SUPPORT TO HELP LOCAL FOOD AND DRINK BUSINESSES TAKE PRACTICAL STEPS TOWARDS NET ZERO

Forth Valley Food and Drink has secured nearly £15K in Rural Forth Valley and Lomond Community Led Local Development funding to help local food and drink businesses take practical steps towards a lower-carbon, more resilient future.

The Supporting Lower Carbon Practices in Forth Valley Food & Drink Businesses project will build on work already undertaken by the network, bringing together local producers, hospitality businesses and sustainability organisations to share ideas, solve problems and celebrate what is already working.

The project comes at a time when businesses across the food and drink sector are facing a combination of pressures: rising energy and supply costs, climate-related disruption and fragmented supply chains.

Lesley Wilkinson from Forth Valley Food and Drink said: “For many local food and drink businesses, sustainability is something they want to address but simply don’t have the time or capacity to tackle on their own. This new project aims to change that by making climate action practical, accessible and relevant to the day-to-day realities of running a food and drink business.”

The funding will support dedicated business engagement, a climate workshop, a local producers directory, case studies and promotional activity, alongside the continued development of the network’s Forth Valley Five campaign.

TURNING CLIMATE CONVERSATIONS INTO ACTION

On Tuesday 19 January the network will a host its Ready, Steady, Climate workshop at Blair Drummond Smiddy, creating an opportunity for businesses to talk openly about their sustainability journey.

Lesley added: “We’re particularly excited about bringing businesses together at Ready, Steady, Climate to have those honest conversations about what’s working, what’s difficult and what we can do better together.

“Rather than lecture businesses what they should be doing, the event will give businesses the chance to share their own experiences; including the successes, the challenges and the things that haven’t quite worked.

“This project is about making climate action practical and achievable; sharing ideas that work, learning from each other and recognising that even small changes can make a real difference.”

Businesses taking part will be encouraged to adopt five practical actions, from sourcing more seasonal and local produce and reducing food waste to introducing plant-forward menu options, cutting single-use packaging, improving energy and water efficiency and encouraging lower-carbon travel.

MAKING SUSTAINABILITY WORK FOR BUSINESS

The project is being delivered in partnership with FEL Scotland’s Forth Valley Climate Action Hub, bringing additional expertise around climate resilience, energy, adaptation and the transition towards net zero.

Businesses involved in the project will have opportunities to access climate leadership training, networking and learning exchanges, as Stephi Stapleton-Barnes from FEL Scotland explained:
“Climate resilience isn’t something any one business has to tackle alone. By connecting, sharing ideas and learning from each other, we can build stronger relationships across our local food and drink communities and find practical ways to respond to the challenges ahead.

“We want to support food and drink businesses in the same way we support local community groups. By sharing useful climate knowledge and resources, and creating opportunities to try out new ideas, learn what works and build on what works well.

“Often, what’s good for the planet makes good business sense too.”

BUILDING A STRONGER LOCAL FOOD ECONOMY

Alongside the practical support, the project will capture and share the stories of participating businesses through case studies, video and social media; creating a positive regional story around the changes already being made across Forth Valley’s food and drink sector.

A new online producers directory will help strengthen connections between local producers and hospitality businesses, making it easier to source locally and helping to keep more money within the local economy.

For further information about the campaign and how to take the Forth Valley Five pledge visit Forth Valley Five.