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Annual Review 2008: Focusing on our members' needs

FDF's core purpose is to meet the needs of our broad-based membership in an efficient, effective and timely way.

Internally, we aim to be a continuously improving organisation. During the year we appointed a Member Services Director to drive our account management, recruitment and retention strategy. We developed new tools, such as our membership database, and have enhanced our web-based service to members. In addition, we have revised our internal performance management systems to make sure that everyone at FDF understands, and is recognised for, their contribution in delivering a professional service to our members.

Given the challenging economic climate, it is more important than ever that we are able to articulate clearly the benefits of membership. And in early 2009 we will conduct a membership review that will help us to develop some key measures of performance to underline the value of FDF membership.

At the same time, we have placed more emphasis on understanding the needs of members – both from an individual company and a sector specific perspective. The associations in full membership and our seven sector groups provide us with a unique channel through which we can understand how issues such as food incidents and regulatory developments affect member companies of all sizes. Having these associations and groups in full membership gives FDF the credibility it needs when making strong representations to policy makers and regulators on issues as diverse as the EU Nutrition and Health Claims Directive as well as the FSA's proposed salt reduction targets and its saturated fat and energy reduction programme. Our work also involves active engagement and co-ordinated lobbying efforts with partner European sector associations.

In addition, we have restructured the FDF Council to provide a forum for informationsharing and networking across our different sector groups and a means of linking their work with FDF's policy priorities. During the year we established an SME Advisory Group to help our policy work, while members of FDF's Out of Home Group are shaping our input to the Government's proposed Healthier Food Mark for public sector procurement. Our Grocery Trade Liaison Committee has continued to provide members with opportunities to meet key retailers.

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