Partner Profile: Novo Nordisk Foundation

Global Food Systems Transformation

Thomas de Bang

Senior Scientific Lead, Novo Nordisk Foundation

Denmark

The Novo Nordisk Foundation was started out of the original design of the company over 100 years ago, to balance profit with scientific and humanitarian research. Today, the intersection of their organizational values of health and sustainability has led them to partner with organizations such as FFAR to achieve shared goals. Citing the intersection of human health issues and planetary health issues, Senior Scientific Lead, Thomas de Bang emphasized the foundation’s prioritization of biotechnological research and food systems research in order to shift food systems into more plant-based foods for what they see as a healthier balance for planet and people.

If you look into the underlying data and the main drivers of this (transgression of planetary boundaries), the intensive livestock production as we have it today on a global scale, is contributing quite a lot. And if you then consider the need to spare land for biodiversity, carbon storage and other ecosystem services, there's a really strong need to support the development of ecosystems that give higher priority to plant-based foods in order to shift the balance between animal-based and plant-based. Thomas de Bang
Senior Scientific Lead, Novo Nordisk Foundation

Novo Nordisk acknowledges the need for animals in healthy food systems for the nutritional purposes as well as the ecosystem services they provide, such as recycling biomass. But the foundation emphasizes that the focal point in our food systems should be shifted toward more of a plant-based diet for a healthier planetary balance. A key driver for the organization.

Though they are Danish-based and focused, Novo Nordisk have been expanding their research and collaborations into a more global scale for some time. These global collaborations have allowed them to tackle crucial work toward transforming global food systems.

To curb negative impacts of our food systems, we need to do everything at once. It's an enormous challenge and we need to work together with other entities, public and private organizations who have a similar overall goal in food systems transformation. Thomas de Bang
Novo Nordisk Foundation

Thomas de Bang spent many years working on farms in Denmark before moving into the university space to get a Ph.D. in agronomy, followed up with a post-doc in the United States. He started his science career as an independent researcher in Denmark, who had experience applying for Novo Nordisk Foundation grants until an opportunity came to join the organization to help them bring their research efforts together to align science, agriculture and food. At the foundation, he oversees the development and implementation of scientific grants that support sustainable agriculture.