The Scottish Wholesale Association has released a guide to help wholesalers prepare for climate change, which highlights the key climate challenges wholesalers face, including extreme weather, supply chain disruptions, and challenges with storage infrastructure – and the adaptation actions they can take to respond.
‘Industry Insights: Climate Change Risks and Adaptation in the Scottish Food & Drink Wholesale Industry’ offers steps to support the workforce, premises, products, supply chain, and the surrounding environment.
Published in partnership with the Adaptation Scotland programme, it also features real examples from businesses showing how they are already adapting and finding opportunities to strengthen their business resilience.
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Ylva Haglund, the SWA’s head of sustainability and communications, said: “Scotland’s food and drink wholesalers play a critical role in ensuring that food is available across the country. This crucial resource provides them with information, guidance, and tools to manage climate risks, implement adaptation strategies, and build resilience.
“We’re thrilled to be working with the Adaptation Scotland programme to support our members to become climate ready – helping to safeguard their businesses and protect access to food in the communities they serve in the process.”
Haglund added: “This new publication is a valuable asset for wholesalers, designed to offer practical, straightforward guidance on steps to take to strengthen wholesale businesses against climate risks, but also seize new growth opportunities.”
Key adaptation actions for wholesalers, Ms Haglund noted, are severe weather planning; flood-resilience measures; heat and humidity management; and building in resilience in the supply chain such as working with suppliers in different regions to reduce risks of running out of stock when disruptions happen.
