WE ARE PROVEG
ProVeg International is a food awareness organisation with the mission to reduce the global consumption of animals by 50% by 2040.
Our Vision
A world where everyone chooses delicious and healthy food that is good for all humans, animals, and our planet.
Our Mission
Replacing 50% of animal products globally with plant-based and cultivated foods by 2040.
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Sebastian Joy
Founder and President of ProVeg International
Sebastian Joy is the co-founder and President of ProVeg International, an initiator of the global collective-impact organisation 50by40.org, co-creator of the ProVeg Incubator, the world’s first incubator focused exclusively on animal-free startups, and co-founder of VeggieWorld, the world’s largest vegan trade show. He is also Vice-Chair of the European Vegetarian Union and taught Non-profit Management and Social Entrepreneurship at the University for Economics and Law in Berlin for several years. Joy’s work is inspired by the concept of effective altruism, which aims to use resources efficiently to do as much good as possible.
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Tobias Leenaert
Co-founder of ProVeg International
Tobias Leenaert is the author of How to Create a Vegan World: a Pragmatic Approach and the creator of the blog The Vegan Strategist. He is a longtime speaker and strategist, giving talks and trainings all over the world. He is also the founder of the Belgian organisation EVA, the only vegan organisation in the world to receive structural government funding. Leenaert began exploring the issue of consuming animals when he was twelve years old, although he only cut out all animal products from his diet ten years later. He lives in a rural area, with an ever-increasing number of rescued animals.
ProVeg International is a food awareness organisation working to transform the global food system by replacing 50% of animal products globally with plant-based and cultivated foods by 2040.
ProVeg engages with all relevant stakeholders to create a food system where everyone chooses delicious and healthy food that is good for all humans, animals, and our planet.
ProVeg has received the United Nations’ Momentum for Change Award and works closely with key UN food and environment agencies.
We have observer status with the UNFCCC and the IPCC, special consultative status with ECOSOC, and are accredited for UNEA.
ProVeg creates global impact, with offices in 11 countries across four continents and more than 200 employees.
OUR MOTIVATION
Many of the world’s most pressing problems share a common cause – animal agriculture, which contributes to climate change, lifestyle diseases, global hunger, and animal suffering.
Transforming the global food system by replacing animal products with plant-based and cultivated foods is a multiproblem solution.
OUR CULTURE
“Diversity? Yes please! Where all attention is focused on the common cause, differences do not matter much. On the contrary, they are a strength. ProVeg welcomes anyone willing to commit to the shared purpose. All contributions are valued, however different and diverse they may be. People at ProVeg feel special among many special people.”
Simon Sagmeister (leading the ProVeg Culture workshop on 24 August 2018)
Equality
The foundation for this is the General Act on Equal Treatment. ProVeg commits not to discriminate directly or indirectly in recruitment or employment because of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, pregnancy, maternity, race (which includes color, nationality, citizenship, and ethnic or national origins), sexual orientation, religion or belief, or because someone is married or in a civil partnership. These are known as ‘protected characteristics’. ProVeg actively supports diversity and the promotion of diversity in the points mentioned above.
Inclusivity
ProVeg’s staff comprises more than 140 people from about 20 countries. The majority of staff identify as female. The Executive Team consists of Sebastian Joy, Matthias Rohra, and Jasmijn de Boo; two out of five country directors are female; five out of eleven heads of department are female, and the China programme team is composed exclusively of women. Furthermore, we are working towards more diverse representation along age and ethnicity lines, as well as other protected characteristics. We constantly monitor developments and improve HR standards and implement best practices to attract talent, become more family-friendly, and ensure a diverse workforce.
Some of the measures that ProVeg is taking consist of:
- A Works Council (Germany’s highest-ranking and most powerful institution dedicated to workers’ interests in individual). This body, consisting of 7 ProVeg employees, works on matters related to equality, inclusivity, etc.
- In addition, there is a permanent Diversity/Inclusivity Working Group in place
- ProVeg is continuously making the hiring process more gender- and race-neutral
- A number of our female staffers take part in the ‘Female Future Force’ learning series (FFF is a German-language, 52-week online course with 52 experts and about 12 different topics to empower women on a personal and professional level)
- Regular Diversity/Inclusivity and Intercultural Trainings for staff
- Special Privilege article sessions
- ProVeg introduced a more gender-neutral language in all written communication
OUR TEAM
The ProVeg team comprises more than 100 employees of 22 different nationalities. Based on a mindful and respectful corporate culture, ProVeg offers its employees the opportunity to do good as effectively as possible.
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Sebastian Joy
Founder and President of ProVeg International
Sebastian Joy is the co-founder and President of ProVeg International, an initiator of the global collective-impact organisation 50by40.org, co-creator of the ProVeg Incubator, the world’s first incubator focused exclusively on animal-free startups, and co-founder of VeggieWorld, the world’s largest vegan trade show. He is also Vice-Chair of the European Vegetarian Union and taught Non-profit Management and Social Entrepreneurship at the University for Economics and Law in Berlin for several years. Joy’s work is inspired by the concept of effective altruism, which aims to use resources efficiently to do as much good as possible. He lives in Berlin with his wife, Dr Melanie Joy.
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Jasmijn de Boo
Vice President of ProVeg International
Jasmijn de Boo is a professional animal advocate and educator, with over 20 years’ experience in global-leadership positions. Jasmijn is currently Vice President of ProVeg International, where she is responsible for overall strategic direction, international operational management, and governance of ProVeg country offices and programmes, as well as overseeing the International Communications Department and the Grants Program. Jasmijn has previously worked in a range of international animal-protection organisations, including time as CEO of SAFE in New Zealand and the Vegan Society in the UK. De Boo has been vegan since January 2003, when she met her partner and fellow animal advocate, Andrew Knight.
