and started applying her previous experience at ProVeg. Stephanie is originally from Germany, but has lived and worked in France, and is currently based in Spain.
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Joanna Trewern
Director of Partnerships and Institutional Engagement
An expert in healthy, sustainable diets and sustainable food systems, Joanna’s experience spans corporate sustainability, policy and advocacy, research, and communications. Before…
Read MoreDirector of Partnerships and Institutional Engagement
An expert in healthy, sustainable diets and sustainable food systems, Joanna’s experience spans corporate sustainability, policy and advocacy, research, and communications. Before joining ProVeg, Joanna was Head of Consumption at the World Wildlife Fund UK, where she led the organisation’s work on healthy and sustainable diets.
Through her work, Joanna has engaged with and influenced diverse stakeholders – from UN agencies and global food companies to academics, policymakers, and the general public. She is passionate about finding solutions to real-world challenges, as well as influencing national policy and engaging with food businesses to guide their corporate sustainability strategies.
Joanna has shaped multilateral policymaking processes through invited leadership roles at the UN Food Systems Summit and the FAO World Food Forum Young Scientists Group. She has worked with international programmes in the areas of conservation, education, and nutrition security to build the skills and agency of local communities.
Joanna has a PhD in Sustainability from the University of Surrey and an MSc in Biodiversity, Conservation and Management from Oxford. Her PhD research looked at how food retailers in the UK can encourage the shift to more sustainable diets by using the lens of ‘less and better’ meat and dairy. Her research has been published in top-tier journals.
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Our Network
ProVeg works with decision-making bodies, companies, investors, the media, and the general public to help the world transition to a society and economy that are less reliant on animal agriculture and more sustainable for all humans, animals, and our planet.
ProVeg has offices in 14 countries across four continents and is active around the world. ProVeg has permanent observer status with the UNFCCC, special consultative status with ECOSOC, is accredited for UNEA, and has received the United Nations’ Momentum for Change Award.
- United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) – Special Consultative Status
- United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) – Accredited Organisation
- United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) – Observer Status
- Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) – Observer Status
- Recipient of UN Momentum for Change Award
Our Supporters
The work carried out by the numerous ProVeg offices around the world is truly groundbreaking, consistently impressive and of much interest and use to our vegan business readers.
Emma Clarkson
Managing Editor, Vegconomist
Over the the last few years, I have become increasingly concerned with animal rights. I really hope we can speed up the protein revolution. There are some organizations such as ProVeg that I think are really awesome. They are working in a very goal-oriented way to remove animals from the food chain.
Rutger Bregman
Author of Utopia for Realists, HumanKind
I support ProVeg because they are a powerful trailblazer in the plant-based movement, educating people and health professionals on the benefits of plant-based eating.
Dr. Michael Greger
Founder of Nutritionfacts.org and author of How Not to Die
