Tackling issues facing food logistics

Working closely with members to identify the issues that really matter, the CEO, Chris Sturman and the federation’s administration team are committed to tackling issues head on, and ensuring its members’ voices are heard by all the relevant governmental departments, NGOs, trade bodies and organisations, in UK and Europe.

Its purpose is to ‘Promote excellence in food and drink logistics’ and it does this by providing support and advice on cost efficiencies, environmental impact and sustainability, good business practice and legislation. It also generates new business and networking opportunities, and through the organisation’s profile with Government and local boroughs, academia and other allied trade bodies, it ensures that the industry's interests are represented at the highest levels.



The Federation covers the whole temperature controlled storage and distribution industry, from frozen to ambient. With its main members from the food and drink storage and distribution sector, the FSDF also has retail, foodservice and wholesaler membership and Associate members who supply a wide range of equipment, vehicles and support services.

Leadership

As the industry is subject to stringent controls and legislation, the FSDF supports its members with professional advice and assistance on Food Safety, Health and Safety, Transport Regulations and a host of other complex legislative areas. This is delivered through specialist advisory groups and established two-way working relationships with relevant academic research institutions and Government Departments such as Department for Transport, Defra and Department of Energy & Climate Change.

Primary Authority Partnership (PAP)

The FSDF was also one of the first organisations to create a Primary Authority Partnership with Slough Borough Council as the Local Authority, to help tackle the key compliance issues affecting members’ businesses and ensure members benefit from Assured Guidance. This is compliance advice, which encourages collaboration and reduces associated risks and costs of non-compliance.

Chris Sturman commented: "The Food sector is quite rightly subject to considerable and ever changing regulations that can prove difficult for businesses to fully understand what is required and when it is required. When it comes to compliance, the Compliance team at Slough Borough Council offers our members complete peace of mind that they are meeting the industry regulations, therefore reducing risk and potential costs.”

Global voice

FSDF provides expert advice and guidance to its members on issues that affect the industry and their businesses. The Federation sits on DEFRA and Department for Transport industry committees and frequently interacts with fellow trade associations, as well as trade bodies such as the British Hospitality Association, the Food and Drink Federation, the British Retail Consortium, UK Dairy and Chilled Foods Association.

The FSDF has a global reach, as an affiliate partner of the International Association of Refrigerated Warehouses, working with the America based World Food Logistics Organisation, the Global Cold Chain Alliance and ECSLA, the GCCA European Division.

Clandestines

Whilst the situation at Calais continues to stimulate humanitarian debate, the effect on the fresh produce and chilled food chain from European sources is of growing concern. The FSDF continues to work hard alongside other trade bodies in the food and logistics industries, Government departments, agencies and the insurance industry to find ways to minimise risks to food chain resilience and food quality breach in the food supply chain.



The FSDF team is in regular contact with its members, to encourage membership of the UK Border Force Vehicle Assurance scheme and learn how they are dealing with the heightened threat to the fresh and chilled food products they are transporting into the UK, as well as potential contamination from the presence of human beings being present in a food container. Over the last year, products with a value of over £15m have been subject to Goods in Transit claims. To support the businesses affected by this, FSDF continues to work closely with the Fresh Produce Consortium, along with other food industry trade bodies and goods in transit insurers, and in collaboration with Defra, the Food Standards Agency and the National Crime Agency. As part of a select working group, the team are focusing on how best to identify rejected products, particularly when presented at destination delivered by foreign based vehicles, to ensure spoiled food does not enter the UK food chain and to ensure only safe products reach the consumer.

F-Gas

The F-Gas Regulations, which came into effect on 1 January 2015, are reducing the availability of some of the most common Hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants which have been in use over the last 20 years. 

The FSDF has organised a number of member events to provide updates on how progress is being made since the new regulations came into effect, and to discuss where the problems may lie and what solutions have already been developed within the refrigeration industry and with contractors to meet legal obligations. The FSDF will continue to assess the effect of a reduction of refrigerant availability over time, highlight to members possible tactics and strategies to enable business to move forward without adverse effects, and lobby Government at UK and EU levels to minimize any adverse effects on food supply and quality.

Ammonia Refrigeration Systems Regulations (PM81 and DSEAR 2002)

Over the last three years, FSDF has been working closely with the HSE and Health and Safety Laboratories to develop new Guidelines for ammonia refrigeration plants and the design, installation, use and maintenance of ammonia refrigeration systems. This important work, led by members of the FSDF Technical and Safety Committee, will culminate in the publication of a new guidance document, PM81. At the same time, guidance as a result of a joint industry project with HSE and HSL regarding ammonia refrigeration systems and their compliance with DSEAR will also be published, and made available to business operators and engineering staff of companies operating in the sector.

Training and Development

The Federation is committed to advise and provide companies with training that meets the needs of both employers and individuals working in the industry. Over the last 4 years, FSDF has been developed a number of training courses specifically for the logistics industry and has undertaken 130 successful pilots within 2 FSDF member companies, delivering City & Guilds and Edexel qualifications. In 2016, the FSDF will continue to work with training providers to deliver nationally recognised, industry specific NVQ’s, Apprenticeships and Higher Education courses.

The FSDF’s specialist Management Training courses are well underway and provide logistics professionals with dedicated and focused training modules which will directly improve their people management skills to help them raise their own performance levels as well as their teams’.

If you would like to know more about FSDF and the issues they are currently addressing, please contact Chris Sturman, CEO or any one of the team on 0118 988 4468 or email [email protected]