Adrian Morley

Dr Adrian Morley

Research Fellow

My profile

Biography

I am an interdisciplinary social scientist specialising in Sustainable Food Systems and Food Policy. I focus on inter-connectivities between food production and consumption, environmental sustainability, economic development, health and social justice.

My work tends to focus on strategic food policy governance, innovation and supply chain dynamics, public procurement systems and stakeholder-led food provision models. I am also particularly interested in the food service sector and its links to hospitality, retail and tourism. 

Over recent years, I have provided expert advice to the European Commission, the UK Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) the House of Lords and House of Commons. I am also a former Chair of the Good Food Greater Manchester food policy network.

Get in touch

0161 247 2732
C2.16 Cavendish Building

Projects

I am currently working on outputs from the QR Global Challenges Research Fund COLLARES project (Strengthening collaborative food waste prevention in Colombia and Peru: towards responsible production and consumption) and the Ashden Trust funded project “Can regional food systems feed the public plate?” which aims to understand the benefits of developing regional supply to feed public institutions such as schools and hospitals.

I also led Manchester Met’s involvement in the EU Interreg funded project Food Chains 4EU (Strengthening regional innovation policies to build sustainable food chains) which was a partnership between five European regions (2017-2022).

Among other commissioned projects, I have worked on official evaluations of the Incredible Edible model of community food development and the Lottery Funded Food for Life Partnership, as well as leading the Cardiff University team that prepared the Welsh Food Strategy ‘Food for Wales: Food from Wales’.

Teaching

I currently teach on the Level 6 Unit Global Tourism and Local Solutions which examines the role of local level sustainability related action in tacking global challenges such as climate change, social justice and equitable economic development. 

I also supervise Undergraduate and Masters level student dissertations as well as PhD scholars in the faculty. 

Supervision

I have successfully supervised five PhD students in a range of subject areas related to sustainable food systems, including school meals policy, food security and fair trade supply chains. I am currently on the supervisory team for a student investigating food waste behaviour at festivals. I have also acted as an External Examiner. 

Research outputs

I have participated in a wide range of research initiatives over the past two decades. My methodological experience covers a range of qualitative and quantitative techniques. This includes all aspects of designing, conducting and analysing stakeholder interviews, focus groups, surveys and documentary research including policy analysis.

I have produced and co-produced work for a variety of funders including research councils (UK and EU), government (national, regional and local), businesses and charitable foundations.

  • Books (authored/edited/special issues)

    Marsden, T., Morley, A. (2014) Sustainable Food Systems Building a New Paradigm. Routledge.

  • Chapters in books

    Morley, A.S., Marsden, T.K. (2014) 'Current Food Questions and their Scholarly Challenges: Creating and Framing a Sustainable Food Paradigm.' Sustainable Food Systems: Building a New Paradigm. Routledge,

    Morley, A.S., Marsden, T.K., McEntee, J. (2014) 'Food Futures: Framing the Crisis.' Sustainable Food Systems Building a New Paradigm. Routledge,

    Morley, A.S., Morgan, K. (2014) 'The Public Plate: Harnessing the Power of Purchase.' Sustainable Food Systems Building a New Paradigm. Routledge,

    Morley, A.S., Mikkola, M. (2013) 'Potential of transformative consumer learning for governance for animal welfare by public catering?.' The ethics of consumption: The citizen, the market and the law. Wageningen Academic Publishers,

    Morley, A.S., Sonnino, R., Smith, A. (2012) 'Leading by Procuring: The power of the public sector purchasing.' Environmental Leadership A Reference Handbook. SAGE Publications, Incorporated,

    Morley, A.S., Hines, F., Frater, L. (2008) 'The role of social enterprises in an integrated waste management infrastructure.' Waste 2008: Waste and Resource Management - a Shared Responsibility. Waste Conference Ltd,

  • Reports

    Morley, A. (2023) Can regional food systems feed the public plate?. Manchester Metropolitan University / Aurora Trust / Food for Life - Soil Association.

    Morley, A., Ruiz Vargas, V., Burrowes-Cromwell, T., Hernández Díaz;, P.M., Ramírez, M., Boyce, S., Osman, S. (2022) COLLARES project report - Strengthening collaborative food waste prevention in Colombia: towards responsible consumption and production. COLLARES.

