Areas of work

Our Philosophy

The Federation of Bakers recognises that it can be most effective through collaboration with relevant partners and an efficient use of its resources.  This means that we work with those organisations best placed to make a difference on any particular issue where their position coincides with ours.

For example, UK industry-wide issues; food industry-wide issues, such as nutrition labelling, we would work with the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), Bread and Flour Regulations we would work with the UK Flour Millers. FoB activity is focussed on those issues directly related to the bread industry, either in partnership with others or on our own.

 

Our three key functions:

  1. Representation

The Federation represents the interests of its members to make a real difference to the environment their business operates.

We represent these interests by:

  • building the profile of the Federation of Bakers as a dynamic forward thinking, professional organisation
  • promoting and protecting the role of bakery and its nutritional benefits as one of the nation’s much loved staple food
  • holistic issues management to influence desired change and to defend against the undesired, and to position the large-scale bakery industry in respect of issues with which it is faced.

Recent and past issues we have been dealing with include:

  • Mandatory Fortification of Flour with Folic Acid
  • Salt Reduction in Bread
  • Nutrition Labelling
  • Process Contaminants
  • Food Waste/WRAP
  • Plastic packaging
  • Sustainability and net zero
  • Processed foods

 

  1. Value Added Services

  • The Federation is positioned to work as a collective across its membership to facilitate discussions and activities that would otherwise be prohibited: Health and Safety – the Federation leads the baking industry in the promotion of high standards of health and safety. Our Health and Safety Committee has developed a range of safety guidance notes on equipment, processes and management to make sure the working environment is safe for all of our members’ employees.
  • Statistics – the aggregation of data provided by our members gives them a source of information unobtainable by commercial data providers.
  • Sustainability – it is through working collaboratively with the supply chain that the bakery industry can look to achieve key targets like scope 3 emissions.

 

  1. Interaction

An often overlooked but very important function provided by a trade association is the ability to provide a neutral environment for industry representatives to discuss non-competitive issues affecting the industry.

We have a number of committees that meet regularly to consider all manner of current topics and provide a forum for developing a consensus of opinion to demonstrate a forward thinking and progressive industry to the outside world.  These include our Health and Safety Committee, Sustainability Working Group, and Technical Panel as well as regular meetings of our Board. In addition, ad-hoc Working Groups are formed on specific topics.