Tracking supermarket progress
towards a greener and fairer food system

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Project participants

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) identifies which supermarket companies and other organisations are working with the Race to the Top project. By signing it, each company/organisation demonstrates a commitment to the objectives and spirit of constructive engagement of the project. Any views or opinions published by the project do not necessarily reflect the policies of these organisations, individually or collectively.

• Supermarkets
• Other partners
• Advisory group
• Scientific review panel
• Project funding
• About IIED

Supermarkets

The following supermarket companies have signed the Memorandum of Understanding for the Race to the Top project and are full participants in the data collection process for 2003:

The following companies have signed the Memorandum of Understanding but have not participated in the data collection process for 2003:

The following companies have thus far chosen not to participate in the Race to the Top project:

• Asda Stores Ltd
• Tesco plc
• Waitrose
• Wm Morrison

Project partners

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) identifies which organisations are working with the Race to the Top project. By signing it, each company/organisation demonstrates a commitment to the objectives and spirit of constructive engagement of the project. Any views or opinions published by the project do not necessarily reflect the policies of these organisations, individually or collectively.

	British Independent Fruit Growers' Association			National Federation of Women's Institutes
	Food Policy Team, City University			New Economics Foundation
	Compassion in World Farming			Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
	Countryside Agency			Small and Family Farms Alliance
	Council for the Protection of Rural England			Soil Association
	English Nature			Sustain: the alliance for better food and farming
	Fairtrade Foundation			Traidcraft Exchange
	Farm Animal Welfare Network			Transport 2000
	Farmers' Link			Transport and General Workers' (Rural, Agricultural and Allied Workers) Union
	Forum for the Future			USDAW (Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers) Union
	Marine Conservation Society			World Society for the Protection of Animals
	Marine Stewardship Council			WWF-UK

Advisory group

The advisory group's key responsibility is to seek to ensure the highest quality, balance, and integrity of the work of the Race to the Top project, by means of project guidance and peer review through advice to the project coordinators. The members of the advisory group generally act in a personal capacity and do not necessarily represent the organisations with which they are affiliated. Their organisations are listed below simply to indicate the breadth of expertise within the group.

• Dr Richard Baines - Royal Agricultural College
• Jim Howell - Food and Drink Industry Division, DEFRA
• Chizom Ekeh - National Consumers Council
• Nicola Ellen - CSR Strategy Manager, Safeway Stores
• Tony Gould - T&GWU Food and Agriculture Sector
• Professor David Hughes - Imperial College at Wye
• Rob Lake - Henderson Global Investors
• John Lampitt - Farmers' World Network
• Dr James Northen - IGD
• Andrew Simms - New Economics Foundation
• Anne Tallontire / Valerie Nelson - Natural Resources & Ethical Trade Programme, NRI
  

Scientific review panel

The scientific review panel provides peer review and technical advice in relation to the quality and rigour of specific project outputs such as briefing papers and data collection instruments. It provides advice on these issues to the advisory group, through the project coordinators at IIED or through direct contact with the relevant module coordinator. Membership is intended to reflect expertise in each of the seven module areas plus methodology and overall supermarket organisation and strategy.

Environment Dr Frans Berkout, Sustainable Technologies Programme, University of Sussex

Producers Dr Andrew Fearne, Centre for Food Chain Research, Imperial College

Workers Mike Ironside, Dept of Human Resource Management and Industrial Relations, Keele University

Local Dr. Kevin Morgan, Department of City & Regional Planning, Cardiff University

Nature Dr Richard Baines, Royal Agricultural College

Animals Dr. John Webster, Professor of Animal Husbandry, University of Bristol

Health Gill Cowburn, Division of Public Health and Primary Health Care, University of Oxford Institute of Health Sciences

Retail strategy Dr Neil Wrigley, Professor of Human Geography, University of Southampton

Methodology Dr Ray Chambers, Department of Social Statistics, University of Southampton

Project funding

Race to the Top is financially supported by the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and the UK Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

In addition, the Nature module has benefited from in-kind support from the RSPB, and financial support from the John T. and Catherine D. Macarthur Foundation.

Any views or opinions published by the project do not necessarily reflect the policies of these organisations, individually or collectively.

About IIED

The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) is an independent, non-profit research institute working in the field of sustainable development. IIED aims to provide expertise and leadership in researching and achieving sustainable development at local, national, regional and global levels. In alliance with others we seek to help shape a future that ends global poverty and delivers and sustains efficient and equitable management of the world's natural resources. We have experience of brokering practical solutions for business and its stakeholders through analysis, outreach and dialogue.