Building Stronger Communities by Sharing Surplus Food: A Guide to Fighting Food Waste

Food waste is a global challenge that is not going away any time soon, but there are solutions out there that can help us reduce its impact on our communities and the environment. This is where Tessa's work with Olio comes in. By providing locals with an accessible way to share food goods that would otherwise go to waste, Olio is making a tangible impact on the world one share at a time. It's inspiring to see the positive numbers speak for themselves, but the real impact is felt by those empowered to make a difference. Together, we can create a more sustainable future and reduce our impact on the planet for future generations.

About Tessa Clarke & OLIO

Tessa’s childhood was spent on her parents’ farm in the UK. As a result of this rural upbringing she developed a keen appreciation for the value of hard work, the power of nature, and the preciousness of food. Having no idea what she wanted to do when she grew up, she studied Social & Political Sciences at Cambridge University, before taking on a variety of leadership positions in digital businesses. Tessa then had a life changing experience when moving country which led her to co-found Olio, an app that connects people with their local community so that surplus food and other household items can be given away, rather than thrown away; and everyday things can be lent and borrowed, instead of bought brand new.

Olio exists to combat the throwaway culture at scale, and has grown its community to over 7 million people so far. It also has over 80,000 trained volunteers who collect unsold food from local businesses, and redistribute it to the local community via the Olio app. In parallel to growing Olio into a global movement, Tessa and her family have been on a personal journey to live more sustainably. As a result of this Tessa firmly believes that sustainable living is about being healthier, wealthier and happier, not sacrifice. She is also passionate about the sharing economy as a solution for a sustainable world, and about ‘profit with purpose’ as the next business paradigm.