Celebrating Welsh food and drink

specialityfoodmagazine.com 13 THE WELSH GOVERNMENT HAS VOWED THAT IN A WORLD WHERE CLIMATE CHANGE IS BECOMING AN INCREASINGLY PERTINENT ISSUE – IMPACTING WEATHER PATTERNS AND THE ECOLOGY OF THE LAND THE SECTOR RELIES ON – ITS DOMESTIC INDUSTRIES WILL BECOME ONE OF THE MOST SUSTAINABLE IN THE WORLD AND HAS PUT A NUMBER OF STEPS INTO PLACE TO HELP PRODUCERS ON THEIR SUSTAINABILITY JOURNEY minimise disruption to both domestic and international supply chains through diversification and capacity-increasing, plus by considering the climate implications of UK trade agreements. Sustainability support This encourages food and drink businesses to adapt their practices to bemore planet-friendly, but with the suite of support services on offer from Government, businesses are thriving in their sustainability efforts and hitting environmental targets –with benefits to their customers and consumers, who are increasingly searching for sustainable solutions via producers and retailers. Experts have advised that the best course of action is for businesses to embed sustainable practices into their everyday operations rather than considering sustainability goals a separate box to tick – amodel supported by theWelsh Government’s support suite – and by communicating their efforts with consumers and customers, food and drink businesses are demonstrating their positive and proactive attitude towards creating amore sustainable world for us all. As part of its aims to be one of the world’smost sustainable food and drink supply chains, theWelsh Government has formed the Sustainability Cluster to aid businesses in their sustainability journey. Members benefit frommarket insight, access to expertise and innovation, support in achieving B Corp Certification, and showcasing at events alongside Food & DrinkWales. The Carbon Reduction Pilot Scheme assists businesses in cutting down their carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions. Businesses which actively engage with the scheme will be eligible for support, which is transforming froma pilot scheme to a full service from2026. Support is also available via training and self-assessment of the readiness of businesses to adapt to climate changes via the Climate Adaption and ResilienceTraining (CART), and for the increasing number of B Corp certified businesses. Only food and drink businesses that are proactively working to reduce their environmental impact – by having a carbon reduction plan and completing the assessment scheme – are able to apply for funding through government grant schemes. This demonstrates the key role sustainability plays in shaping the future of theWelsh food and drink industry. Importantly, sustainability credentials are playing an increasingly significant role in securing financial support from banks and other financial institutions.