CEDA is proud to be associated with and to actively participate in

Mission statement

'To provide the foodservice industry with a code of practice and guidelines for consideration towards energy efficiency and the use of sustainable products.' 

In March 2006 a voluntary organisation was formed from people within the UK catering equipment industry to meet the above challenge. That organisation became known as The Catering for a Sustainable Future Group (CSFG) and in November 2006 it was formed as a sub-committee of the Catering Equipment Distributors Association (CEDA) the Catering Equipment Suppliers Association (CESA) and the Foodservice Consultants Society International (FCSI). The CSFG therefore enjoys unparalleled support from right across the UK catering equipment industry.

The CSFG Executive panel members are:

Robert Plumb FCSI Chairman
Jackie Snaith FCSI representative
Iain Munro CEDA representative
Keith Warren CESA representative
Paul Bouscarle CESA representative
Dave Clarke CSFG founder
Peter Sage-Passant Guide Chairman
TBC Energy monitoring Chairman

It cannot be denied that we are in the midst of a new environmental revolution which requires us to reduce our negative impact on the natural environment. After much debate, there is unanimous scientific agreement that we humans are causing "Global Climate Change" by our actions and within the commercial market sector; the food service industry with its inefficient kitchens is one of the leaders when it comes to generating that change.

If we are to reduce our impact on the environment by the required 50% to become sustainable, we must remember that all the raw materials used within our industry come from that environment. So it is imperative that we succeed in minimizing the use of the natural resources used to produce the required service, while generating the minimum amount of waste and pollutants.

The work currently being reviewed and undertaken by the group:

• To develop the group so that it is a representative of the whole industry, this will allow its recommendations to be adopted by all sectors of the industry.

• To work with the Charted Institute of Building Surveyors (CIBSE) to develop a CIBSE guide for energy efficiency and sustainability in commercial kitchens.

• To monitor the energy consumption and emissions of the main appliances used within the commercial kitchen so that new more energy efficient methods of operation can be explored.

• To keep the industry informed of the various products and materials to be used within the foodservice industry if it wishes to become sustainable.

• To research and develop new design solutions to reduce the harmful emissions, to use less energy and waste less of our natural resources while removing environmental pollution.

• To develop methods of procurement that do not rely only on the purchase cost in financial terms but investigates the whole life-cycle costs in financial, social and environmental terms.

One of the first and most important discoveries the CSFG have made is that being environmentally friendly does not only improve the environmental and social performance of the business, it also increases the financial bottom line.

An added bonus for companies that embrace the new way forward is the boost they receive within the market place, as the ethical consumer moves from being a small niche market to a market sector that accounts for between 40 - 60% of all consumers.

The future looks to be very exciting and profitable for the foodservice industry and its employees. It will be developing new methods of catering using alternative production systems to meet the requirements of a consumer who is paying more attention to what he eats and drinks while considering the long term effect on his environment.

It will also see the development of new technologies and the reinvention of some existing ones to enable us all to pursue a more sustainable future. For those that accept the challenge the future will provide many opportunities with a very healthy triple bottom line in social, environmental and financial terms.

Visit the CSFG web site on www.csfg.co.uk