Food
January 4, 2021
An Urgent Need for Change in the Food Industry
Leaders in the food industry have been looking forward and planning for 2021 in order to adapt to new changes—not just ones brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic—and implement new processes to meet upcoming trends. Something on a lot of people’s minds, both those leading and working in the food industry and consumers as a whole, is sustainability. As time goes on, consumers are becoming more aware of ow their choices affect their surroundings and the environment as a whole, and over a third of consumers make active efforts to purchase items that have been created through sustainable methods and sustainability in mind.
Companies are hearing the consumers’ demands, and they have been following suit and pursuing more sustainable methods of production for some time. Their initiatives are not solely focused on the end product, however. Companies are finding that sustainability is important in how they source their materials and in how they operate on a daily basis. Whether it is by finding new ways to utilize renewable materials reduce landfill waste or by finding healthier products to give food sources to provide more ecofriendly end results, these companies are in pursuit of practices that help the environment, often taking to innovative measures that ultimately help the environment in more ways than one. Transparency is also a key concern, for consumers often are interested in knowing countries of origin, complete ingredients, and information on the producing company to understand its practices.
Currently, the food industry is on track to cause significant damage to ecosystems, and many animals are expected to lose their natural habitats if the course is not altered. A study by Nature Sustainability shows that widespread ecological damage is expected unless modifications are made to what people eat and how it is produced. Expanding where agricultural work is completed can help, stopping the overuse of certain natural resources. But, finding ways to limit food loss and waste is also important in protecting the environment and reversing the destructive path that the industry seemingly has set off on.
As with any issue, there are aspects of it that are beyond your control, but it is important to make changes where you can to make a positive contribution towards successful change. Taking sustainability into mind when planning activity and operations at your company’s food or beverage facility is a step towards protecting the environment in more ways than one. EquipNet’s Sustainability Initiative offers a number of Surplus Asset Management programs that can help drive sustainability both in your facilities and beyond. There is a severe negative impact that mismanaged surplus assets can have on both small and larger scales, so by finding the right program for your facility, you can help positively contribute to a drive to promote and push sustainable practices.
Often, facilities have idle assets that are no longer of use, but the equipment is still usable and in good shape. Through one of our asset management solutions, you can redeploy these assets to other facilities within your company that could use the equipment, you can sell it and make some extra cash, or you can submit it for our recycling program. Should you choose our recycling service, you can rest assured that all asset disposal processes comply with state and federal regulations, and all recycling services comply with local and federal EPA regulations. Through our efforts, we have diverted almost 200,000 tons from landfills so far. On the reverse side of it, if you are looking for a piece of equipment, purchasing it from the used equipment market is a safe and easy way to know you are getting a quality piece of equipment at a lower price than buying new. While this is great from a budgetary standpoint, you can also know that your purchase puts a stop to the need to manufacture another version of the same piece of equipment, preventing a waste of resources, and extending the life of the original asset, diverting waste from landfills. Any step, big or small, can make a positive contribution to protecting the environment while promoting sustainability to a more widespread reach.
Sources
https://www.newhope.com/market-data-and-analysis/5-global-trends-will-shape-food-industry-2021
Categorias: Food
Tags: asset management asset redeployment food food industry food sustainability sustainability,
