Seizing the initiative on sustainability

With this level of success come inevitable environmental consequences. However, the UK has seized the initiative by introducing a proactive range of measures to improve sustainability and minimise its impact on the environment.

Sustainable working practices

The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) is the body responsible for representing and advising UK food and drink manufacturers. On behalf of its members, FDF has taken bold steps to cut harmful emissions and introduce more sustainable working practices. The reasons are simple, as. Director of Sustainability and Competitiveness, Callton Young OBE explains: “FDF acknowledges that climate change is probably the biggest single challenge facing mankind and the planet. We also accept that there are other big environmental challenges that must be tackled. As good corporate citizens, we want to play a full part by targeting priorities where we can make the biggest difference to the environment. We only have one planet and must treat it as a precious resource. We owe that to future generations.”

Ambitious targets

The Federation has published its Five-fold Environmental Ambition, setting out key milestones for meeting long-term sustainability objectives. It is a visionary document that outlines the industry’s five main priorities when it comes to tackling environmental issues. The first of these is to achieve a 20% absolute reduction in CO² emissions by the year 2010, compared with 1990.

The boiler […] at our Thames site is not only the largest of its kind for London, but also a first for the UK food and drink industry

Ian Bacon

Chief Executive

Tate & Lyle Sugars

Greenhouse gases like CO² are linked to climate change and the UK food and drink industry is keen to set an example. In a move that is designed to send a message to the national and international business community about the urgency of the problem, the industry has set itself an even more ambitious target of striving for a 30% reduction in CO² emissions by 2020.

British standards

To achieve this, a methodology is being developed in conjunction with the British Standards Institute (BSI) that will measure total carbon emissions within the supply chain for food and non-food products. It will give a clear picture of where further reductions in CO² could be made.

Many food and drink manufacturers are already implementing effective carbon management measures. One of these is Tate & Lyle which is installing a new £20 million biomass boiler at its Thames Cane Sugar Refinery. The new boiler, which is due to be completed in March 2009, will enable renewable energy to replace 70% of the energy generated from fossil fuels on the site and also produce a corresponding 70% reduction in CO² emissions from fossil fuels. Ian Bacon, Chief Executive of Tate & Lyle Sugars said: “We believe the boiler being constructed at our Thames site is not only the largest of its kind for London, but also a first for the UK food and drink industry.” Inspiring examples like this are shared amongst members of the Food and Drink Federation to encourage best practice.

Reduce, reuse

The amount of food and packaging waste generated by UK food and drink manufacturers is estimated at around 3m tonnes a year. Food waste produces methane, which is 21 times more damaging to the environment than CO². Therefore, number two of the industry’s five key priorities is to send zero food and packaging waste to landfill by 2015. It is working with the Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP) to identify best practice in the prevention of food and packaging waste. The charity FareShare is helping the industry to redistribute good quality food to sectors of the community in need, rather than sending it to landfill and the National Industrial Symbiosis Programme is advising it on maximising resource recovery.

Climate change is probably the biggest single challenge facing mankind and the planet

Callton Young

Director of Sustainability and Competitiveness

FDF

Convenience food manufacturer Greencore is working to divert 180,000 tonnes of waste from landfill by sending its food and packaging waste to Inetec for conversion into biofuel. This will produce enough renewable electricity to power 39,000 homes.

As well as preventing waste finding its way into landfill, the industry is also looking at ways of reducing the amount of packaging it uses. It needs to balance the requirement to protect food and drink products from damage and contamination against the need to eliminate excess packaging. Alara Wholefoods was able to achieve a 70% reduction in packaging by repackaging its organic muesli inside a plastic-lined paper bag instead of a bag-in-a-box. Consumers can expect to see more of this type of packaging solution in years to come

UK best practice

Despite the UK’s reputation for rain, the country’s water resources are increasingly coming under pressure and there is now a pressing environmental need for water conservation measures. In January 2008, the FDF responded by publishing its Federation House Commitment to reduce water use, signed by 21 leading manufacturers. As a significant user of water, the industry aim is to reduce its use by 20% by the year 2020. Signatories are currently reviewing their water use and taking steps to reduce it wherever possible. Once rolled out across the sector, the initiative could save around 140 million litres of water a day, cutting bills by around £60m per year.

FDF has committed to report annually on collective progress towards its Environmental Ambition. It is working with the UK government and best practice bodies to help it achieve its goals, and already has many excellent success stories to tell. This is an industry that is serious about sustainability and making a difference to everyone’s lives, both today and in the future.