What Hospitality Can Learn From The Latest EAT-Lancet Report

The EAT–Lancet Commission on healthy, sustainable and just food systems has today launched its second landmark report at the EAT Forum in Stockholm, Sweden. Rooted in rigorous scientific research by over 70 experts across six continents, this report builds on its previous iteration to offer updated advice on how we can build a better, fairer food system that not only provides healthy, nutritious diets for everyone, but also supports us in reaching our climate goals. 

The report reviews new evidence on food systems across health, climate, biodiversity and justice, updating its Planetary Health Diet to show how culturally adaptable, plant-rich diets can benefit both people and planet. The Commission reports that an orchestrated shift in global diets could prevent approximately 15 million premature deaths per year while cutting annual greenhouse gas emissions from food systems by more than half.

Johan Rockström, Commission Co-Chair and Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, said, “By uniting the latest science on health and climate, [the report] shows that what we put on our plates can save millions of lives, cut billions of tonnes of emissions, halt the loss of biodiversity and create a fairer food system. We now have robust global guardrails for food systems, and a reference point that policymakers, businesses and citizens can act on together. The evidence is undeniable: transforming food systems is not only possible — it’s essential to securing a safe, just and sustainable future for all.” 

Bringing food justice to the table 

An important addition to this iteration of the report is an increased focus on justice within our food systems. As Professor Christina C. Hicks — an environmental social scientist from the Political Ecology group at Lancaster University’s Environment Centre — observed at the launch of the report, until now, the bar for human rights in the food system has been almost unbelievably low. An astounding one-third of food system workers do not even earn a living wage. Meanwhile, the wealthiest 30% of people drive more than 70% of food-related environmental impacts. Despite global calorie sufficiency, more than one billion people remain undernourished. 

The findings show that creating fairer food systems will be essential to achieving improved health and social development outcomes. A fairer distribution of resources, benefits and costs is required to ensure that food systems are sustainable. This includes the social foundations that enable people’s right to food, decent work and a healthy environment.  

Truly effective transformation must consider both social foundations and planetary boundaries to create a safe, secure and fair future for everyone. As Shakuntala Haraksingh Thilsted, Commission Co-Chair and Director for Nutrition, Health and Food Security at CGIAR, said, “Food is at the heart of both human well-being and planetary health. Right now, too many people who grow and process our food are underpaid and excluded from basic protections, while the environmental and health costs fall hardest on the most vulnerable. Our findings make it clear that transformation must go beyond producing enough calories; it must guarantee the right to food, fair work and a healthy environment for all. Only when we share the benefits and burdens more equitably can we ensure that food systems are within planetary boundaries and create a safe and just space where all people can flourish.” 

What does the Planetary Health Diet look like? 

Building on existing data, the 2025 Commission has strengthened evidence of the benefits of the Planetary Health Diet, which sets out recommendations for healthy diets that ensure nutritional adequacy, support optimal health outcomes, and can be adapted to different contexts and cultures. It emphasises a plant-rich diet, with optional, moderate amounts of animal-source foods and limited added sugars, saturated fats and salt. There is good evidence that widespread adoption of this Diet would lower the environmental impacts of most current diets. 

Walter C. Willett, Commission Co-Chair, Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, said, “The Commission’s findings reinforce that the Planetary Health Diet is good for both people and the planet. By increasing the production and consumption of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and legumes, we can improve health outcomes everywhere while respecting cultural and regional traditions. But diets are just one part of the picture, and transformation requires action across the whole system.” 

Diets are just one part of the picture 

Delving deeper than straightforward dietary recommendations, the research also explores how we can feed a growing population in ways that are sustainable, without harming the environment or the people working in the food system. As Modelling Group Lead Professor Mario Herrero of Cornell University said at the launch, “The diet alone doesn’t get us where we want to be. It is only when we model changes in diet plus the changes in agriculture — sustainable intensification — plus a reduction of food loss and waste, that that actually gets us somewhere. This is the EAT-Lancet ‘bundle’.” 

Drawing on the most recent evidence and modelling, the report shows how 9.6 billion people globally can eat nutritiously and equitably within critical environmental boundaries by 2050. This would improve global health, achieve food and nutrition security, build stability and resilience, and contribute to critical strategies to improve equity and working conditions in food systems. 

Each solution is supported by a menu of concrete actions identified by the Commission as critical for transforming food systems, such as integrating traditional, healthy foods into dietary guidelines, supporting local seed systems, reducing food loss and waste, and improving agroecological practices to conserve ecosystems.  

“The eight solutions we set out provide a practical roadmap to unlock transformation at scale,” said Walter C. Willett. “We are at a global crossroads, and governments, businesses, civil society and individuals all have a role to play in realigning food systems for the benefit of all people and the planet.” 

How can hospitality businesses play a role? 

For hospitality businesses, this is a call to action. As Professor Christina C. Hicks said at the launch, “A just food system is about rights, but it’s also about responsibilities.” 

We know that the purchasing power of the hospitality sector can drive change upstream through our food system, telling producers what we want and how we want it to be grown, made, caught or reared. We also know that restaurants and other food businesses influence how consumers think about food and make food choices — not only when they’re seated in your space and holding your menu, but, ultimately, when they’re shopping and cooking for themselves, too. 

The goals outlined in the report are necessary to achieve if we are to create a future where everyone can thrive — and they will only be achievable if hospitality joins the cause. This means encouraging the right food choices by offering dishes that are nutritious, sustainable and — crucially — truly, irresistibly delicious. It means a greater focus on fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes and whole grains on menus, celebrating these as worthy and exciting centre-plate stars, with smaller amounts of responsibly produced meat and dairy relegated to sideshow status. It requires us to be diligent in building transparent supply chains in which everyone is paid well and treated fairly, and where every actor is held accountable for upholding this standard. Finally, it demands a zero-tolerance attitude towards food waste — in our kitchens and on our customers’ plates, but also upstream through our supply chains. 

This may seem like a lot to take on, but it’s important to remember that progress matters much more than perfection: the key is to be better today than we were yesterday, and better again tomorrow. As Mouna Daoudi, Sodexo's Global Chief Sustainability Officer (CSO) and President of Stop Hunger, said at the launch, “There is no silver bullet. Every step counts. It’s the sum of these tiny steps that make the difference […] Sustainability is not a sprint — it is a marathon. My call to action is, never give up.”  

This is where the Food Made Good Standard can help, breaking these big-picture sustainability goals into smaller, achievable actions that you can embed into daily operations. If you’re interested in taking those steps forward and contributing to a better food future for everyone, drop us a line at hello@thesra.org. 

You can read the full EAT-Lancet Report here. 

About EAT 

EAT is an international non-profit organisation founded by the Stordalen Foundation, the Stockholm Resilience Centre and Wellcome Trust, working towards catalysing a global food system transformation. Their vision is a fair and sustainable global food system for healthy people and planet – leaving no one behind. The organisation connects and partners across science, policy, business and civil society to transform the global food system through sound science, impatient disruption and novel partnerships. Find more information on their website. 

About The Lancet Group 

Founded by Thomas Wakley in 1823, The Lancet began as an independent, international weekly general medical journal with the vision that it should drive social and political change through advancing medical research and science for the greater good. Since its founding, the journal has evolved to include 26 titles that are part of The Lancet Group while retaining the core belief that medicine must serve society, that knowledge must transform society, and that the best science must lead to better lives. Learn more at their website.  

Learn more about the business benefits of embracing the Planetary Health Diet here. For more global stories, insights and practical advice for your restaurant, follow us on Instagram and LinkedIn and sign up to our newsletter!