AIB outlines five tips for confronting climate change

MANHATTAN, KAN. — Crisis management, asset protection and engaging in capacity building are among the five tips AIB International has identified as key for protecting baking manufacturers from climate change.

Tip one, according to AIB, is to conduct climate change strategy and scenario risk assessments. AIB said baking manufacturers should work with internal stakeholders, suppliers and third-party experts to explore change projections and think of scenarios that may impact their business. They should also pay close attention to factors that could directly impact food safety such as sea-level rise, temperature changes, and the type and frequency of extreme weather events, AIB said.

The second tip is to develop crisis management and continuity plans. Baking manufacturers should explore each of the developed climate change scenarios that could impact food safety operations, worker availability, supply chains and assets, AIB said. The manufacturers should then develop detailed response plans to follow in each scenario, going into detail about how to address various crises such as facility flooding and power outages, AIB said.

AIB pointed to “asset protection” as the third tip in its list. Baking manufacturers should determine which type of climate change could impact their facilities and should then invest in adaptive upgrades that can help their operation withstand the challenges of different climate change scenarios. AIB also recommended that manufacturers consider additional insurance policies that cover damages from different scenarios so that if the damages do occur, they can quickly access funds to make repairs and keep their operations on track.

The fourth tip is to engage suppliers in capacity building. Baking manufacturers should share their knowledge, insights and capabilities with partners to help them improve resilience against extreme weather events and other climate change scenarios, AIB said. Taking action to engage suppliers in capacity building will not only prevent or minimize future disruption but also strengthen partnerships, AIB said.

The final tip suggested by AIB is to stay up to date on climate change food safety challenges. With the scientific community constantly sharing new research on the projected impact of climate change, baking manufacturers should monitor the news to stay informed on the latest developments or leverage third-party experts to develop effective and comprehensive risk mitigation strategies, AIB said.