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Feeding Workforce Life Skills – the next generation

Welcome to episode 3 in the Feeding Workforce Skills podcast series where we are looking at the importance of life skills in the workplace.

Scotland’s food & drink sector thrives on innovation and collaboration.

While technical expertise is essential, the success of businesses increasingly hinges on the “life skills” of your workforce. 

These higher-order skills – such as self-management, social intelligence and innovation – equip employees to navigate a rapidly changing world, adapt to new challenges and drive business growth. You can download the diagram of the 12 higher skills referred to in the podcast here >> https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/media/rbmj1kjm/meta-skills-progression-framework.pdf

In this episode, host Joanna Fraser is in conversation with the high flyers of the future. All under 35 years old, they talk about how they have developed their own life skills and the type of workplace and employer that helps them thrive.

They are: 

1. Eilidh Wynd, commercial executive at Simon Howie
2. Finlay MacDonald, owner of Chocolates of Glenshiel
3. Imogen Sherrit, category manager at Highland Spring

We also get to hear the expert thoughts of Sarah Smith, founder and head coach at lightbulb.coach

You can find out more about life skills at >> https://www.foodeducationscotland.scot/life-skills 

Feeding Workforce Skills - https://www.foodeducationscotland.scot/feeding-workforce-skills - was devised to promote existing support available for food & drink employers in Scotland to recruit, retain and develop their workforce.

Created by the Scotland Food & Drink Partnership’s Skills Advisory Group, it continues to bring together the relevant key information from different sources onto one simple platform

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Exiting Contracts and Handling Suppliers in Distress

In this final episode, Nicola Smith, Simon Jones, Victoria Callicott and Ollie Ward-Jones, from global law firm Squire Patton Boggs, cover strategies for exiting contracts and dealing with supplier insolvency. The hosts discuss termination clauses, risks of incorrect termination, due diligence, contingency plans and red flags for supplier distress. Practical tips and real-life examples are provided to help businesses navigate these challenging situations.

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Feeding Workforce Life Skills – the people people

In episode 2 of the Feeding Workforce Skills podcast series where we are looking at the importance of life skills in the workplace.

Scotland’s food & drink sector thrives on innovation and collaboration.

While technical expertise is essential, the success of businesses increasingly hinges on the “life skills” of your workforce. 

These higher-order skills – such as self-management, social intelligence and innovation – equip employees to navigate a rapidly changing world, adapt to new challenges and drive business growth. You can download the diagram of the 12 higher skills referred to in the podcast here >> https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/media/rbmj1kjm/meta-skills-progression-framework.pdf

In this episode, host Joanna Fraser is in conversation with the people who really understand life skills and the potential they have to empower people and drive the business forward.

They are: 

1. Martyn Beard, site trainer at Associated Seafood
2. Sharon Blyfield, head of early careers & apprenticeships GB at Coca-Cola 
3. Kerry Campbell, co-founder at 8Doors Distillery

You can find out more about life skills at >> https://www.foodeducationscotland.scot/life-skills 

Feeding Workforce Skills - https://www.foodeducationscotland.scot/feeding-workforce-skills - was devised to promote existing support available for food & drink employers in Scotland to recruit, retain and develop their workforce.

Created by the Scotland Food & Drink Partnership’s Skills Advisory Group, it continues to bring together the relevant key information from different sources onto one simple platform.

Send us a text

Navigating Regulatory Compliance Issues: A Case Study of Products Contaminated With Peanuts

This episode focuses on handling regulatory compliance issues, using a case study of peanut contamination in products. Partner Nicola Smith, leads the discussion with Simon Jones, Victoria Callicott and Ollie Ward-Jones, from global law firm Squire Patton Boggs on immediate actions, communication with stakeholders, legal obligations, corrective actions and potential claims for compensation. The importance of legal privilege and practical steps to manage contamination issues are highlighted.

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Feeding Workforce Life Skills – the leaders

In the Feeding Workforce Skills podcast series where we are looking at the importance of life skills in the workplace.

Scotland’s food & drink sector thrives on innovation and collaboration.

While technical expertise is essential, the success of businesses increasingly hinges on the “life skills” of your workforce. 

These higher-order skills – such as self-management, social intelligence and innovation – equip employees to navigate a rapidly changing world, adapt to new challenges and drive business growth. You can download the diagram of the 12 higher skills referred to in the podcast here >> https://www.skillsdevelopmentscotland.co.uk/media/rbmj1kjm/meta-skills-progression-framework.pdf

In this episode, host Joanna Fraser is in conversation with the leaders who have harnessed their own life skills and developed them to inspire others and lead the team.

They are 

1. Lewis McLean, managing director at Macleans Highland Bakery, 
2. Paul Thomson, managing director at JK Thomson Premier Seafood and 
3. Alan Baxter, managing director at Rowan Glen

You can find out more about life skills at >> https://www.foodeducationscotland.scot/life-skills 

Feeding Workforce Skills - https://www.foodeducationscotland.scot/feeding-workforce-skills - was devised to promote existing support available for food & drink employers in Scotland to recruit, retain and develop their workforce.

Created by the Scotland Food & Drink Partnership’s Skills Advisory Group, it continues to bring together the relevant key information from different sources onto one simple platform 

Send us a text

Navigating Daily Challenges in Supply Agreements

Host Nicola Smith and guests Simon Jones, Victoria Callicott and Ollie Ward-Jones, from global law firm Squire Patton Boggs, delve into common day-to-day issues in supply agreements, such as delivery delays, quality discrepancies and communication breakdowns, as well as how these issues should be handled. They emphasise proactive approaches, clear communication channels, detailed contracts and contingency plans to manage these challenges effectively.

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The Recipe for Perfect Contracts

Host Nicola Smith and guests Simon Jones, Victoria Callicott and Ollie Ward-Jones, from global law firm Squire Patton Boggs, discuss the importance of well-crafted contracts for supply chain risk management in the food and drink industry. They cover key elements such as key contractual terms to agree, the importance of audit rights, termination clauses, force majeure and limits of liability to avoid disputes and ensure smooth operations, as well as how a business can best protect its position in the event of a regulatory or insolvency situation.

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Essential steps to take to limit wholesaler price increase impacts for water - and lower costs around trade effluent, in 2025 and beyond

2025 will be a key year to plan and set in motion approaches to limit additional cost challenges from wholesaler price increases for water, from 2025 to 2030.

Craig Hannington from the Food and Drink Federation, FDF, talks to Cherie Guthrie, from the Key Account Management team with Water Plus, with 12 years’ experience in business water. 

Cherie outlines the latest update and insight, along with the real-world strategies businesses can take to help the bottom line and keep unit costs down in production.

Individual prices will vary depending on water usage and location of sites and will appear on water bills from 1st April, 2025.

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Celebrating innovation and reformulation for healthier diets.


Head of Diet and Health at FDF, Amy Glass RNutr, chats to our Reformulation for Health team Joanne Burns and Harriet Heath MSc about a range of innovative product development projects in the food and drink industry.

This podcast was produced by FDF Scotland

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Water can be an untapped opportunity for businesses in the food and drink sector – and exploring it further can power energy and carbon savings. Food and drink manufacturers can gain increased efficiencies and lower costs from looking closer at water use and how they approach effluent.

Where less water needs to be moved at sites, or heated, then there are energy savings and a reduction in carbon emissions too.

Craig Hannington from FDF talks to Cherie Guthrie, a Key Account Manager with Water Plus

Water Plus are the sponsor for the Environmental Leadership category, at the FDF Awards .

https://www.fdf.org.uk/fdf/events-and-meetings/events/events/2024/fdf-awards-2024/