After 23 years of service and leadership in global organisations, Jasmijn de Boo becomes the first CEO of ProVeg International. Founding President Sebastian Joy remains actively involved at a strategic level, and will be spearheading new ProVeg initiatives launching later this year.
“We are delighted to have Jasmijn de Boo head up our global operations and interventions at ProVeg International. We share the same vision, drive and dedication to the mission, and Jasmijn’s leadership as vice president has been exceptional over the last five years,” Joy said.
De Boo has significantly contributed to the growth and impact of the globally active organisation, which has grown to offices in 11 countries with over 220 employees. Driven by her lifelong passion for protecting animals and the environment, she cares deeply about animal and human justice. One of De Boo’s highlights with ProVeg was defeating the proposed EU ‘veggie burger ban’ in 2020 and ‘plant based milk censorship’ in 2021.
“Today we are faced with huge opportunities to improve the global food system and make it more humane, sustainable and fair for all. Already around a third of western populations are actively reducing animal consumption. As the growth of the plant-based and other alternative protein sectors continues, we have a chance to keep climate change in check, and global temperature increases below 1.5 degrees Celsius, but only if governments swiftly introduce policies and actions to support this change”, de Boo said.
De Boo is co-Chair of the European Alliance for Plant Based Food (EAPF), which ProVeg helped establish in 2020, followed by the Plant Based Food Alliance in the UK in 2021. She is a Board member of the European Vegetarian Union (EVU), and advises like-minded organisations globally. She believes better food systems policy at all levels are vital to the systemic change needed to keep our environment liveable for future human generations and the animals with whom we share the planet.
“I am encouraged by today’s concerned youth and young adults in particular, who are facing enormous global and environmental challenges, and are expected to find solutions. I feel it is my responsibility and duty to support them, other advocates, sustainability entrepreneurs, like-minded investors, researchers, policy makers, and others to accelerate the transition to a better food system that delivers for all,” she said.
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Notes to Editors
For further information or to interview Jasmijn, email Peter Rixon at [email protected]
About ProVeg International
ProVeg is an international food awareness organisation working to transform the global food system by replacing conventional animal-based products with plant-based and cultivated alternatives.
ProVeg works with international decision-making bodies, governments, food producers, investors, the media, and the general public to help the world transition to a society and economy that are less dependent on animal agriculture and more sustainable for humans, animals, and our planet.
ProVeg has permanent-observer status with the UNFCCC, is accredited for UNEA, and has received the United Nations’ Momentum for Change Award. ProVeg also has Observer Status at the IPCC.
More about Jasmijn de Boo
Ms Jasmijn de Boo (47) is a Dutch national who has lived in the UK since October 2004 (except from October 2016 to April 2018 when she worked and lived in New Zealand). She completed her Master of Science degree in ‘Applied Animal Behaviour and Welfare’ at the University of Edinburgh in 1999, holds a BSc (Hons) degree in ‘Animal Management’ from Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences, and a teaching diploma from STOAS HAS green academy (the Netherlands). She has been a professional member of the Royal Society of Biology since 2015.
Jasmijn’s career has spanned over two decades working for the global animal protection and vegan movement, and she held various positions at Dutch further and higher education institutes, and three UK Russell Group Universities. In 2006, she launched the UK political party, Animals Count, which she led for four years, contesting various elections. (In 2012, the party was rebranded the Animal Welfare Party.) For the past 11 years, Jasmijn has served in executive leadership positions at The Vegan Society (2011-2016), SAFE for animals in Aotearoa/New Zealand (2016-2018) and ProVeg International (2018 – present).
Jasmijn turned vegetarian at the age of 12 and became vegan in January 2003. She likes to dance (Latin and Modern Jive), run (normally placing within the top 3% of her age category in regional races), hike, and travel (over 40 countries visited to date primarily for work). She is married to fellow animal advocate, and veterinary professor of animal welfare, Andrew Knight.
