Climate Change Interviews

Interview with Emily Johannes, Nestlé USA and Lauren Brey, Farmers for Sustainable Food

May 30, 2022

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Today I am joined by Emily Johannes, Head of Sustainable Sourcing for Nestlé USA and Lauren Brey, Managing Director of Farmers for Sustainable Food.

Emily Johannes is Head of Sustainable Sourcing for Nestlé USA. She leads the U.S. food and beverage sourcing strategy in support of Nestlé’s global and regional sustainability and animal care commitments.

She is responsible for ensuring compliance with the Nestlé Responsible Sourcing Standard. Her role collaborates on projects with suppliers, farmers, non-governmental organizations, and stakeholders in the US on topics of climate action, animal welfare, and social responsibility.

Emily joined Nestlé from K·Coe Isom, where she was the Director of Sustainability Services. She has worked for over 18 years implementing environmental/sustainability strategies, measuring and reporting metrics, driving responsible sourcing programs, and developing verification schemes.

Emily received her Master’s of Science in Ecology from the University of Pittsburgh and her Bachelor of Arts in Zoology from Miami University. She is currently pursuing post-graduate education in Food Marketing from St. Joseph’s University.

Lauren Brey is Managing Director of Farmers for Sustainable Food (FSF), a collaborative, industry-supported effort to promote and support farmer-led solutions to today’s environmental challenges. In this role, she directs their support of farmer-led conservation groups and sustainability projects with partners in the agriculture and food value chain. Brey is also responsible for fostering relationships with other organizations to bring more value and resources to the members of farmer-led groups. She has previously worked as a scientist for a cheese company.

Brey is a 2013 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in food science and life sciences communication.

She is also involved in her family’s dairy and beef farm, Brey Cycle Farm LLC and Brey Family Beef, in Sturgeon Bay, Wis.