Businesses play a crucial role in addressing challenges in our food systems today — and strategic partnerships with members of civil society, in particular, are key to that role.

Partnerships unlock opportunity for both businesses and their partners to align and accelerate efforts in reducing food loss and waste, strengthening food security and building resilient communities through collaboration. Kellanova, GFN’s longstanding partner, offers a strong example of what this looks like in practice. Over the years, the company has shifted from broader food donation support to a more concentrated strategy on food security.

Hunger was always a priority for Kellanova, but it was among many causes they supported. Over time, a more targeted approach allowed them to direct more resources where they could create lasting impact.

“We saw a real opportunity to get more crystal clear on exactly what we were supporting from a food security perspective,” said Stephanie Slingerland, Kellanova’s chief philanthropy officer. “And we knew that if we could funnel more resources into that work, we could have greater impact.”

That clarity led to Better Days Promise, Kellanova’s global initiative to advance sustainable and equitable access to food, particularly for children. By centering their efforts on this initiative, the company better supports partners, targets resources and gets closer to communities through the work itself.

In their early partnership with GFN, Kellanova prioritized strengthening food banks through food donations, namely in South Africa. However, as the company’s strategy evolved, so did the partnership.

Today, GFN and Kellanova look beyond food donations and toward sustainable food systems that ensure communities have consistent access to nutritious food. The partnership now includes support for global school feeding programs. By ensuring children have consistent access to meals through these programs, the partnership addresses both immediate hunger and long-term food security.

“It’s not just about getting food to the people who need it,” said Slingerland. “It’s about ensuring systems are in place that food can be sustainably provided to communities.

“… If we’re not being mindful of how … climate and other things are impacting that work, then we’re not looking at some of the root causes and the systems that we can be putting in place to ensure the continuity of communities getting access to the food they need.”

This perspective reflects the deeper shift in Kellanova’s understanding of their role in food security. The company recognized that meaningful impact requires being grounded in long-term systems change, rather than short-term solutions, and that partnerships are essential to making that change sustainable.

The company also began examining their operations to identify additional ways to support food recovery. This included reassessing production lines, ingredient storage and distribution processes to avoid food waste.

By taking a step back to examine how and why they show up in this work, Kellanova sets a tone for how businesses can unlock the full potential of partnership. Their approach highlights the importance of introspection, looking beyond immediate actions to promote long-term impact.

Like Kellanova, many businesses continue to rethink their approach to social impact, moving away from limited sponsorships to more meaningful partnerships. Because when businesses share purpose and act with intention, they help create resilient food systems that communities need to thrive.

Learn how your business can expand its impact in food systems. Contact our development team to explore a strategic partnership with GFN today.

For more insight from Stephanie Slingerland, listen to episode four of GFN’s Food for Change podcast.