How IDEO Approaches Our Work in Food

The world’s current food system is not “broken.” It’s working exactly as designed. And it’s not as resilient and sustaining as it could be for our families, communities, businesses, and environment.

At IDEO, we’re working to realize a future of food that’s equitable, regenerative, and nourishing for all people and the planet.

To get there, we have to tackle complex challenges. Many of them can only be solved with the help of tangible, collaborative, and human-centered approaches.

That’s where design can help. IDEO collaborates with a huge diversity of partners—from eaters, growers, manufacturers, and brands to suppliers, restaurants, leading thinkers, and more—to make food better for everyone.

As a community of designers, we believe:

1. Redesigning food and food systems is a responsibility and an opportunity

We use design to help businesses and organizations thrive: responsibly, sustainably, and in ways that return value to the world. We’re driven by considering design’s impact on communities, individuals, cultures, and natural ecosystems.

2. Collaboration is critical to building new and innovative solutions

We work side-by-side with our clients, partners, and allies to improve and transform our food systems. And, to address some of the thorniest problems, we bring clients together into mutually beneficial coalitions of change.

3. The diverse experiences and creativity of people is central to the future of our food

We’re inclusive of, respectful to, and grounded in the needs of individuals and communities across the globe. And we strive to honor the full range of people’s contributions, from professional knowledge and lived experience to indigenous expertise.