Environmental Defense Fund
At a Glance
Industry
Nonprofit
Project Types
Engagement and Behavior Change, Sustainability and Energy Management Strategy
Year
2022
Location
New York, NY
Summary
Jessie developed a training program and curriculum to establish the first ever cross-team Animal Agriculture Climate Corps Fellowship pilot.
Goals
The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) + Business Resilient Food and Forests team works to catalyze ambitious climate action from the food and agriculture industry. The EDF RF&F Team enlisted Jessie McIsaac to help with the development of a pilot animal agriculture Climate Corps cohort to facilitate cross-organizational collaboration and develop a program and training curriculum to ensure the new cohort is equipped with the knowledge and skills they need to help food companies meet climate goals.
Solutions
To understand companies’ current barriers to reducing emissions from animal agriculture as well as the skills and knowledge the cohort needs, Jessie interviewed 26 key stakeholders such as EDF staff, industry experts, and high-impact food and beverage companies. This research shaped Jessie’s approach for curriculum development and training. Jessie created a comprehensive training curriculum that consists of pre, during, and post training week content, including two specialized animal agriculture specific training sessions. The content is designed to support the fellows throughout their fellowships by teaching critical knowledge and skills to leverage impact to drive emission reduction.
Potential Impact
Jessie’s project built the foundation for a successful 2023 animal agriculture pilot cohort and helped bolster a cross team initiative at EDF. Jessie created a training structure and curriculum for the new cohort to support critical skills and knowledge for future animal agriculture fellows’ success. This groundwork will support future animal agriculture cohorts by providing readily available tools and knowledge to support emission reduction initiatives at high-impact companies.