Business Models for Impact: Tackling Food Waste Effectively

In celebration of B Corp Month, join us for this interactive online panel event and learn about the exciting food waste research project from The Centre for Social Impact at Swinburne. The research, led by Dr Krzysztof (Chris) Dembek, Senior Lecturer Social Impact, focuses on how business models are used to implement and activate different solutions for food waste. This research also focuses on Certified B Corps, given they are more likely to have embedded such solutions.

At this interactive event, key research findings will be presented, highlighting the impact and achievements that B Corps are having in the area of food waste. As part of B Corp Month, the event will also feature select B Corps included in the research. A panel of B Corps facilitated by Mindy Leow, Director of Certification and Programs at B Lab Australia & Aotearoa New Zealand, will be invited to share how they have introduced different solutions to combat the important issue of food waste.

Meet our speakers:

• Dr Krzysztof (Chris) Dembek - Senior Lecturer , Social Impact, Centre for Social Impact Swinburne (CSI Swinburne). 
• Josie Grenfell - Co-Founder & Co-CEO, Food2Soil
• Sarah Turner - Environmental & Social Impact Manager, 4 Pines Brewing Co.,
• Mindy Leow, Director of Certification and Programs, B Lab Australia & Aotearoa New 

The audience will also have the opportunity to engage with panellists and the researcher directly during the Q&A following the panel discussion. 

This event is hosted in collaboration with B Lab Australia & Aotearoa New Zealand and the Centre for Social Impact, Swinburne University of Technology. 

About the speakers

Dr Krzysztof (Chris) Dembek 

Senior Lecturer , Social Impact

Centre for Social Impact, Swinburne University of Technology

Dr Krzysztof Dembek is a Lecturer at the Centre for Social Impact Swinburne (CSI Swinburne). He is an experienced researcher, manager, consultant and teacher with expertise and experience in using business strategy and business models for social impact and complex problem-solving and is driven by the need to ensure ‘wicked problems’ are solved in a way that they do not create new, or aggravate existing, issues.

Krzysztof has extensive global experience delivering high quality research and consulting work, applying a systems thinking perspective with governments, corporate, not-for-profit and hybrid organisations. His work spans across many industries including pharmaceutical, forestry, mining and food, and he has attracted large amounts of funding from governments and private institutions.

Krzysztof’s experience in social impact evaluation and management led him to co-develop the Actionable Impact Management Framework in 2016 - a tool which helps organisations to start tracking and managing their impact. He holds a number of board and advisory positions, and is a founding member of the V20 group , and a Visiting Research Professor at the WSB University in Gdansk, Poland. Krzysztof has published articles in several journals, including the Journal of Business Ethics, and Business and Society. Prior to joining academia, he held executive positions in various European companies.

cdembek@swin.edu.au 

Mindy Leow

Director of Certification & Programs

B Lab Australia & Aotearoa New Zealand

Mindy Leow is the Director of Certification and Programs at B Lab Australia & Aotearoa New Zealand. Mindy started her career in the media and advertising industry before moving from the USA to Australia, where she has been working at the intersections of purpose and profit for more than a decade. Prior to joining B Lab in 2016, Mindy was involved in growing the social enterprise sector in Australia through her roles at Social Traders and StartSomeGood. 

Mindy is a passionate advocate for business as a force for good and has been instrumental in growing the B Corp movement in this region, working with hundreds of businesses to measure and improve their impact. Mindy holds qualifications in business and journalism and an MBA in Sustainability and Social Entrepreneurship. She is also an Ambassador for Better Futures Australia, proudly working to support Australians to drive ambitious climate action. (See Mindy’s LinkedIn here)

Josie Grenfell

Co-Founder & Co-CEO

Food2Soil

Josie Grenfell is the Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Food2Soil, a biofertiliser company transforming organic waste into a natural and biologically alive solution for soil health. With a background in human nutrition, dietetics, and sustainable waste management, she is passionate about highlighting the vital role microbes play in both human and planetary health and advancing circular economy solutions to restore soil vitality.  

Josie has been instrumental in positioning Food2Soil as a leading provider in both retail and large-scale farming, offering an effective, energy-efficient, and scalable alternative to conventional fertilisers. She plays a key role in industry outreach and partnerships, particularly in land remediation and regenerative agriculture

Sarah Turner

Environmental & Social Impact Manager

4 Pines Brewing Co.

Sarah Turner is the Environmental & Social Impact Manager at 4 Pines Brewing Co., driving the company’s sustainability initiatives and B Corp commitments. Working across brewing and hospitality, she helps the broader team to reduce waste, minimising 4 Pines’ environmental footprint. Passionate about rethinking food waste, Sarah is committed to innovative solutions where organic resources are valued, not wasted.