FEASTS recently hosted a full-day ethics workshop led by Lukas Madl of innovethic. It brought together an interdisciplinary group of stakeholders to critically reflect on the ethical dimensions of cultured meat and seafood (CM/CSF). The discussion made space for learning and reflection on how values shape moral reasoning in the context of emerging food technologies.
The day began with an engaging introduction to ethics, emphasizing the role of values in moral decision-making. The facilitator then introduced the participants to three foundational ethical frameworks: Utilitarianism, Virtue Ethics and Duty Ethics.
Practical examples illustrated each framework and stakeholders to think through real-world dilemmas and explore their implications in the context of CM/CSF.
To ground the discussion in practice, attendees worked with “value tables” for each framework. They mapped out which values might be fostered or harmed by the large-scale production and consumption of CM/CSF. Guiding questions included:
- What are the potential positive and negative consequences for direct and indirect stakeholders?
- How might CM/CSF affect people’s individual character, social relationships, and our connections with animals and the environment?
- What ethical principles should guide food innovation and consumption?
These exercises sparked lively group discussions, characterized by curiosity, mutual respect, and an eagerness to engage with complex issues. Participants explored tensions between innovation and tradition, human and non-human interests, and short-term versus long-term impacts. The workshop framework made room for multiple perspectives and productive ethical inquiry.
The Diverse Input and Multistakeholder Feedback Group featured representatives from across the food and biotech landscape. This included consumers, animal welfare organizations, nutrition experts, biotech professionals, alternative protein innovators, and ethicists. Their varied backgrounds enriched and nuanced the discussions and helped connect ethical theory to practical challenges in the field.
Participant Reflections
Attending innovethic’s workshop on ethical innovation was invaluable to me! Lukas’ skillful combination of ethics with the highly complex innovation of cultured meat was both impressive and incredibly helpful for my own work in the field of value-based engineering. Thanks to him and his team, I was able to quickly contribute my most important points to the discussion and follow the many clever comments from the participants with ease and full of energy. Lukas has an extraordinary talent for constructively and confidently guiding the dialogue between participants – a skill that is especially crucial when emotions run high on controversial topics. And when don’t they! () – Tanja Sinozic-Martinez
The () workshop on CM/CSF was an exceptionally enriching experience for me. Using a value-based approach, the workshop developed well-founded criteria for the ethical assessment of these products. I was particularly impressed by how innovethic brought together a diverse group of experts through its extensive network. The moderation was purposeful, clear and at the same time open to different perspectives – this way, valuable insights could be gained. A thoroughly inspiring format for anyone who wants to look at complex future issues from different angles. – Stefan Hupe
I had the pleasure of attending a CM/CSF ethics workshop. The content and topics were presented in a tangible and pragmatic way. I was able to understand a lot in a short time and channel it into practical thought processes. – Christian Busse
Navigating Ethics in Cultured Meat
Cultured meat and seafood technologies continue to progress and have the potential to profoundly influence the future of food systems. However, their future adoption raises many valid questions and sparks wide-ranging debates with strong arguments both in favour and against producing meat through cell cultivation. FEASTS is committed to fostering thoughtful, inclusive conversations around the ethical implications of CM/CSF. This workshop, along with other stakeholder discussions, is part of FEASTS’ ongoing efforts to understand the main ethics, food justice and animal welfare issues related to the production and consumption of CM/CSF from the perspective of the various stakeholder groups.
