Workforce and Skills Group
The Food and Drink Sector Council has six current priorities, one of which is
Workforce and
Skills. Led by Ian Mace (Head of Government Affairs and Policy, Associated
British Foods), the
Workforce and Skills Group is a forum for senior industry and government
representatives to come
together – working across the UK food supply chain – to secure a world-class
workforce of the future.
The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) is the nominated anchor organisation
supporting this
workstream.
The Workforce and Skills Group currently functions through three distinct forums:
- Workforce and Skills Core Group
- Workforce and Skills Core Group
- Workforce and Skills Consultative Group
- Food Strategy Skills Task & Finish Group

Meeting Dates:
Please note that until further notice, all our meetings will be held in a
virtual capacity due
to COVID-19.
Core Group:
Q2 TBC |
TBC |
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Q3 TBC |
TBC |
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Q4 TBC |
TBC |
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Consultative Group:
March/April 2021 |
TBC |
Virtual |
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September/October 2021 |
TBC |
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Food Strategy Skills Task & Finish Group
24 February 2021 |
14:00-15:00 |
Virtual |
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March 2021 – TBC |
TBC |
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April 2021 – TBC |
TBC |
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Vision and Objectives:
FDSC Workforce and Skills Core Group Vision:
To secure an energetic, ambitious and world-class workforce capable of upholding
the UK
Food and Drink Industry's position as world leading producers of safe,
innovative, quality, affordable
and sustainably produced food and drink
- Develop a long-term action plan to deliver a secure supply of highly motivated
labour, at all
skill levels, to help driving productivity gains
- Provide high-level food chain leadership to influence government policy direction
- Provide a coherent voice from the food and drink supply chain to help design
Government
skills policy
- Secure government support to implement key priorities within the plan
Members of the WSG Core Group:
Name |
Company |
Ian Mace |
Associated British Foods – Chair |
Tess Howe |
Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board |
Tamara Hill |
British Retail Consortium |
Sharon Blyfield |
Coca-Cola European Partners |
Ian Smith |
Department for Work and Pensions |
Dena Read |
Education and Skills Funding Agency |
Stuart Comer |
J Sainsbury Plc |
Tom Price |
National Farmers' Union |
Louise Cairns |
National Skills Academy for Food and Drink |
Jill Coyle |
Nestlé |
Angela Coleshill |
Provision Trade Federation |
David Sheen |
UKHospitality |
Sophie Throup |
WM Morrison Supermarkets |
Emma Weston |
University of Nottingham |
Members of the WSG Consultative Group:
The Consultative Group acts as an advisory group to the Core Group and will meet
semi-
annually.
Name |
Company |
Ian Mace |
Associated British Foods – Chair |
Teresa Frith |
Association of Colleges |
Mark Dawe |
Association of Employment and Learning Providers |
Martyn Johnson |
Engineering Construction Industry Training Board |
Chinara Rustamova |
Federation of Small Businesses |
Fiona Miller |
IGD |
Diane Wilford |
Institute for Apprenticeships |
Jon Poole |
Institute for Food Science and Technology (IFST) |
Sandra Kelly |
People 1st |
Gerry McBride |
Skills Development Scotland |
Aimee Higgins |
The Careers and Enterprise Company |
Diana Holland |
Unite |
Val Braybrooks |
University of Lincoln |
Members of the WSG Food Strategy Skills Task & Finish Group:
The members of the Food Strategy Skills Task and Finish Group volunteered to
support the
development of skills policies to feed into the Food Strategy Industry Report,
work that is being led by
the Food Strategy Working Group.
Name |
Company |
Ian Mace |
Associated British Food – Chair |
Tess Howe |
Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board |
Tamara Hill |
British Retail Consortium |
Tom Price |
National Farmers' Union |
Louise Cairns |
National Skills Academy for Food and Drink |
Sue Perkins |
Remit |
Ruth Jennings |
Sainsbury's |
Angela Coleshill |
Provision Trade Federation |
David Sheen |
UKHospitality |
Emma Weston |
University of Nottingham |
Meeting Documents Archive:
2021
WSG Core Group |
15 February 2021 |
Agenda |
Food Strategy T&F Group |
24 February 2021 |
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