IKEA Foundation and Porticus join the Food initiative as Philanthropic Partners

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Food initiative is welcoming two new Philanthropic Partners: IKEA Foundation and Porticus. Expanding the Food initiative’s network and the wealth of expert advice it receives, the new Philanthropic Partners will support the initiative in its mission to stimulate a global shift towards a regenerative food system based on the principles of a circular economy.

Emma Chow, Ellen MacArthur Foundation Food initiative lead, said: “We are extremely pleased to have IKEA Foundation and Porticus on board. By coming together like this, we can move forward in our transition to a circular economy for food. We have the opportunity to shift the global food industry and create a system which not only helps to tackle the climate crisis and rebuild biodiversity, but promotes the livelihoods of farmers, improves human health, and reconnects people with their food, all while creating new business opportunities. The more organisations, businesses, cities and people that get involved, the closer we get to that vision.”

The IKEA Foundation works to create a better everyday life for people. As the philanthropic arm of INGKA Foundation, the owner of the Ingka Group of companies, they focus on improving the lives of vulnerable children by enabling their families to create sustainable livelihoods, and to fight and cope with climate change. More information

“We’re very excited about our new partnership with the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. The knowledge they bring around circularity and complementarity of efforts will be of great benefit to both our partners and our programmes.

With this grant we will build evidence that demonstrates the potential of regenerative agriculture and circularity to transform the agricultural sector, especially for smallholder farmers who are often left behind. We are happy to be able to support the global Food initiative and specifically to include East African cities in the initiative.” - Annelies Withofs, Programme Manager

Porticus is the international organisation responsible for managing and developing the philanthropic programmes of charitable entities established by the Brenninkmeijer family entrepreneurs. Porticus provides the charitable entities with strategic advice on programmes and offers them a full array of grant management services. Every year, approximately 2,000 projects are supported in almost 90 countries around the world. More information

“Porticus supports the Ellen MacArthur Foundation Food initiative because we believe food systems are the most promising opportunity to reveal the interdependence between social, environmental, economic and cultural issues, making most realistic transformation solutions rise.” - Mirela Sandrini, Program Manager, Porticus Latin America