Contents this month
Project news
DbyD have just opened a consultation on sustainabilty in the
food industry for Defra.
The food industry accounts for:
- about 14% of energy consumption by UK businesses and 7 million
tonnes of carbon emissions per year
- about 10% of all industrial use of the public water supply
- about 10% of the industrial and commercial waste stream
- 25% of all HGV vehicle kilometres in the UK
- healthy food choices and information that will assist consumers
to adopt more healthy and balanced diets; and
- 12.5% of the UK's workforce.
In the introduction to Defra's Food Industry Sustainability
Strategy, the then Secretary of State, Margaret Beckett, highlighted
the importance of wider industry engagement in improving the
sustainability of the food and drink industry and invited industry
led Champions' groups to report to her on the measures necessary
for making progress and the means of monitoring success.
Since the publication of the Strategy, Defra and the food industry
have been working together to create action plans based on the
headline targets in the Strategy. The industry led Champions'
Groups were established to identify where progress can be made.
The groups examined current best practice, looked at ways of
working and have identified barriers which may discourage the
industry from behaving in a more sustainable way.
Defra are now seeking input from the food industry on the recommendations
make by the Champions groups. See http://defrafiss.dialoguebydesign.net for more.
