Coca-Cola Enterprises in five-step sustainability plan
The findings have been released as part of an industry research partnership with Cranfield University, entitled Sustainable Manufacturing for the Future.
It claimed that the food and drink industry would continue to face greater scrutiny in all aspects of business, from ingredients used to the ethics of food labeling and animal welfare.
‘Providing nutrition’ will see more ‘smart’ ingredients with the potential to replace sugar, fat and salt, emerging, such as stevia, which is used in Coca-Cola Life.
One step named ‘Anticipating the future’ referred to the use of technology to help to improve efficiency across the whole supply chain. There will be innovations, such as pervasive sensors, giving rise to ‘smart’ operations from ‘farm to fork’ and supporting the balance between supply and demand.
Sharing the benefits
‘Sharing the benefits’ predicted increased industry collaboration from co-creating new products to sharing intellectual property (IP). The report recommended that the food and drink industry woreds to engage society when creating products as a way to protect the environment.
Meanwhile, ‘Inspiring the next generation’ will see the food and drink industry integrate more with schools and universities. The report said that despite an increased use of automation and other technology, people will remain vital to tackling the issue of sustainability.
Joining forces
The final step ‘Joining forces’ would become accepted as the only way to grow positively while reducing the footprint, said the manufacturer.
It is recommended that food and drink manufacturers become key agents of change, using their insight to help educate and strengthen different aspects of the value chain and society on how to achieve positive environmental impact.
Steve Adams, group director of supply chain operations at Coca-Cola Enterprises GB, said: “Our research with Cranfield University has revealed valuable insights on how sustainability will evolve across the food and drink supply chain.
“We’re excited to already be putting these actions into practice and have today launched a £56M investment plan as we continue our commitment to sustainable local manufacturing here in GB.”
Mark Jolly, professor of sustainable manufacturing at Cranfield University, added: “This joint research project between Coca-Cola Enterprises and Cranfield University has been a fascinating exploration of how the food and drink industry can truly embrace sustainable manufacturing in the future.”
The five pathways truly impact not only businesses but their employees, consumers, customers and the wider society in which they operate, he said.
Five pathways for sustainable food and drink manufacturing
1. Anticipating the future:
“In the future, manufacturers’ use of big data and the Internet of Things will increasingly help to assure quality and address resource productivity – improving efficiency across the whole supply chain. Technology and analytics will facilitate greater real-time visibility, with innovations such as pervasive sensors giving rise to ‘smart’ operations from ‘farm to fork’, supporting the balance between supply and demand.”
2. Providing nutrition:
“In the future, the food and drink industry will continue to face greater scrutiny in all aspects of business, from ingredients used to the ethics of food labelling and animal welfare. ‘Smart’ ingredients will emerge, with the potential to replace or alter other content such as sugar, fat and salt. It is recommended that the food and drink industry continues its efforts to offer new services that focus on delivering broad value to customers, increasing emphasis on personalisation and nutrition.”
3. Sharing the benefits:
“In the future, increased industry collaboration is expected to emerge, from co-creating new products to sharing IP. It is recommended that the food and drink industry works to engage society when creating products, with shared IP and open innovation used as a way to protect the environment. Large food and drink companies must show leadership and proactively engage with consumers to deliver against their needs.”
4. Inspiring the next generation:
“In the future, the skills gap will continue to grow as a generation of experienced employees retire. Despite an increased use of automation and other technology, people will remain vital to tackling the challenges of sustainability. It is recommended that the food and drink industry does more to integrate with schools and universities, reaching learners as early as possible.”
5. Joining forces:
“In the future, the way value and leadership is understood will change dramatically as companies join forces with customers, with society and with each other. This will become accepted as the only way to grow positively whilst reducing footprint. It is recommended that food and drink manufacturers become key agents of change, using their insight to help educate and strengthen different aspects of the value chain and society on how to achieve positive environmental impact.”
