FEDACOVA, together with the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, S3C Triple Impacto, ÉTICA sostenibilidad, and KIWA Spain, as well as with the industries Bodegas Vicente Gandia, Patatas Aguilar and Productos Congelados Selectos 3000, held the training event ‘SUSTAINABILITY IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY – WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW?’ on Tuesday 7th May.
Sergio Barona, Secretary General of FEDACOVA, in his welcome to the conference, highlighted the importance of sustainability in the agri-food chain not only as a differentiation from the competition but also as an obligation to the planet, society and consumers.
Eva Núñez, founder of S3C Triple Impacto, indicated the challenges faced by the food industry, such as the applicable regulations and requirements in terms of food quality and safety or those related to sustainability. Assessing how important it is to establish criteria and control methods, as well as deciding which certification is best suited to our company.
Sabrina Femenia, Managing Director of ÉTICA Sostenibilidad, explained the 7 trends in corporate sustainability today as well as the keys to the corporate sustainability agenda, focusing on 2024 in the case of food and beverages. He reported on the EC monitoring of the use of environmental claims and listed those actions that are already underway as well as those that are planned, both at European and national level.
David Torres, Project Development Manager at KIWA, explained how certifications are a way of adding value to the company as a positive reinforcement of the brand, transferring confidence to customers. He defined the types of consumer behaviour, as well as the factors that influence this behaviour, including sustainability criteria. Finally, she clarified what a Sustainability Assessment based on the SDGs consists of.
In the closing session, Laia Esteve, Quality and Sustainability Manager of BODEGAS VICENTE GANDÍA; José Vicente Doria, Quality and Environment Manager of PATATAS AGUILAR, and Irene López, Quality Control and Environment Manager of PRODUCTOS CONGELADOS SELECTOS 3000, explained, in a very enriching round table, how customers are evaluating taking into account sustainability criteria, what type of certifications they have opted for depending on their type of company or what actions they are carrying out taking into account sustainability aspects.
