Northern Foods signs Skills Pledge

Northern Foods has become the latest food manufacturer to sign the Skills Pledge, publicly committing to raise the skills levels of the company’s 11,000 employees, in a move welcomed by skills minister David Lammy.

The Skills Pledge is a voluntary commitment by the head of a company to support all its employees in developing their basic skills, including literacy and numeracy, and working towards relevant qualifications to at least Level 2, the equivalent of five good GCSEs.Northern Foods’ chief executive Stefan Barden signed the pledge at a skills reception in the presence of Lammy and Jack Matthews, chief executive of food and drink sector skills council Improve.

Barden said: “Northern Foods has already shown its commitment to higher-level skills with the launch of the Northern Foods Foundation, which provides bursaries to university students who choose food science courses. Signing the Skills Pledge is part of a wider programme aimed at raising skills at all levels.” Bosses at ingredients maker British Bakels, confectioner Elizabeth Shaw, and Foster’s Bakery, have also agreed to sign the Skills Pledge. Like Northern Foods, they have worked closely with Improve, to ensure that they will be able to fulfil the obligations of the pledge.

Matthews said: “These companies have made a public commitment to make skills a priority and I would urge more companies to follow their lead. Half of all workers in food and drink manufacturing are not qualified to level two and a quarter lack basic skills in reading, writing and numeracy.

“This skills deficiency must be redressed. Our forecasts show that although overall employment levels in the sector will fall, the remaining workers will need to be more highly skilled in order to strengthen the sector’s competitive advantage in the global market.”