Crossley takes over on December 12 from Sue Dibb, who stepped down in August.
He is currently the principal sustainability advisor and acting head of food at think tank Forum for the Future, where he has worked for six years.
Crossley has advised many of the world’s leading food businesses on sustainability.
He also led flagship food projects exploring how to create consumer pull on sustainability and exploring the role of carbon labelling in creating a low-carbon shopping basket.
Passionate
Crossley advised government in roles on the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’s Green Claims Steering Group and Green Food Project.
He was a member of the Carbon Trust Reduction and Communications Steering Group, which developed the Code of Good Practice for greenhouse gas emissions in the UK.
Commenting on his role, Crossley said: “The Food Ethics Council is an organisation I have long admired. I am passionate about its mission of helping create a better, fairer and greener food system.”
Food Ethics Council chair, Helen Browning, said: “I am delighted to welcome Dan to the Food Ethics Council. His strong leadership skills and wealth of knowledge of the food agenda will be key assets to the organisation at an exciting time in its development.”