Moritz Maurer

Background

About Moritz Maurer

How is it that nutritious food remains inaccessible to so many? Why are farm workers often poorly compensated for their skilled, demanding labor? Can food production become a CO₂ sink that mitigates climate change rather than driving species extinction and global warming? My fascination with agriculture began during early farm vacations and led me to study agricultural sciences, sustainable development, and organizational sociology—fields that enabled me to explore agricultural development from both sustainability and organizational perspectives. My PhD research focused on the sustainable development of Switzerland's agricultural organizations, where I gained deep insights into the drivers of organizational growth and how these entities can incorporate sustainable practices. Sustainable agricultural innovations could enhance the sector's sustainability, but organizations that focus on non-sustainable innovations seem to still develop more dynamically. Throughout my career, I have pursued roles that deepened my understanding of the diverse stakeholders within agricultural supply chains. My hands-on experience on various farms provided me with practical skills in dairy production, cattle fattening, and orchard management. Later, I joined Coop Switzerland, which offered me insights into the retail side of the supply chain. There, I have analyzed the sustainability of various supply chains in depth. Qualitative analysis: In both my master’s and PhD projects, I primarily used participatory observation and semi-structured interviews—powerful methods for validating scenarios and exploring research gaps. Quantitative analysis: I have developed robust statistical skills and expertise in analyzing network datasets. In my most recent project at Coop, I programmed a dash-application enabling users to interactively explore Coop’s fish supply chains through a graphic interface, comparing statistics on supply chain attributes. This experience has equipped me to handle large datasets with confidence. I am now eager to find a new position where I can apply my research and career knowledge to enhance food system sustainability.