Winner of BBC Food and Farming Derek Cooper award

The Food Ethics Council is delighted to have won the Derek Cooper award at the annual BBC Food and Farming awards ceremony. The award, named after the first BBC Food Programme presenter, is given to the individual or organisation that has done most to increase our knowledge and understanding of good food and the vital role it plays in our lives.

The award was presented at a ceremony chaired by Food Programme presenter Sheila Dillon (pictured). Sheila Dillon said: "Without the work of the Food Ethics Council I don't see how we can bring about the changes necessary to create the robust, sustainable food system that scientists and politicians all now agree is crucial for our survival."

The chef and campaigner Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, presenting the award, said: "It acknowledges the fact that whether you're a consumer, a business, or a government, there are consequences of the decisions you make… for animal welfare, for climate change and for all of us, so I think it's a fantastic decision."

Winning the Derek Cooper award is tremendously exciting for the Food Ethics Council. It is a very public endorsement of our commitment to putting ethics at the heart of food and farming. You can listen to the awards ceremony at www.bbc.co.uk.