Rethinking Food Waste: Design, rescue and circular value creation

Food waste is not just a disposal problem — it is a design challenge. Across supply chains, institutions and businesses, valuable resources are lost through fragmented systems, inefficient processes and linear thinking. As costs rise and sustainability expectations intensify, rethinking food waste presents a powerful opportunity to unlock value, reduce risk and strengthen resilience.

This webinar brings together leaders working across food systems, healthcare, environmental science and circular innovation to explore how waste can be prevented, redirected and redesigned out of the system. From national strategy through to on-the-ground implementation, the discussion will examine practical pathways to reduce food waste at scale — while improving operational efficiency and environmental outcomes.

Through sector insights, lived experience and real-world case studies, our speakers will unpack what is working, where barriers remain, and how organisations can move beyond good intentions toward measurable impact. Join us for a grounded conversation on transforming food waste from a cost centre into a driver of circular value.

Speakers

Bel Chellingworth – BC Consulting
Belinda 'Bel' Chellingworth has over twenty years’ global experience implementing sustainability, energy and waste prevention strategies, including circular economy leadership roles at the London School of Economics, The GPT Group and Australia Post.

For Bel, reducing wasted food is an all-time favourite topic; she's worked hands on and extensively with and within the food rescue charity sector, led the NSW Government Love Food Hate Waste Business program, developed ALDI Supermarkets first zero food waste strategy and implemented major FOGO collection services, including for the London Borough of Haringey.

Bel is BC Consulting’s Principal consultant, advising government, business and community. In 2025, she co-designed and delivered the NSW Government's first food waste Accelerator, some participants including the Sydney Opera House, NSW TAFE, NSW Health and Corrective Services.

She was recognised as Planet Ark’s inaugural Australian Circular Leader, and can be heard regularly on her ABC Radio residency 'Waste Not, Want Not'.

Sarah Hughes – OzHarvest
Sarah Hughes works with OzHarvest, one of Australia’s leading food rescue organisations, advancing practical solutions to reduce food waste and redirect surplus to communities in need.

With direct experience across the NSW public health system, Sarah brings a grounded understanding of the operational realities within hospital food services and other high-demand, highly regulated environments. She has led initiatives to reduce food waste while maintaining patient care, safety and cost control—demonstrating how measurable change can occur within complex institutions.

Sarah offers a perspective that bridges frontline implementation and broader system design, highlighting how collaboration between healthcare providers and food rescue organisations can unlock both environmental and social impact.

Alex Morris – Loop Organics
Alex Morris is an environmental scientist specialising in soil systems, organics recovery and contamination management. At Loop Organics, Alex works on closing the loop between food waste and soil health—ensuring organic material is recovered, treated and returned safely to productive use. With a science-led approach, Alex provides insight into the environmental risks and regenerative opportunities associated with food waste recovery at scale.

Francesca Goodman-Smith – End Food Waste Australia
Francesca Goodman-Smith works with End Food Waste Australia, the national collaboration driving systemic change to halve food waste across the country. With experience spanning policy, cross-sector partnerships and program delivery, Francesca focuses on aligning industry, government and research to accelerate practical, scalable solutions. Her work centres on translating national targets into coordinated action—ensuring food waste prevention delivers environmental, social and economic benefit at scale.

About Boomerang Labs
Boomerang Labs is Australia's first Circular Economy Accelerator. In addition to our hands-on programs for circular startups, Boomerang Labs is an Innovation Exchange; a hub connecting companies, government bodies and other organisations with founders and innovators to tackle challenges of design, resource use and resource recovery in their organisations and supply chains.

Do you have a topic you’d like us to cover in a future webinar? Let us know via email.

Please Note: Boomerang Labs webinars are recorded and shared via our social media, website and youtube.