Food at the Heart of Culture Core Themes and Supporters

Fuelling Productivity Campaign

Food at the Heart of Culture

In 2018 EP launched a campaign to showcase why the foodservice sector should no longer be viewed as a commodity but that instead it plays a pivotal role in business and in daily life. Great food and service has a positive impact on health and wellbeing. 

The campaign developed from a series of think tank sessions where it was argued that a new voice and narrative is needed to showcase this impact. At the same time businesses are asking pressing question on how to increase productivity, reduce stress and anxiety levels, improve employee welfare and informal communications. So therefore, this campaign is about bringing operators and clients together to discuss and debate the importance of food and the industry and work together to create real change.

Why now? The stats paint a picture:

Business today, rightly or wrongly, faces a number of daily issues that food service can play a role in influencing:

• The average employee today takes 5.7 days off sick per year
• In theory the average UK employee takes 5 days to do what the employee in Germany or USA will do in 4 days. The argument is that the average UK professional is physically and mentally tired and needs great restaurant areas which encourage social dialogue and relaxation
• The average lunch break is 27 minutes, of which 13 minutes is spent on mobile devices
• The average executive today is 30% more strained, more mentally and physically than 20 years ago
• Only 8% of employees are enthused about their workplaces
• 1:4 people will suffer from mental illness in their careers. 1:3 at any one time. 1:10 suffer from depression
• It is argued that senior directors today need to reduce their workloads by 40% in order to remain fresh and be able to make good decisions

If food and service can play a role in supporting these objectives, then research will support the fact that the increased productivity and comms is worth more than the savings created by many of the old arguments for cost reduction, and focused audits.

Core Campaign Themes:

Simple principle:

• Great food and good spaces =
• Bring people together effectively =
• Healthier diets and eating =
• Great communications, problem solving, more refreshed customers, greater retention and productivity

• Changing the mindset to one where food can play a more central and important role than it ever has done so before
• Companies are developing strategies on how to help their employees be healthier and more productive. Foodservice needs to be part of this conversation and action
• Thinking bigger and differently and working together to implement good change
• To place people first, make them feel more valued, improve revenues and create new service levels
• To understand the change taking place by bringing experts into the conversation; whether design, diet, customer, disrupting changes
• Raise the profile, professional reputation and influence that the food service sector plays in the wider UK economy
• Create a new voice and understanding for the sector that can make a difference

Actions:

• Regular Think Tanks which discuss and debate the topic and how to achieve greater awareness and therefore action
• Ongoing PR campaign which showcases the campaign and developments
• Hold events, such as the conference below, which profiles the campaign aims
• Sports Endorsement: work closely with the sporting world to help build storylines

In 2019 a half-day conference is being held on the 16th May from 08:00 to 15:00 which will explore the topics in detail. The conference, taking place at international lawyers Bird & Bird is for 200 attendance and includes presentations, insights, discussion and debate on core topics, the overall aim is to showcase just how food is the true relax and reward of the day and can make a difference.

Campaign Supporters: