Sustainable Food: Production and Processing online short course
The food system is being disrupted by climate change, geopolitics, emerging technologies and the destruction of natural resources. Explore scalable solutions and emerging pathways to create resilient and responsible food systems for a growing global population and a rapidly evolving market amid intensifying competition for resources.
The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership’s (CISL) Sustainable Food: Production and Processing online short course equips individuals and working groups with frameworks, insights, tools and the skills to create resilient food systems and lead in this shifting landscape. Over eight weeks, you will explore this landscape and the pathways you and your organisation can take to adapt, survive and compete in a transforming economy, while delivering sustainable food.
With guidance from CISL faculty and industry experts, you will discover innovative business models, technologies and processes, and what these mean for stakeholders throughout the value chain. You will also examine barriers that slow progress or limit the scale of solutions, as you learn the importance of partnerships and collaboration in transforming the food system. Supported by expert tutors and with access to the University of Cambridge’s research and thought leadership, you will develop practical strategies for leading this transformation in your own organisation or sector. Through peer-to-peer learning, live sessions and forum discussions, you will consolidate your learning and develop a Personal Action Plan to drive real-world change.
Course start date
- 7 October 2026
Format
- Online, tutor assessed
Length
- 8 weeks (+1 week orientation) 7–10 hours per week
Is the Sustainable Food course for you?
This course is designed for professionals working in any part of the food system, from farming, production and processing to retail, finance and policy. If you are involved in making decisions about how food is grown, sourced, processed, packaged, labelled, distributed, regulated, marketed or consumed, this course will help you understand the changes reshaping the sector and what they mean for your organisation.
Growers, farmers, landholders, agricultural engineers or technicians and agronomists will learn practical ways to strengthen resilience, improve resource efficiency, and deliver nutritious, affordable and renewable food.
Manufacturers, retailers or food service providers - such as supply chain managers, procurement teams, food and beverage managers, restaurateurs and entrepreneurs will explore innovative business models and value creation throughout the supply chain to support commercial and sustainability performance.
Professionals in finance, consulting, marketing, advocacy or policymakers will gain a clear understanding of the trends, risks and opportunities shaping the future of food. You will explore how investment, regulation, incentives and public expectations influence the pace of change, and how to work with others to unlock progress.
Sustainable Food: Production and Processing
Module 1: The rapidly changing context of food
Module 2: A new sustainable food future
Module 3: New business models and approaches for sustainable food
Module 4: Embedding sustainability into food supply chains
Module 5: Innovations in sustainable food production and processing
Module 6: Leading transformational change in your context
Module 7: Developing your sustainable food personal action plan
Module 8: Collaborating to create sustainable food systems
What will set you apart
On completion of this course, you’ll walk away with:
- A sound understanding of how the food system is changing and the most urgent challenges to long-term food security.
- Practical insights into innovative technologies, new business models and market opportunities that strengthen resilience, reduce environmental impacts and create additional value throughout the supply chain.
- An ambitious Personal Action Plan with practical steps to support sustainable food transformation in your role, team or organisation, fine-tuned and strengthened through collaboration with your peers.
- A broader network of sustainability professionals across the food system and meaningful peer relationships that strengthen your connection with the wider Cambridge community.
- Unlimited access to edX’s Career Engagement Network, offering you exclusive resources and events to support your professional journey and drive your career forward.
Course convenors
The design and delivery of this course is guided by CISL faculty and industry experts who will share their experience and in-depth subject knowledge with you throughout the course.
- David Farrell- Senior Associate, University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership, and Chief Executive Officer, Blue North Sustainability
- Martin Roberts- Sustainability and education specialist and former Director of Digital Learning, University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership
CISL Connect: Online live sessions
CISL has developed three bonus CISL Connect: Online Live Sessions for all students joining any of our ten business sustainability leadership courses. Through these sessions, you’ll get direct access to CISL's leading voices on today’s most urgent business topics – competitiveness, AI and resilience. This format gives you the chance to connect, collaborate and exchange ideas with a far broader global network of professionals beyond your cohort.
This course is certified by the United Kingdom CPD Certification Service and may be applicable to individuals who are members of or associated with UK-based professional bodies. The course has an estimated 70 hours of learning.
Note: should you wish to claim CPD activity, the onus is upon you. CISL and GetSmarter accept no responsibility and cannot be held responsible for the claiming or validation of hours or points.
Please allow social and marketing cookies to show embedded content.
CISL Newsletter
Do you want to receive information about CISL's research, news and events? Click here to request the CISL monthly newsletter.
Delivered in Collaboration with GetSmarter
The University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership (CISL) is collaborating with digital education provider GetSmarter, a brand of 2U, Inc., to provide an interactive and supported online learning experience.