Weekly Roundup: FDF welcomes Kraft Heinz into membership, IFF Signs UN Global LGBTI Standards of Conduct for Business

19 Apr 2019 --- This week in business, the UK Food and Drink Federation (FDF) announced that Kraft Heinz would be joining its membership with immediate effect. This new membership is partly due to the tailored Brexit service the trade group is currently offering, which aims to advise small and medium size businesses as the UK exits the EU. International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) is deepening its commitment to diversity and inclusion by signing the UN Global LGBTI Standards of Conduct for Business, and Emmi’s anti-food waste project has won a sustainability award.

In brief: Business
Kraft Heinz is set to join over 300 other food and drink manufacturers as a member of the FDF. The trade organization represents food and drink manufacturers of all sizes throughout the UK including Scotland, where its sister organization FDF Scotland operates. The organization has seen an upsurge in new subscriptions, in part due to the tailored Brexit service it is currently offering, which aims to advise small and medium size businesses as the UK exits the EU. Ian Wright CBE, FDF Chief Executive, says: “At this time more than ever, it is important for our industry to work together to make our value understood and our voice heard.”

Global flavors business IFF has joined more than 250 of the world’s largest companies in the pledge to tackle discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual and intersex (LGBTI) people in the community, workplace and marketplace. “Last year, when we formalized IFF’s pathway to embracing greater diversity and inclusion, we knew we were moving towards further alignment between our internal and external practices and our corporate values,” says Andreas Fibig, IFF Chairman and CEO. “By signing onto the Standards, we are purposefully championing equal and equitable rights for all on a global level, especially those who are traditionally the most vulnerable. Adopting these Standards will help our efforts in engaging with communities and partners that respect the rights of LGBTI communities as much as we do.” Fabrice Houdart, UN Human Rights Officer, adds: “The private sector has a key role to play in respecting and protecting the human rights of LGBTI people and its support matters.” In addition to signing onto the Standards, IFF’s commitment to equality was also recognized by the Human Rights Campaign as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality after receiving a perfect score of 100 on the 2019 Corporate Equality Index survey on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) policies and practices.  

In brief: Awards and certifications
Emmi’s anti-food waste project has earned the company a sustainability award. At the start of 2018, the company gave its employees the motto: “We are proactive and not afraid of hard work – together.” On 12 April 2019, the best approaches to achieving a great deal together under time and work pressure received awards. First place went to the company’s anti-food waste project. According to the announcement, if such a project is implemented successfully, it is eligible for the Emmi Sustainability Award at the end of the year. A jury comprising internal and external experts – headed by WWF Switzerland for the last two years – evaluates the projects submitted. 

In brief: Appointments and retirements
DowDuPont has announced that three additional members will join the future DuPont board of directors, currently the Specialty Products Division of DowDuPont. The new directors include Frank K. Clyburn, Chief Commercial Officer at Merck & Co., Terrence R. Curtin, CEO of TE Connectivity and Frederick M. Lowery, Senior Vice President and President, Life Sciences Solutions and Laboratory Products at Thermo Fisher Scientific. With these additions, DuPont expects to have 12 members on its board, effective June 1, 2019. Ed Breen, Executive Chairman-elect of DuPont and current Chair and CEO of DowDuPont, says: “The new directors bring deep global expertise in electronics and pharmaceuticals, as well as manufacturing, further strengthening the overall board, which will work closely with the management team to oversee the successful execution of DuPont’s strategy and enhance value for shareholders.” DowDuPont remains on track to separate the Agriculture Division (Corteva Agriscience) and Specialty Products Division (DuPont) on June 1, 2019.

Campden BRI has begun a research project to assess and evaluate how 3D-printing applications could benefit the food industry.In brief: Other highlights
Campden BRI has begun a research project to assess and evaluate how 3D-printing applications could benefit the food industry. Ingredient scientist, Gael Delamare, who is leading the team, says: “There have been major steps forward in 3D-printing in recent years and it has made a huge difference to many industries. However, applying technology to the food sector isn’t straightforward. There are many factors to consider such as shelf-life, microbiological contamination, printing temperature, textures, rheology and ultimately whether different foodstuffs even lend themselves to being printed. All of these issues need to be catered for to meet the expectations of the consumer and to do so safely.” The 3D-printing of food is a rapidly growing technology and new printers are now becoming available that can be used for various types of food materials. These are typically paste-type materials which include chocolate, vegetable and meat purees, pancake batter, cream, cakes and biscuits. The technology is capable of manufacturing product structures which cannot be achieved or are challenging to achieve, using conventional technology. The project aims to provide an objective and independent evaluation of the capabilities and limitations of 3D-printing technology through practical trials on a wide range of food materials.

By Elizabeth Green