Alison Austin - FSA Board Member

Alison Austin - FSA Board Member

Alison has experience of public sector Non-Executive Director roles as well as running an independent sustainability consultancy working with a range of businesses on strategy development covering environmental, social and governance matters.  She spent 25 years working for Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd. in roles ranging from Marketing to Food Technical to Sustainability where she gained a strong understanding of consumers’ needs in the food sector.

Since leaving Sainsbury’s 16 years ago she has continued to be active in considering the interlinked interests of consumers and sustainability both within companies and public sector organisations.  Previous roles include a Non-Executive Director of the Consumer Council for Water (a statutory body providing a voice and advice for consumers in a regulated market), Independent Board Member for Seafish where she represented Northern Ireland on the Board for six years.  She has also been a Trustee for WRAP (Waste Resources Action Programme) which focused on food waste and packaging reduction strategies and the circular economy.  She has worked with SGS UK Ltd and the Soil Association on governance of auditors for standards certification and accreditation.

Appointed to the FSA’s Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP) in June 2021 her role on the Committee is to represent the needs of consumers to ensure that their interests are at the heart of the Committee’s discussions.

Alison is a past Trustee of the Green Alliance (nine years) and a current Director of a renewable heat co-operative providing a district heating system for a care home complex as well as a member of a number of other community based, renewable energy schemes in her local area.

She was awarded the OBE for services to sustainability in 2000.

Personal Interests

Consultancies and/or direct employment:

• Director of Springbok Sustainable Wood Heat Co-operative.
• Semi-retired, Sustainability consultant trading as a Sole Trader.

Unpaid Roles:

• None.

Fee-paid work:

• None.

Shareholdings:

• Self-Invested Personal Pension (SIPP), managed by Rathbones Group plc.
• Stocks and Shares ISA, managed, by Rathbones Group plc.
• Executor for late husband’s Stocks and Shares ISA, managed, by Rathbones Group plc.

Clubs and other organisations:

• Life member of the Green Alliance.

Other personal interests:

• Brother is a Labour Councillor for Flint Town Council in Wales.

Fellowships:

• None.

Indirect support:

• None.

Trusteeships:

• None.

Land and property:

• Owns two rental properties in Guildford and London.

Other public appointments:

• None.

Non-personal interests