Election Fever.
Election fever has (not quite) gripped the nation. The Prime Minister told us on the steps of Downing Street that this is the election that he didn't want (really Boris?). A dark cold night at the polls is not what politicians usually seek, but we are in extraordinary times. As the early stages of the campaign play out the tussle is between the Tories and Liberal Democrats that want a 'Brexit election' and Labour who want anything but.Plenty of my fellow trade bodies will be issuing their own 'manifestos' in the days ahead. I'm not a fan. I admit it's just pedantry, I take the view that manifestos are for those seeking election, for the rest of us the job is to influence those that are elected. So, whilst we wait to see what government and parliament emerges from this election, Tom Southall and I will be focused on getting ready to hit the ground running with the new Parliament and new Ministers. A Christmas treat for us all.
Tom and I will be casting our eyes over the runners and riders and giving our assessment of what the different parties might do for the cold chain in the latest in our popular Connect webinar series 12:30 on Wednesday 6th December.
SHARED AMBITION TO CLEAN OUR AIR
Somewhere in all the parties' manifesto will be a pledge to tackle the air quality crisis in the UK. The pace of change in the regulations of what types of vehicles are allowed to operate where is picking up at pace. The Ultra Low Emission Zone in central London is a fact of life and the city of Bristol upped the ante this month with a pledge to ban all non-commercial diesel vehicles from parts of the city.
It's a fact of life that the regulations are going to get stricter and stricter. The question is what exact form will they take and what time will hauliers be given to prepare. The Cold Chain Federation is committed to being a positive partner in this, pushing back against the most radical and poorly thought through policies, but arguing for sensible universal rules that allow businesses time and visibility to plan and adapt.
Its been a while since we saw the Minister on this issue, she has moved on since and no deal Brexit and elections got in the way, but we are ready to go to engage with the new government to set out a clear pathway to diesel free future for vehicle refrigeration. The challenge is over when, not if, and we certainly can't do this on our own.
AFRICAN DREAMS
Most people in our logistics industry are aware of and broadly supportive of our logistics industry charity Transaid. I had the privilege of joining them on a fact-finding mission to Zambia last month. A once in a lifetime opportunity to see for myself life in a rural (and I mean rural) village in central Africa. The supply chain challenges these places face, brought home to me that still today a significant percentage of the world's population are living to a subsistence model. They have no or limited ways to get food into or out of their communities. They have no equipment or infrastructure that we take for granted, and above all they struggle to get basic medical care.
What I love about Transaid's work and why I urge you all to support it in any way you can is that its not about handouts and direct intervention. Transaid's major work on the ground is about putting in place a supply chain for malaria treatments, that the on the ground community volunteers use to save lives; and they are about proving the means to train drivers to operate safely, connect the economy and prevent unavoidable road deaths.
Find out more about my trip here www.coldchainfederation.org.uk/blog
POLICY DIRECTION
I am delighted to announce that the Cold Chain Federation team has grown with the appointment of a new Policy Director. Tom Southall who joins us from industry engineering consultancy Jacobs, has been working with us for a period of months helping us to update and improve our compliance advice.
From this month he has upgraded to full time employee and will also lead our policy work in crucial areas like energy policy, Brexit and air quality. Please by all means reach out to him via his contact details on the Federation website. Welcome on board Tom!
By Shane Brennan, Chief Executive of the Cold Chain Federation
COLD CHAIN EVENTS IN 2020
In 2019 we made a big change. We launched the Cold Chain Federation. Our mission is to be a strong voice of the cold chain in the UK. It's been a great start with new members, increased engagement and a real sense of momentum. 2020 is a key year for us and I am delighted to offer you the chance to be part of it.
Our 2020 events programme is our most ambitious yet offering a series of must-not-miss opportunities to learn, network and influence the future of our industry.
Our Annual General Meeting and Lunch on the 21st May will be held in the heart of Westminster, a fitting location for a Federation influencing government thinking. Our new look Golf Day, on 8th July, featuring the "Cold Chain Cup", will be held at a spectacular Ryder Cup venue, Celtic Manor.
Energy efficiency and climate change are at the top of the agenda for cold chain businesses and we will be holding an Energy Summit on the 18th June to provide a forum for facility owners to get informed and share your views on how best to address the challenges. The bonus being that this event is co-located with the 2020 TCS&D Awards Dinner.
These great events are just the start, more exciting announcements on our plans for 2020 are coming soon. If you want to know more please get in touch with me direct or talk to the TCS&D team who are supporting the Federation with all our activities next year.
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| Title Annotation: | COLD CHAIN FEDERATION |
|---|---|
| Author: | Brennan, Shane |
| Publication: | Frozen & Chilled Foods |
| Geographic Code: | 4EUUK |
| Date: | Dec 1, 2019 |
| Words: | 1011 |
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