    Usman, A., Mylan, J., Morley, A., Morris, C., Oncini, F. (2022) Incorporating food into Manchester’s climate change response. Part two: Transforming food provision through sustainable innovation.. Manchester Climate Change Agency / University of Manchester.

    Morley, A. (2020) Verification of the Soil Association’s mapping of the alignment between the Government’s Balanced Scorecard for assessing the value of bids for contacts to supply food and food services and the Food for Life Served Here and Green Kitchen Standards.. Manchester Metropolitan University.

    Heasman, M., Morley, A.S. (2017) Earning a Crust? A review of labour trends in UK food manufacturing. Food Research Collaboration / City University.

    Morley, A., Hollingsworth, A., Ramsingh, B., Dooris, M., Farrier, A. (2017) Regional Responses: The Sustainable Food North West Research Collaboration. Food Research Collaboration, London:

    Morley, A.S., Marsden, T.K., Morgan, K.J. (2016) Food Policy as Public Policy: A Review of the Welsh Government’s Food Strategy and Action Plan. Public Policy Institute for Wales.

    Morley, A.S. (2014) End of Funding Report for the Universities West Midlands Collaboration Establishing the ‘Food-Smart City’ Concept Project.

    Morley, A.S., Orme, J., Jones, M., Kimberlee, R., Salmon, D., Dailami, N., Morgan, K. (2011) Food for Life Partnership Evaluation: Full Report. University of the West of England / Cardiff University.

    Morley, A.S., Morgan, S., Sonnino, R., Bailey, K., Marsden, T.K., Lee, R., Morgan, K. (2010) Building Connections, Building Capacities: A Food Strategy for Wales..

    Morley, A.S. (2008) Social Enterprises: Diversity & Dynamics, Contexts and Contributions. Economic and Social Research Council.

    Morley, A.S., Morgan, S., Morgan, K. (2008) Food Hubs: The 'Missing Middle' of the Local Food Infrastructure. Cardiff University.

    Morley, A.S., Hines, F., Frater, L., Cartwright, S., Chandrashekar, S. (2008) Social Enterprises and Sustainable Waste And Resource Management: Evaluating Impacts, Capacities and Opportunities. Cardiff University.

  • Journal articles

    Morley, A., Morgan, K. (2021) 'Municipal Foodscapes: urban food policy and the new municipalism.' Food Policy, 103pp. 102069-102069.

    Morley, A. (2020) 'Procuring for change: An exploration of the innovation potential of sustainable food procurement.' Journal of Cleaner Production, 279pp. 123410-123410.

    Farrier, A., Dooris, M., Morley, A. (2019) 'Catalysing change? A critical exploration of the impacts of a community food initiative on people, place and prosperity.' Landscape and Urban Planning, 192pp. 103663-103663.

    Carlsson, L., Callaghan, E., Morley, A.S., Broman, G. (2017) 'Food System Sustainability across Scales: A Proposed Local-To-Global Approach to Community Planning and Assessment.' Sustainability, 9(6)

    Kimberlee, R., Jones, M., Morley, A., Orme, J., Salmon, D. (2013) 'Whole school food programmes and the kitchen environment.' British Food Journal, 115(5) pp. 756-768.

    Jones, M., Dailami, N., Weitkamp, E., Salmon, D., Kimberlee, R., Morley, A., Orme, J. (2012) 'Food sustainability education as a route to healthier eating: Evaluation of a multi-component school programme in English primary schools.' Health Education Research, 27(3) pp. 448-458.

    Morgan, S.L., Marsden, T., Miele, M., Morley, A. (2010) 'Agricultural multifunctionality and farmers' entrepreneurial skills: A study of Tuscan and Welsh farmers.' Journal of Rural Studies, 26(2) pp. 116-129.

    Peattie, K., Morley, A. (2008) 'Eight paradoxes of the social enterprise research agenda.' Social Enterprise Journal, 4(2) pp. 91-107.

    Morley, A., Sparkes, A., Thomas, B. (2000) 'Strategic and regional initiatives in the Agrifood industry in Wales.' British Food Journal, 102(4) pp. 274-289.

  • Other

    Morley, A. (2022) Submission to the DEFRA consultation seeking views on possible changes to public sector food and catering policy.

    Morley, A. (2020) Submission to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee call for evidence on the Public Sector Procurement of Food. 27th of August, 2020..