The FCSI Worldwide Conference to be held in Beijing, China, October 16 – 18, 2008, has been designed to present the global impact of sustainability. Sustainability in food service touches design, ingredient supply, human resources, equipment, and operations.
Business-as-was-usual will no longer be viable for suppliers, manufacturers, operators, or consultants if they wish to remain healthy components of our industry. The impact of diverse cultures, economies, values, and innovations increasingly make a dynamic impact on even our local strategies. Old paradigms are crumbling; new ways of being are emerging, both of necessity and inspiration.
OUR FOOD: SUPPLY, DELIVERY, AND SAFETY
Issues of ingredient sourcing, handling, and preparation in combination with health contributions and nutritional density are exponentially changing the way we prepare the plate we serve. How and where is it grown? Is there adequate supply to support the local population without violating the local environment? How do we simultaneously offer variety and quality while reducing food miles? Can the rigors of organic farming create sufficient supply to meet the growing demands for these types of foods? What about the health and safety of our food supply as sourcing moves beyond local borders? And, perhaps most importantly, how do manufacturers, distributors, operators, and consultants partner to create unique and necessary solutions? It is one thing to ask the questions. It is incumbent on all of us to answer them. And then implement them.
DESIGN AND EQUIPMENT: THEIR CONTRIBUTION
As conscientious global citizens, our role is to continually discover new ways of designing facilities that support responsible energy consumption; minimally impactful waste disposal; and ease of use that helps sustain another precious resource: human beings. Food service operations – some of the biggest consumers of utilities and natural resources world-wide – stand poised to make a palpable impact on responsible energy conservation. Coupled with the insights and innovations of equipment manufacturers, we can push our clients’ operations toward higher levels of social responsibility while concurrently helping them achieve better profitability.
PEOPLE AND SERVICE: WHO WILL THEY BE AND WHAT WILL THEY DO?
As well as being an industry who consumes a vast amount of energy, natural resources, and products, food service globally employs more human resources than any other industry. Who will these employees be in the future as cultural migration increases? What are the cultural values that will be incorporated into the work place thus shifting those of the host? How will this impact our processes for recruiting, training, and retaining employees? Considerably – of that we can be certain.
Simultaneously, technological advances are causing lifestyle shifts, all of which influence what the notion of “service” may mean in the future. Will robotics replace people? Self-inputting at order kiosks or at table-located computers might eliminate the human factor, or greatly reduce it. What will that mean economically to our countries of origin – and their inhabitants who rely on this industry for a living? All of these scenarios will, then, have an impact on the very soul of hospitality. What is food service without the direct human factor? What ideas that might have sounded like madness as little as 15 – 20 years ago now have the ring of high probability. Some are happening as we speak.
WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH US?
It is within our scope as educators, manufacturers, operators, and consultants to be bold forward-thinkers and solution makers of this brave, and challenging, new foodservice world. Our charge is to create a common vision on solutions, then take them from ideas-to-implementation. As we consume, we must also find ways to replenish, sustain, and improve our products, processes and services on behalf of our much-needed industry; thus sustaining our profession and our planet.
For the first time in FCSI WW conference, members from across the globe will be able to share their “Best Practices” in a “Poster Session”. Please check poster submissions on the website.
The conference also offers social events and optional sight seeing programme promising to take you on a cultural expedition and culinary experience as well as the sights and scenes of the new Olympic arenas in Beijing.
This is also the first Carbon Neutral Conference being held by FCSI, showing our commitment to Environmental Sustainability.
Various on-line registration tour packages will be available for those who wish to extend their stay in China.
Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the Conference Planning team, we can look forward to seeing the ancient capital city of Beijing and meeting our fellow members from all around the World to share our experiences and enjoy what promises to be an outstanding event.
See you in Beijing