Nina Langen | Technische Universität Berlin (original) (raw)

Papers by Nina Langen

Sustainability Science

Public catering has become increasingly important in recent years. With increasing annual custome... more Public catering has become increasingly important in recent years. With increasing annual customers, the sector’s impact on the environment is also growing continuously. At the same time, public catering offers a lever to promote sustainable nutrition that has rarely been used so far. Small changes in kitchen practices and food offers can thus be multiplied into a significant positive impact on environmental challenges, such as climate change or loss of biodiversity due to the large number of servings. In contrast to private households, management decisions in public catering can influence the food-related environmental impact of thousands of customers. This article deals with the nationwide level of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and resource use in the German public catering segment “business” and its saving potentials by different scenarios of unsupported and supported recipe revision. In this paper, we define "unsupported" as the intuitive optimization of recipes by em...

Dies ist die begutachtete, akzeptierte Manuskriptversion des Artikels. Aus dem Veröffentlichungsp... more Dies ist die begutachtete, akzeptierte Manuskriptversion des Artikels. Aus dem Veröffentlichungsprozess können nachträgliche Änderungen resultieren, die sich z. B. auf die Formatierung und Zeichensetzung auswirken. Derartige Änderungen sind hier nicht berücksichtigt. Die endgültige Version wurde in der oben genannten Zeitschrift veröffentlicht.

Food labels are able to support consumers in making more sustainable food choices in out-of-home ... more Food labels are able to support consumers in making more sustainable food choices in out-of-home consumption situations. Thereby, the effect of changing consumption behaviour depends on the format of food labels and on the information it provides. In order to assess the importance of the amount of information as well as the design of food labels displaying sustainability aspects, we test different formats of food labels using a best-worst choice design. So far, no research tested a variation of information depth while keeping label designs fixed. We find clear preferences across both dimensions. Results indicate that consumers regard labels with a higher information depth as more helpful in order to choose a sustainable meal. For the label design it became obvious that the slider-design is preferred over footprints and traffic light label design.

“Growing awareness among consumers about sustainability issues ‐ ranging from recycling to f... more “Growing awareness among consumers about sustainability issues ‐ ranging from recycling to fair wages for workers ‐ are starting to shape consumer buying patterns ” (Partos 2009). Especially for conscious consumers ethical and sustainable consumption are becoming mainstream. With regard to ethical consumption the popularity is shown for instance by a growing relevance of Cause‐ related Marketing (CrM) campaigns in Germany. CrM is an increasingly applied marketing tool, where product purchase leads to target‐oriented donations regarding a designated cause – promoted on the product by label. However, research reveals that German consumers are sceptic with regard to the amount of money spent and have doubts towards unselfish motives of firms. At present little information is provided in CrM campaigns on how much of the sales price is spent on the ‘cause ’ by the respective organization. If the gap between the sum consumers assume to be contributed and the amount really spent by the companies is too large this could lead to mistrust among consumers once they become aware of this. In the long run, this might decrease willingness to pay for those products in general. Also, firms ’ reputation could be harmed (see e.g. Webb and Mohr 1998). Against this background, we aim to answer the question of (1) how much consumers assume to be contributing to the ‘cause ’ by purchasing the respective product and (2) whether this information is of relevance for the con‐

Food produced but not used for human consumption is a waste of natural resources. In order to pre... more Food produced but not used for human consumption is a waste of natural resources. In order to prevent and reduce food waste, the main causes have to be identified systematically along the food supply chain (FSC). The aim of this study is (1) to shed light on the causes and effects of food waste through the analysis of 44 qualitative expert interviews examining the processes and intermediaries along the German food chain and (2) to find methods to reduce it. Results indicate that food waste occurs at all stages in the food chain. Thus, there is no single culprit to be blamed. Besides, the identified reasons for food waste differ between product groups; not a single solution can cause notable change. Furthermore, the analysis demonstrates that the causes and effects of food waste are to be found at different stages of the value chain. Hence, it is of high importance to improve communication and to raise a new appreciation for food among all stakeholders of the food supply chain in order to develop a more sustainable food system. Information on the topic of food waste needs to be shared among all actors of the supply chain. They need to share responsibility and work together to reduce food waste.

Studies as well as ongoing discussions in politics and media indicate that Corporate Social Respo... more Studies as well as ongoing discussions in politics and media indicate that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has gained incremental importance in the market place in recent years. One reason is the increasing consumer interest in socially responsible as well as eco-friendly produced goods. Firms can communicate their CSR engagement via the use of Causerelated Marketing (CrM). Although there exist several studies explaining drivers for ethical consumption, very little is published regarding the factors that influence consumers` purchase behavior for CrM products. Based on the Theory of Reasoned Action, which has been used to explain consumers’ choice for e.g. Fair Trade products, we developed a structural model outlining determinants of consumers’ purchase decisions with regard to goods promoted in CrM campaigns. This model is tested using the example of the first CrM campaign of an organic dairy company in Germany in 2010. During the time of the promotion 306 face-to-face interv...

