Latest news with #People&Planet
The Guardian
29-03-2025
- General
- The Guardian
How to turn old cheese ends into a savoury porridge – recipe
Porridge is one of the most homely and comforting of dishes, and the discovery of savoury porridge takes it to a whole new level, making those oats something that can be enjoyed all day long. Inspired by both Heston Blumental's snail porridge and Dan Barber's 'rotation risotto', which I developed for his WastED pop-up at Selfridges in 2017, this particular savoury porridge even gained some notoriety after it featured in Private Eye's Pseuds Corner that same year. The latter was a fun, fine-dining dish but, at its heart, the recipe is very simple and satisfying; it works brilliantly, too. At its heart, porridge is, of course, the humblest of dishes. It's usually eaten for breakfast, perhaps sweetened with honey and molasses, but it works very well as a savoury meal. Think risotto: when cooked for long enough, oats release their starch and turn very creamy, making them a great vehicle for delicious savoury flavours, especially cheese. As a plant grows, it draws vital nutrients from the soil, which need replenishing to maintain its fertility. This can be achieved through the use of compost, fertilisers and a careful annual rotation of crops. By alternating between cash crops, less profitable varieties and 'green manure' – that is, plants cultivated to protect and nourish the soil – you can preserve the soil's health and productivity for future harvests (for instance, in organic farming, spelt or wheat is commonly rotated with rye and clover to sustain nutrient levels and support soil regeneration). To demonstrate the crop rotation system on a plate, when I first made this dish for WastED, I used a mixture of rye, oats and clover; a vegan version of the dish also features in my book Eating for Pleasure, People & Planet. Here, however, I've used a combination of celeriac and jerusalem artichoke, not least for their rich depth of flavour, but it works just fine without – or with a different root vegetable altogether, such as parsnip, potato or turnip. The recipe calls for only a small amount of root veg, so if you have a big celeriac or bag of jerusalem artichokes to use up, consider roasting the rest in wedges or turn them into a delicious soup or mash. And remember, there's no need to peel jerusalem artichokes or celeriac; their skins are delicious and perfectly fine to eat, so just clean them well around their knotty roots and cut out or wash off any soil. Serves 4 as a main course 100g butter 120g celeriac and/or jerusalem artichokes, cleaned and finely diced 1 large flat mushroom, finely diced50g dark leek tops, washed and finely sliced1 garlic clove, peeled and minced400g rolled oats and/or flaked rye or flaked spelt (a mixture is also nice, if possible)1-1½ litres vegetable stock, or chicken stock or boiling water50-100g parmesan rind, or cheddar rindCelery salt, or sea salt, and black pepper50g cheese ends (eg, cheddar, blue, brie, parmesan etc), grated, plus extra to garnish2 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, to serve (optional) Melt half the butter in a heavy-based saucepan on a low-medium heat. Add the diced celeriac and/or jerusalem artichokes, the mushroom, leek tops and garlic, and saute gently for five minutes, stirring all the while. Stir in the rolled oats, then add a litre of hot stock (or boiling water), and the cheese rind. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook, stirring regularly, for 15 minutes, or until the porridge thickens to a sticky but still loose consistency; add more stock or boiling water to loosen, if need be. Finish by stirring in the remaining butter and grated cheese ends, then season well with celery or sea salt and black pepper, to taste. Ladle into shallow, wide bowls and garnish with flat-leaf parsley sprigs, including their finely chopped stalks. Serve topped with more grated cheese, if you like.
