Background
The Food Industry Sustainability Strategy aimed principally at the food industry was published in April 2006.
In her foreword to the 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. 5 new Groups’ were established looking at Energy Use and Climate Change, Water Use, Waste, Food Transportation and Ethical Trading.
Each of these Groups have produced a report detailing how the food industry can make progress towards a more sustainable future. The reports include recommendations to Ministers as to how targets can be met. Defra Ministers and Officials would very much like to encourage wider industry engagement with the Champions' Groups’ reports. They will consider the recommendations in the Groups’ reports and the feedback from the industry and interested parties submitted via this Review with a view to drawing up an action plan to take the elements of FISS forward in liaison and collaboration with industry over the next year.