Areas of Work
Our Philosophy
The Federation of Bakers recognises that it can be most effective through an
efficient use of its resources. This means that we work with those organisations
best placed to make a difference on any particular issue to ensure their
position
coincides with ours but then to let them lobby to achieve the desired change
where appropriate.
For example, UK industry-wide issues, such as employment legislation, we would
work with the CBI; food industry-wide issues, such as nutrition labelling, we
would work with the Food and Drink Federation (FDF). We would reserve to the FoB
activity on those issues directly related to the bread industry, such as bread
basket recovery or flour fortification, either in partnership with others or on
our own.
Similarly we are able to focus our work on our core competencies by outsourcing
much of the administrative management of the Federation to the FDF, such as our
reception, building maintenance, finance and IT.
Our three key functions
Representation
The Federation represents the interests of its members to make a real
difference to their bottom lines. We represent those interests by:
- building the profile of the Federation as a dynamic forward thinking,
professional and excellent organisation
- generically promoting members products through creative PR using the positive
and very powerful nutritional benefits of the nation's staple food
- sophisticated issues management to promote desired change and to defend against
the undesired, and to position the Federation correctly in respect of all
issues
with which it is faced.
Examples of our work can be seen throughout this website. Our PR and
communication work comprises trade activity that sees us regularly featured in the media
with important things to say on issues affecting the food industry, and consumer
activity that communicates the positive aspects of bread. Our focus for this is
British Bread Month each October. We also through the Flour Advisory Bureau to communicate facts about the industry via an excellent educational website
keyed directly to the National Curriculum (www.grainchain.com).
Issues that have occupied us recently include concern about acrylamide; salt;
diet and health, and persistent below cost selling of bread by multiple
retailers.
Value Added Services
There are some very concrete things the Federation can and does provide better
and cheaper than the members themselves:
- Training. Whenever the industry identifies a training need the Federation is
able to deliver a cost effective solution. Most recently we have devised a course
to explain the complex area of bread weights. In the past we have run courses
on
large-scale bread production, as well as a seminar on the dangers of and
solutions to driver tiredness.
- Health and Safety: the Federation leads the baking industry in the promotion of
high standards of health and safety. Our Health and Safety Committee is
continually developing a wide range of safety guidance notes on equipment, processes
and
management to make sure the working environment is safe for all our Members'
employees. Members all operate a contractors passport scheme.
- Statistics: the aggregation of detailed market data provided by our members
gives them a source of information unobtainable by commercial data providers.
Interaction
An often overlooked but very important function provided by trade associations
is the ability to provide a neutral environment for industry representatives to
get together to discuss the issues facing the industry.