Consulting

Services

We support our government, NGO, community and private sector clients to transform their food systems through a customised mix of eight food systems transformation services:

Analysing datasets and using mapping tools to visualise and understand the challenges and priority issues in your local food system.

Establishing the starting point for intervention and identifying the goals, targets and indicators to track progress.

Reviewing Australian and international examples of successful food system interventions to identify options that will work in your context.

Creating spaces to actively involve residents, community leaders, stakeholders and marginalised groups in the design of their food system. We employ a range of methods for meaningful conversations and insightful qualitative research.

Writing (or refreshing) your first food system strategy or policy can be daunting. We can help you identify key focus areas through desktop research, mapping and community consultation. Ideally, we take this step alongside an internal food systems strategy working group that we help facilitate.

Empowering your staff to be food system champions with ‘thinking in systems’ coaching, mentoring and professional development programs that support staff to see the work they’re already doing through a food system lens. This helps our clients to dismantle internal silos and facilitate cross-departmental food system collaboration.

Our clients are also encouraged to join the Sustain’s member-only network for peer-to-peer learning for staff working on food systems. Our Local Government Food Systems Networking Forum connects change-makers across local and state governments, providing a supported space for members to learn from each other’s important work and inspiring case studies and troubleshoot challenges.

Facilitating cross-departmental food system collaboration in government.
Local Government Forum members highly rate the value of the Local Government Food Systems Networking group.

Enabling local government, NGOs and community members to form coalitions, networks or forums for local food system change.

Designing and applying a measurement framework to help you monitor and embed food system policies and initiatives within broader frameworks like the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

Impact in Action: Consulting Case Studies

Case Study

Food Security Framework for Action, City of Casey (2023)

Employing a bespoke mix of our mapping, best-practice benchmarking and consultation core services, we supported the City of Casey to measure food insecurity rates amongst its citizens and map their barriers to healthy eating. We then developed a next-step framework for action on food security in the city. Employing a bespoke mix of our mapping, best-practice benchmarking and consultation core services, we supported the City of Casey to measure food insecurity rates amongst its citizens and map their barriers to healthy eating. We then developed a next-step framework for action on food security in the city.

“The work that was undertaken by Sustain during the contract was of high quality and they had strong knowledge of the role local government can play in influencing food security at a local level. The project was concluded in the timeframe provided and within the project quote. I would recommend Sustain as knowledgeable and reliable consultants that can lead work to influence local food systems work.”

Marni Ford, Senior Health Planner, City of Casey

Case Study

Urban Food Strategy, Banyule City Council (2022-2023)

Sustain supported Banyule City Council to deliver its first ever Urban Food Strategy. Working across all seven of our core services, we delivered two stand-out pieces of work to serve as the foundation for the city’s food system transformation:

  • Our largest community and stakeholder consultation to date – reaching 600 people across council staff and through community surveys, pop-up consultation markets, kitchen table talks and focus groups.
  • Forming and facilitating the Banyule Urban Food Strategy Working Group – a tight-knit leadership team drawn from council staff and community leaders to guide the strategy’s development and subsequent implementation.

Case Study

Food Policy Refresh, City of Melbourne (2022-2023)

This redraft of the City of Melbourne’s food policy included international best-practice benchmarking, a review of the impact of current policies and consultation across the City’s government, academic and community stakeholder groups. The Food Policy report we developed was then stress-tested by an independently run community engagement process, ahead of a review by Councillors and an expected launch in mid-2024.

“Sustain’s links to food experts both locally, nationally and internationally supported us to benchmark the original 2012 food policy against other policies, plans and academic literature to better reflect current thinking and opportunities to mitigate issues such as food insecurity, understanding our role in supporting healthy food environments and advocating for the protection of our local and regional food bowl. Sustain representatives provided a high quality service that was delivered on time and in a professional manner. This was matched by their extensive knowledge on sustainable food systems and passion to make a difference by empowering communities to understand and care for the ecosystems that support our wellbeing.”

Maria Plakourakis, Senior Policy Officer – City Safety, Health Promotion and Policy, Community Wellbeing, City of Melbourne

Case Study

Council Capacity Building, Wyndham City (2022-2023)

This project was about empowering Council staff to see how their disparate departments and work connect to their local food system. We facilitated a cross-departmental food systems community of practice that focussed on food system literacy and breaking-down policy siloes. This team then collaborated with community leaders on a series of participatory workshops, crafting a shared vision and priority actions for food systems in the city. The City of Wyndham has since established a permanent, cross-departmental food systems working group. Sustain will continue this work in 2024-25 – facilitating a Wyndham Food Collective.

“The breadth and depth of this work across Council cannot be understated, with many different areas having particular but connected focus. This project and the reports provided by Sustain have helped us identify this diversity of work and explore ways of bringing it all together. It’s also unpacked the complexity of the food system and we’ve been able to draw on evidence-based work to help inform and shape our own work.

Janelle Phillips, Area Leader Community Development & Programs, Community Strengthening & Inclusion, City of Wyndham.

Case Study

Community Capacity Building, City of Ballarat (2023)

The driving force behind the City of Ballarat’s three year local food systems action plan is the Ballarat local food coalition. We supported the formation of this committed group of 15 organisations – reaching across council, community groups and several First Nations communities and local producers. Supported by Council, the coalition will be the driving force for regional food system change going forward.

“The expertise and support provided by Sustain was essential for the development of the Ballarat Local Food Coalition. Sustain guided the City of Ballarat through the process of engaging a diverse and committed group of community members, collated and presented evidence on the status of the local food system, workshopped priorities and co-designed an action plan for Council and community to progress together. The coalition are now in a position to initiate community focused projects and have strengthened connections with a range of council officers. The support of Sustain to develop this project has elevated food systems work for the council, and accelerated community driven activity in this area.

Caroline Amirtharajah, Health & Wellbeing Officer, City of Ballarat.
The formation of the Ballarat Food Coalition.