First Speakers Announced for Sustainable Food Factory 2024

The organisers of June’s event announce the first set of speakers who will be presenting at the conference

The speakers are part of a day-long program that will educate delegates about the latest strategies for reducing carbon emissions in food and beverage manufacturing and supply chain operations through engaging presentations and interactive panel debates.

Tom Maidment, Group Product Sustainability Senior Manager at Hilton Foods, who is leading the development of the company’s decarbonisation strategy and providing life cycle assessment (LCA) expertise across the business, will present in the morning session.

Tom’s presentation, entitled ‘Decarbonising the Factory: A Whole Business Approach,’ will outline the importance of addressing emissions and resource use both within the business operation and throughout the supply chain to reach net zero.

This approach will help food and beverage manufacturers create a list of priority actions and plans that allow them to enhance resilience and profitability while reducing their impact on the environment.

David Moore, Group Head of ESG at The Compleat Food Group, will also join Tom in the morning with a presentation titled, ‘How to Reduce Scope 3 Emissions using Product Level LCA’.

David’s presentation will concentrate on Scope 3 emissions in the value chain, which constitute the majority, and how conducting a comprehensive LCA analysis can help the business develop a focused action plan to reduce their impact.

The conference also recognises the unique challenges SMEs can face in creating sustainable manufacturing operations.

Alain Dilworth, Programme Manager of Made Smarter UK’s Northwest Adoption Programme, has overseen the programme’s roll-out in the region, which has helped hundreds of SME manufacturers – including food and beverage manufacturers – adopt new technology.

These funded projects have helped businesses increase productivity, upskill their workforce, create new jobs and become more sustainable.

Alain will present in the afternoon session with a presentation entitled, ‘Technology Transformation and Its Impact: An Overview of the Made Smarter Adoption Northwest Programme. How it Impacts on Productivity, People and Sustainability in SMEs’.

The case for decarbonisation

As the largest manufacturing sector in the UK, the food and beverage sector must prioritise sustainability and decarbonisation, with manufacturers playing a crucial role in reducing their environmental impact.

Decarbonisation is not merely an unnecessary expense; rather, it represents an opportunity to improve operations, drive innovation and enhance brand reputation.

Consumers and other stakeholders increasingly demand sustainable practices, compelling the industry to continue rising to the challenge of achieving a greener, more sustainable world.

Collaboration and networking

Collaboration across the supply chain holds immense importance and the Sustainable Food Factory event offers ample opportunities for attendees to network with peers and speakers and gain a deeper understanding of this crucial topic.

The event will also feature 15 exhibitors who are uniquely positioned to assist delegates in their low-carbon journey.

Sustainable Food Factory 2024 takes place on 12 June at Clifton Campus, Nottingham Trent University and is FREE to attend for UK food and beverage manufacturers.