Annual Review 2009: Leading from the front

Industry in action

A strong voice for Scottish industry

Improving perceptions of the industry and promoting it as a career destination of choice has been a big focus of the Scottish Food and Drink Federation's (SFDF) work this year. With grant funding from the Scottish Government, SFDF produced a short careers film – A World of Opportunities – as well as five film case studies about member companies.

The careers film was launched at a screening in the Scottish Parliament in the autumn in front of an invited audience of key stakeholders from the education community and Scottish Government Environment Minister Roseanna Cunningham. The film has been widely commended and is now being used by a range of universities and colleges as a teaching resource. In addition, Learning and Teaching Scotland has made the film available to all schools via its website.

On the back of this success, SFDF has been awarded grant funding for a national schools programme to promote the sector. Sustainability issues featured prominently during the year and SFDF made representations as the Scottish Government's Climate Change Bill passed through its legislative stages in the Scottish Parliament and submitted responses to consultations on a Zero Waste Plan and a Renewables Framework.

SFDF also established a project with the key environmental business support agencies to develop and evaluate the performance of an online data management tool that will collect waste, water and energy data from companies in Scotland.

On the health agenda, SFDF made representations to Richard Simpson MSP about his proposed Bill to limit use of trans fats in food, and our Healthy Working Lives pilot gave an opportunity for 2,000 staff from member companies to benefit from involvement in the work-based programme.