We have to do something about climate change. That’s’ why the FEA has launched a new training initiative that gives participants the skills, knowledge and expertise required to address the current energy challenges and demands for improved sustainability.
The Foodservice Carbon Professional (FCP) course was developed by FEA in association with Hospitality Energy Saving.
FCP aims to provide the entire foodservice industry, from operators to dealers, designers and manufacturers, with the skills, knowledge and expertise required to address the current energy challenges and demands for improved sustainability.
Background
Man-made climate change is the most important issue facing the world right now. It’s a complex subject, not just taking into consideration the science behind it, but also the changes that society will be required in order to mitigate the effects.
Understanding how relatively simple changes can cause significant improvements in reducing energy consumption, for example in terms of how foodservice equipment is selected and operated, will be a key part of how the industry takes action, particularly as hospitality makes up a significant percentage of the energy used in the UK.
As the chair of the FEA, Paul Anderson, said recently: “The hospitality industry consumes over 54 terawatt hours each year. This works out to 14% of the UK’s service sector energy use - equivalent to 14 million houses – and is more than the amount that the agricultural and food retail sectors use combined. Finding ways to lower this consumption is vital to the government’s plans to meet Net Zero targets.”
The UK’s food industry as a whole produces 35% of the country’s carbon emissions every year. As part of the effort to prevent global temperatures from rising further, the UK’s foodservice industry is targeted to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2050.
In 2019 carbon emissions from the foodservice industry was recorded at 48.75 kg per capita per year. To bring in the required reductions will undoubtedly be challenging, but it is possible. Embracing new technology as it comes onto the market will be a major element of the effort, but of course the emergence of improved equipment does increase the complexity of choosing the right gear.
More sustainable choices
Every year there are more and more new developments that promise improvements in foodservice equipment. Having the information to accurately evaluate new equipment and understand the benefits it can bring in terms of carbon footprint reduction and improving sustainability is going to be important through all sectors of the foodservice and foodservice equipment sectors.
Dealers, suppliers and manufacturers have already taken steps to improving their knowledge of these issues but until now it has been difficult to be sure that the information is accurate.
The FCP course gives participants a grounding in the science of climate change, what the government is trying to do about it through legislation, how this applies to the foodservice sector and how equipment can play a significant role in improving sustainability.
They will also learn how to specify, operate, monitor and maintain equipment to minimise environmental impact throughout its working life.
FCP is built around a core module, with additional modules tailored to specific categories like refrigeration, cooking equipment and warewashing.
More modules are being developed that will allow the course to be precisely tailored to all parts of the foodservice equipment industry, with modules on ventilation, food waste, FOG (fats, oils and grease), and beverage equipment due to be launched soon.
Understanding the bigger picture
Again, our chair Paul Anderson has explained this as well as anyone, when he said: “Giving foodservice operators the knowledge to address the challenges the hospitality industry is facing, in terms of energy usage and the demand for improved sustainability, will allow them to specify equipment that will help them meet their sustainability objectives.
“The FCP course’s holistic approach will help them understand the bigger picture, in terms of the whole kitchen operation, providing practical advice and solutions.
“The next 16 years are going to be a period of profound transformation, not just for the foodservice equipment industry, but the UK and global economy as a whole.
“We all need to take action now. Helping the industry understand the importance of identifying and using sustainable equipment, and being able to evaluate the potential of new technology as it is brought to market, will be a vital piece of the puzzle if we are to meet these targets.”
The FCP course is delivered via FEA Academy, the association’s learning management system. It consists of a range of online modules, using a combination of resources, that can be completed at the student’s own pace.
There are also webinar tutorials, then a final exam students must pass before being awarded Foodservice Carbon Professional status. The individual core module costs £750 per person, with individual sector specific modules costing £650.
More information on the course and booking information can be found at: fea.org.uk/learning-and-development/foodservice-carbon-professional/.