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Prof. Dr. Christian Herzig

  • Function
  • Institution
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Chair of Business Administration in the Food Economy and Agribusiness

 

Department of Business Administration of the Agricultural and Food Sector

Faculty 09 - Agricultural Sciences, Nutritional Sciences and Environmental Management

Justus-Liebig University Gießen

Mail: christian.herzig

Phone: +49 (0)641 99-37271

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Related to Food Systems and their transformation to more sustainability...

     
  • My Expertise is...
  • For me the biggest Challenges are...
  • My Project/Collaboration Ideas are...

My research expertise focuses on three interrelated areas:

  • The design and management of food value chains and production networks - this includes innovative business models, hybrid organisational forms and alternative/ transformative forms of food production and processing, retail and out-of-home catering.
  • The management and governance processes of value-based enterprises in the agri-food sector (and how institutional and organisational factors influence the development, application and dissemination of new methodological approaches to sustainability management) - here I consider the areas of sustainability assessment, monitoring and certification, and sustainability reporting.
  • Sustainable entrepreneurship in the food sector (and the question of how entrepreneurs, pioneering companies and markets interact in the transformation of our food system) - this also includes the innovative role of start-ups in the agri-food sector that pursue not only economic but also, and especially, ecological and social goals (impact business).

Within all these areas, special interest is given to the organic food sector, which pays particular attention to the principles of the economy for the common good and the sustainable production of healthy food.

 The report on sustainable nutrition by the Scientific Advisory Council for Agricultural Policy, Food and Consumer Health Protection sums it up well: Sustainable food systems will only exist if we succeed in creating food environments (in public institutions, schools and day-care centers, etc.) that create spaces of experience for a healthy diet with organically, regionally and seasonally produced food and in this way help to increase the appreciation of food and food production. Food education and the provision of reliable information is the task of numerous actors along the food value chains. A comprehensive transformation of our food systems will require more participation and cooperation and should counteract the spatial decoupling of food production and consumption as well as make sustainability performance measurable, transparent and rewardable. A sustainable transformation of businesses requires a rethinking of business and new tools and sustainable, circular economic models that use resources efficiently, enable equitable food distribution and promote diversity and trust.

What would I like to work on with others? On the development, investigation and testing of:

  • ...viable concepts for regional value spaces that help build a resilient agricultural and food system in times of climate change and other man-made crises;
  • ...transdisciplinary pilot projects for the design and transformation of value chains and spaces;
  • ...innovative technologies, products and processes in the agri-food sector as well as new business models for a healthier, fairer and more inclusive food system;
  • ...valuation approaches and reporting forms to appropriately reward and transparently reflect sustainability services provided in the food sector;
  • ...cooperative, community-based and common good economic forms and practices;
  • ...educational programmes and skills approaches that take into account today's challenges in the agri-food sector and sustainable food systems.

 

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