Telegraph
10-03-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Campaigner against arms industry is board member at major pension fund
A leading campaigner against 'controversial' weapons makers sits on the board of Britain's largest pensions scheme. Catherine Howarth – one of 14 board members at the National Employment Savings Trust (Nest) – is chief executive of campaign group ShareAction, which seeks to prevent investment in fossil fuels and some types of armaments. Ms Howarth is responsible for helping to set the 'strategic direction' of Nest, a government-run scheme which manages the pensions of 13.5m people across Britain. It comes as Britain scrambles to rearm in the face of Russian aggression, with experts concerned that a lack of support from the City is holding the defence industry back. Grant Shapps, a former Tory defence secretary, said: 'Our defence industry protects the very freedoms that allow these campaigners to protest in the first place. Weakening it is not just reckless, it's dangerous.' ShareAction was first formed in 2005 out of a campaign by the student activist group People & Planet. Under Ms Howarth's leadership, it has put pressure on leading British investors over their financing of the arms industry. Ms Howarth – who was also previously a board member at the Scott Trust, owner of the Guardian newspaper – has personally voiced support for moves by big investors to withdraw funds from weapons makers that manufacture 'controversial weapons,' including cluster munitions. Although these are banned in many countries' armed forces, including those of the UK, they are legal in the US and have been used by Ukraine to resist the Russian invasion. Sir Ben Wallace, who served as defence secretary from 2019 to 2023, said: 'British defence companies help keep the men and women of our armed forces safe, and the more investment from British pension funds, the less likely we will have to be dependent on foreign nations who may not share liberals' values.' Ms Howarth joined ShareAction in 2008, having previously worked as the lead organiser at local campaign group West London Citizens, which she founded in 2000. As ShareAction's chief executive, she has personally supported calls on investors, including HSBC, to withdraw funding from makers of 'controversial weapons'. ShareAction has also led calls for Britain's top investors to stop funding arms manufacturers. The charity was initially formed out of People & Planet's campaign for the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) to adopt an ethical investing strategy. In 2020, the USS, which manages £78bn of pensions savings on behalf of university workers, divested from companies that make landmines, white phosphorus and cluster munitions, in a move celebrated by ShareAction and Ms Howarth as a victory. Ms Howarth first joined Nest's board in November 2024, having previously praised the pensions scheme's own efforts to avoid investing in cluster bombs. In a tweet from 2017, Ms Howarth said: 'Good to know @shareactionuk's pension fund, @nestpensions, has no holdings in cluster bomb makers. Quite right too.' Alongside her position at ShareAction, Ms Howarth also joined the committee that advises the Financial Conduct Authority on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues and acts as a member of the Treasury's task force on asset management. £44bn of assets Nest manages £43.5bn of investments, many on behalf of workers at small businesses. The organisation actively seeks to avoid 'investing in companies directly involved in the production or sale of cluster weapons, anti-personnel landmines or chemical and biological weapons.' The pensions company, which was set up to facilitate auto-enrolment pensions in 2008, also has two ESG-focused funds, with £390m in assets that shun any investment in arms companies entirely. Nest currently has around £610m invested in companies that make defence equipment including BAE Systems, Airbus and Rolls-Royce. Mr Shapps said: 'Our military strength underpins our national security, our alliances and our democracy. Without it, we leave ourselves vulnerable while adversaries continue to arm themselves.' Brendan McCafferty, Nest's chairman, said: 'Catherine is a fantastic addition to Nest's board. Her expertise on stewardship and responsible investment is second to none, demonstrated by her membership on the FCA's sustainable finance committee and Treasury's asset management taskforce. 'I look forward to continuing working with Catherine, drawing on her expertise as we shape an investment strategy that helps millions of UK workers enjoy a more secure and comfortable retirement.' A Shareaction spokesman said: 'Catherine Howarth was asked to join Nest's board bringing years of experience of financial stewardship and responsible investment to the fore including membership on the FCA's Sustainable Finance Committee and Treasury's Asset Management Taskforce. As a Nest trustee, Catherine does not have day-to-day involvement in decisions at Nest, notably investment decisions, and Catherine does not serve on the Nest Invest board either. 'While the current geopolitical landscape is driving a reassessment of the defence sector, responsible investment in the arms sector needs rigorous examination of potential impacts on issues from human rights to polluting the environment in order to manage legal and reputational risks. 'At a minimum, a responsible investment approach requires strict avoidance of controversial weapons regulated by international conventions. For conventional weapons investment, any institutional investor should conduct enhanced due diligence on the human rights impacts of the company and should engage them on such impacts.'
