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Net zero cold chain workshop series to launch this autumn

Industry body representing the entire chilled and frozen foods storage and distributions sector is set to launch four weeks of special digital events around the theme of embracing decarbonisation

The Cold Chain Federation will launch a series of online events later this month looking at the vital challenges preventing more efficient supply chain cooling.

‘Cold Chain Live! Towards a Zero Carbon Cold Chain’ will launch on Monday 28 September and run for four weeks with the aim to bring together energy, retail logistics, building management and economic experts in order to better understand how to create a zero carbon industry.

Each week of the programme will have a different theme, with the first session looking specifically at the issue of becoming a net zero carbon industry and how to define these ambitions.

The first day of each week will see the federation supplying blog posts and features on that particular theme. This will be followed by the publication of a related pre-recorded interview each Wednesday.

During each Friday of the Cold Chain Live season, online workshops and discussions will be held to debate each week’s main outcomes and conclusions.

The Cold Chain Federation said that the issue of decarbonisation was a seminal long-term challenge for companies and organisations involved in the storage and distribution of chilled and frozen foods.

Shane Brennan, chief executive of the federation, said that there were concerns this decarbonisation agenda could be forgotten entirely amidst immediate concerns currently facing the industry. These concerns include the unprecedented impacts of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and a continued lack of agreement between the UK and EU over Brexit trade and customs arrangements that are needed to replace the existing arrangement by the end of the year, according to Mr Brennan.

He said, “It would be easy for our industry to lose sight of the major changes in technology, customer demand and regulation that will drive demand and opportunities to decarbonise the cold chain.”

“Government’s net zero emissions law is in place and energy costs will continue to rise. Consumer expectations are changing fast and retailers and manufacturers are responding making bold net zero commitments. Cold chain businesses must start now to educate themselves about the impact this will have on them and make their own plans.”

Mr Brennan argued that a core focus of its work was to help cold chain companies to become zero carbon businesses.

He said, “We are very pleased to be able to revise our events programme and host this virtual Cold Chain Live! series so that we can provide an autumn of expert insight, advice, practical ideas and forums for debate on this crucial topic.”

The full schedule for the programme is as follows:

  • The week commencing 28 September - Defining Net Zero
  • The week commencing 5 October - Changing Demand
  • The week commencing 12 October – The Future of Transport
  • The week commencing 10 October –The Cold Chain Ecosystem

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