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Sustainability Hub – Enjoying sustainably: Local Approaches to Sustainable Nutrition

On 14 May 2025, the Sustainability Hub with the topic "Enjoying Sustainably: Local approaches to sustainable nutrition" took place in the Aula and foyer of the main university building. This event was organised by the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems (ZNE) and the Office for Sustainability at JLU Giessen.

The diverse programme provided a platform for discussions about the opportunities, challenges and possibilities of sustainable nutrition:

Highlights

   

Market of Opportunities

 

The Market of Opportunities opened the event, offering attendees the opportunity to get to know local associations, initiatives, companies and organisations, to talk to each other and to network. Among them were:

  • INGE e.V.
  • Foodsharing Gießen
  • the JLU Campus Garden
  • the Gießen Nutrition Council
  • the Hesse Consumer Advice Centre - Verbraucherzentrale (the food and nutrition team)
  • Bäckerei Siebenkorn
  • SoLaWi Network Marburg-Giessen
  • Studierendenwerk Giessen
  • the House of Sustainability Giessen

  • the Gießen steering group Fairtrade City  

 

Poster exhibition

 

The poster exhibition in the Aula offered an insight into various  projects of the JLU Giessen dealing with the transformation of the food system in Hesse.

 

Welcome address and impulse talks

 

The welcome address and impulse talks highlighted the topic of ‘Local approaches to sustainable nutrition’ from various perspectives.

  • Prof. Dr. Ramona Teuber, Speaker of the ZNE, Welcome address and introduction to the topic of the Sustainability Hub
  • Dr. Laura Luber, Speaker of the Office for Sustainability, JLU, Welcome and presentation of the programme
  • Prof. Dr. Andreas Gattinger, Chair of Organic Farming with Focus on Sustainable Soil Use, JLU: "Gladbacherhof as a research platform - interaction between agricultural systems research and practice for sustainable food production"
  • Prof. Dr. Stefan Wahlen, Chair of Nutrition Sociology, JLU: "Sustainable consumption and food democracy: opportunities and limits of sustainable dietary habits"
  • Prof. Dr. Sandra Schwindenhammer, Chair of Social Science Sustainability Research with Focus on Sustainable Food Systems, JLU: "Socio-political dynamics and the involvement of social actors in sustainable food systems - the project SUSKULT"
  • Sonja Kricheldorf und Phillip Kaapke, Co-founders of the food start-up REVOJA: "Enjoyment with responsibility: the REVOJA concept"
  • Dr. Christina Weber, Project Coordinator of Food Entrepreneurship & Start-Ups (FESU) at JLU: "Female Founders & Food Start-Ups Promotion for the Region"
  • Prof. Dr. Christian Herzig, Chair of Business Administration in the Food Economy and Argibusiness, JLU: "Social innovations need food ecosystems"

 

 

 

Fishbowl Discussion

 

As part of the concluding fishbowl discussion with all speakers, the audience also had the opportunity to actively contribute and participate. The participants presented their visions for the implementation of sustainable food concepts in the region and discussed concrete steps. It was emphasised that sustainable food production can also inspire conventional farmers. Local food initiatives are particularly dependent on participation, equity and regional anchoring.
 
During the discussion, it became clear that various actors such as politicians, companies, consumers and universities play crucial roles in the transformation process: Politicians create the necessary framework conditions, while companies drive innovation. Consumers can provide important impulse by changing consumption patterns and universities play a central role in networking stakeholders and transferring scientific findings, among other things. In this context, the importance of nutritional competence in school education was also discussed, as education and sensitisation of young people are seen as the key to developing long-term, sustainable consumption patterns.
 
The success of sustainable food initiatives therefore depends largely on the cooperation of these actors and the support of local politicians to promote sustainable diets in both urban and rural areas. 

 

More impressions of the Sustainability Hub at LinkedIn.