Ecological Indicators, 2021

Agriculture is an economic sector with massive impact on biodiversity and agrobiodiversity. Susta... more Agriculture is an economic sector with massive impact on biodiversity and agrobiodiversity. Sustainable diets represent a critical policy leverage and a realistic opportunity to reduce the environmental impact of the agrofood sector while improving human health at the same time. Eating out is an increasingly common habit for many consumers and, by offering sustainable dishes, catering companies can play a central role. To do this, they need to understand and correctly assess the sustainability of their food portfolio, but assessment tools are not well established yet. The NAHGAST project, of which this study was part, developed and tested a sustainability assessment tool for catering companies based on concrete targets defined per meal. This study addresses the lack of methods to evaluate the impact of food on biodiversity, with a particular focus on agrobiodiversity. The work illustrates a context-specific application of an enhanced DPSIR model to structure information and select indicators, and proposes a transdisciplinary use of existing metrics. Further research is needed in order to define scientifically sound target values or sustainability ranges for each indicator per meal, in order to calculate them. Strengths and limits of the study are discussed.

GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society, 2020

Wie viel Konsum ist für ein gutes Leben mindestens nötig? Und wo verläuft die Obergrenze des Kons... more Wie viel Konsum ist für ein gutes Leben mindestens nötig? Und wo verläuft die Obergrenze des Konsums? Antworten auf diese Fragen unterscheiden sich je nach gesellschaftlichem Milieu, aber auch je nach Lebensphase. So hat sich gezeigt, dass Jugendliche sowie Senior(inn)en besonders offen für einen nachhaltigen und ressourcenschonenden Lebensstil sind. Nachhaltigkeitsforschung sollte daher verstärkt Erkenntnisse der Entwicklungs- und Biografieforschung in den Blick nehmen, um die Chancen für eine Begrenzung des Konsums zu erhöhen.

Haushalt in Bildung & Forschung, 2020

Die Umsetzung der Vorschläge der EAT-Lancet Commission für die globale nachhaltige (Welt-)Ernähru... more Die Umsetzung der Vorschläge der EAT-Lancet Commission für die globale nachhaltige (Welt-)Ernährung kann nur Erfolg haben, wenn eine Veränderung im Essalltag aller Menschen sowie eine Steigerung der Wertschätzung von Lebensmitteln gelingt. Der Beitrag diskutiert am Beispiel des Projektes „GO-Sustainable Berlin“ die Chancen für Ganztagsschulen als Lern- und Lebensort durch fächerübergreifende Projekte.

Theorie und Praxis der Nachhaltigkeit, 2017

Das normative Leitbild der nachhaltigen Entwicklung erfahrt aktuell in der internationalen politi... more Das normative Leitbild der nachhaltigen Entwicklung erfahrt aktuell in der internationalen politischen Debatte eine Scharfung hin zu einer starkeren Nachhaltigkeit. Die Anerkennung absoluter planetarischer Grenzen (Bundesregierung 2012, S. 25), die Notwendigkeit des Abkoppelns des Ressourcenverbrauchs vom okonomischen Wachstum (EU‐Kommission 2011, S. 4), die zentrale Forderung nach Gerechtigkeit (Bundesregierung 2012, S. 25) sowie die Forderung an Unternehmen, Verantwortung fur die sozialen und okologischen Bedingungen entlang der Wertschopfungskette zu ubernehmen (BMUB 2015, S. 7), sind zentrale Bestandteile der von den Vereinten Nationen (UN) verabschiedeten Agenda 2030 sowie der Nachhaltigkeitspolitik der Europaischen Union und Deutschlands. Die Sustainable‐Development‐Goals (SDG, 2015) konkretisieren die Agenda zur nachhaltigen Entwicklung und sollen bis 2030 global zur Uberwindung der Armut, zum Schutz des Planeten und zur Sicherung des Wohlstands aller Menschen beitragen (United Nations 2015, S. 1 ff.).

Der Systemblick auf Innovation, 2012

Technology Governance, 2010

Management-Reihe Corporate Social Responsibility, 2016

Die wachsende Bedeutung von Nachhaltigkeit in Politik und Offentlichkeit sowie das gesteigerte In... more Die wachsende Bedeutung von Nachhaltigkeit in Politik und Offentlichkeit sowie das gesteigerte Interesse der Konsumenten an nachhaltigen Lebensmitteln eroffnet Unternehmen der Ernahrungsindustrie und des Ernahrungshandels die Moglichkeit, sich durch ein verantwortliches Verhalten in den gesattigten Lebensmittelmarkten zu differenzieren und eine Unique Selling Position (USP) zu erlangen. Um das Thema Nachhaltigkeit als Differenzierungsmerkmal nutzen zu konnen, mussen Unternehmen ihr verantwortungsvolles Verhalten an Verbraucher und andere Stakeholder in adaquater Weise kommunizieren. Von Relevanz ist das Corporate-Social-Responsibility-(CSR-)Engagement vor allem fur Unternehmen, die in Wertschopfungsketten tatig sind, in denen sowohl soziale als auch Umweltthemen eine bedeutende Rolle spielen. Dies trifft in besonderer Weise fur die Wertschopfungsketten der Schokoladen- und der Fruchtsaftindustrie zu.

Journal of Cleaner Production, 2016

The authors gratefully acknowledge the valuable comments and suggestions of the anonymous reviewe... more The authors gratefully acknowledge the valuable comments and suggestions of the anonymous reviewers and the editor.

GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society, 2018

Politik und Forschung arbeiten bei der Transformation unserer Ernährungssysteme eng zusammen: Im ... more Politik und Forschung arbeiten bei der Transformation unserer Ernährungssysteme eng zusammen: Im Rahmen der Fördermaßnahme Nachhaltiges Wirtschaften haben Wissenschaftler(innen) Handlungsfelder identifiziert, um nachhaltige Ernährung umzusetzen. Die Ergebnisse stießen bei der Politik auf Resonanz.

Journal of Cleaner Production