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Campaigner against arms industry is board member at major pension fund
A leading campaigner against 'controversial' weapons makers sits on the board of Britain's largest pensions scheme. Catherine Howarth – one of 14 board members at the National Employment Savings Trust (Nest) – is chief executive of campaign group ShareAction, which seeks to prevent investment in fossil fuels and some types of armaments. Ms Howarth is responsible for helping to set the 'strategic direction' of Nest, a government-run scheme which manages the pensions of 13.5m people across Britain. It comes as Britain scrambles to rearm in the face of Russian aggression, with experts concerned that a lack of support from the City is holding the defence industry back. Grant Shapps, a former Tory defence secretary, said: 'Our defence industry protects the very freedoms that allow these campaigners to protest in the first place. Weakening it is not just reckless, it's dangerous.' ShareAction was first formed in 2005 out of a campaign by the student activist group People & Planet. Under Ms Howarth's leadership, it has put pressure on leading British investors over their financing of the arms industry. Ms Howarth – who was also previously a board member at the Scott Trust, owner of the Guardian newspaper – has personally voiced support for moves by big investors to withdraw funds from weapons makers that manufacture 'controversial weapons,' including cluster munitions. Although these are banned in many countries' armed forces, including those of the UK, they are legal in the US and have been used by Ukraine to resist the Russian invasion. Sir Ben Wallace, who served as defence secretary from 2019 to 2023, said: 'British defence companies help keep the men and women of our armed forces safe, and the more investment from British pension funds, the less likely we will have to be dependent on foreign nations who may not share liberals' values.' Ms Howarth joined ShareAction in 2008, having previously worked as the lead organiser at local campaign group West London Citizens, which she founded in 2000. As ShareAction's chief executive, she has personally supported calls on investors, including HSBC, to withdraw funding from makers of 'controversial weapons'. ShareAction has also led calls for Britain's top investors to stop funding arms manufacturers. The charity was initially formed out of People & Planet's campaign for the Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) to adopt an ethical investing strategy. In 2020, the USS, which manages £78bn of pensions savings on behalf of university workers, divested from companies that make landmines, white phosphorus and cluster munitions, in a move celebrated by ShareAction and Ms Howarth as a victory. Ms Howarth first joined Nest's board in November 2024, having previously praised the pensions scheme's own efforts to avoid investing in cluster bombs. In a tweet from 2017, Ms Howarth said: 'Good to know @shareactionuk's pension fund, @nestpensions, has no holdings in cluster bomb makers. Quite right too.' Alongside her position at ShareAction, Ms Howarth also joined the committee that advises the Financial Conduct Authority on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues and acts as a member of the Treasury's task force on asset management. Nest manages £43.5bn of investments, many on behalf of workers at small businesses. The organisation actively seeks to avoid 'investing in companies directly involved in the production or sale of cluster weapons, anti-personnel landmines or chemical and biological weapons.' The pensions company, which was set up to facilitate auto-enrolment pensions in 2008, also has two ESG-focused funds, with £390m in assets that shun any investment in arms companies entirely. Nest currently has around £610m invested in companies that make defence equipment including BAE Systems, Airbus and Rolls-Royce. Mr Shapps said: 'Our military strength underpins our national security, our alliances and our democracy. Without it, we leave ourselves vulnerable while adversaries continue to arm themselves.' Brendan McCafferty, Nest's chairman, said: 'Catherine is a fantastic addition to Nest's board. Her expertise on stewardship and responsible investment is second to none, demonstrated by her membership on the FCA's sustainable finance committee and Treasury's asset management taskforce. 'I look forward to continuing working with Catherine, drawing on her expertise as we shape an investment strategy that helps millions of UK workers enjoy a more secure and comfortable retirement.' A Shareaction spokesman said: 'Catherine Howarth was asked to join Nest's board bringing years of experience of financial stewardship and responsible investment to the fore including membership on the FCA's Sustainable Finance Committee and Treasury's Asset Management Taskforce. As a Nest trustee, Catherine does not have day-to-day involvement in decisions at Nest, notably investment decisions, and Catherine does not serve on the Nest Invest board either. 'While the current geopolitical landscape is driving a reassessment of the defence sector, responsible investment in the arms sector needs rigorous examination of potential impacts on issues from human rights to polluting the environment in order to manage legal and reputational risks. 'At a minimum, a responsible investment approach requires strict avoidance of controversial weapons regulated by international conventions. For conventional weapons investment, any institutional investor should conduct enhanced due diligence on the human rights impacts of the company and should engage them on such impacts.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
