FEA launches course to get sector to 'move faster' on carbon commitment

A new programme which aims to deepen the sector’s knowledge and understanding of carbon-reduction measures and sustainability has been launched by the Foodservice Equipment Forum (FEA).

The scheme, called Foodservice Carbon Professional (FCP), was announced at the FEA Conference 2023 on 16 November by former FEA chief executive, Keith Warren.

He said a lack of industry-wide understanding had slowed progress within the sector but the FCP would enable suppliers and distributors to be an authoritative voice on carbon reduction and sustainability.

Warren said: “We need to get our whole industry to a basic understanding so we can all go faster.”

He added that the course is designed to be relevant to the breadth of the catering and hospitality industry and “will give [businesses and employees] the science and knowledge to enable your business to change”.

The course, which took 18 months to develop and will launch on Carbon Literacy Day on 4 December, comprises a core module and further product specific modules. The core module covers topics including looking at carbon emissions on a global scale, addressing questions such as, ‘What is carbon and its relationship to energy supply?’, and learning how to reduce carbon within the context of the foodservice sector.

Product specific modules will launch in February next year and focus on warewashing, refrigeration, and cooking.

Warren said the core module course will involve “dynamic learning”, with videos, slides, and e-books available for participants, enabling them to learn at their own pace.

At the launch, 30 individuals had signed up to the paid-for programme but, by the end of the conference last night, almost 130 had enrolled from various foodservice equipment businesses.

Steve Coates, founder of commercial equipment company Advance Group, who co-presented the launch, said: “This is an end-to-end service which articulates the basics of what carbon is, all the way to employees being able to go out to talk to customers confidently on what this whole topic is about.

“There is nothing else like this in the industry.”

*Image: Steve Coates speaking at the FCP's launch. Credit: Adam Hollingworth Photography *