Driving change: How industry leaders are reshaping livestock systems
During the FAO Global Conference on Sustainable Livestock Transformation held on 29 September 2025, FAO convened a dynamic Private Sector Forum that spotlighted the central role of companies in building more sustainable livestock systems worldwide.
Setting the tone
The Forum session was chaired by Carlos Watson, Chief of the FAO Private Sector Engagement Unit within the Partnerships and UN Collaboration Division (PSU). He opened with a clear and compelling message:
“Livestock is fundamentally a private enterprise. The responsibility for meaningful transformation ultimately lies with those who engage with animals and animal products every day – farmers, veterinarians, traders, processors and retailers, small, medium and large companies.”
Watson emphasized that governments and international organizations are making bold commitments and really need the support of private companies – the actors producing, processing and transforming animal products on the ground.
Distinguished panelists
The session featured a panel of global leaders representing diverse regions and sectors of the livestock value chain:
- Naomi Wilson – Head of Environment and Sustainability, Australian Agricultural Company (AACo), Australia.
- Adriano Macron – President, Cargill Animal Nutrition and Health, United States of America.
- Emmanuel Marchant – Senior Vice President of Sustainability, Partnerships and General Manager DanoneEcosystem, Danone, France.
- Mireille Einwachter – Chief Sustainability Officer, Friesland Campina, The Netherlands.
- JinWeidong – Chairman, Wellhope Foods Company Ltd., China.
- Gys White – Executive, Poultry & Milling, Zambeef, Zambia.
Each panelist highlighted their company’s sustainability commitments: AACo’s carbon sequestration initiatives across Australia’s rangelands; Cargill’s transition towards a bio-circular economy; Danone’s global sustainability pillars spanning 120 countries; Friesland Campina’s farmer-led cooperative model; Wellhope’s poverty alleviation programmes in China, and Zambeef’s investments aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals in Zambia.
A call for collaboration
In closing, Watson reinforced the importance of collective action:
“While each of your companies is making commendable and increasingly serious efforts toward sustainability, we all recognize that collaboration across the entire sector is essential. Only by working together can we truly transform livestock systems.”
Outcome
The Private Sector Forum during the livestock conference showcased how diverse actors, from multinational corporations to regional agribusiness leaders, are aligning with FAO’s vision of a sustainable livestock future. By convening this dialogue, FAO underscored its role as a neutral convener and enabler for partnerships that bridge global ambition with local action.
