The second annual GCCA African Cold Chain Conference was held on 2-4 August in Cape Town . Chairman of the GCCA African Advisory Council , Paul Gibbons , and CEO of CCH Commercial Cold Holdings , introduced the proceedings .
ASSOCIATIONS
The GCCA Cold Chain council chair addresses conference Written by Eamonn Ryan
The second annual GCCA African Cold Chain Conference was held on 2-4 August in Cape Town . Chairman of the GCCA African Advisory Council , Paul Gibbons , and CEO of CCH Commercial Cold Holdings , introduced the proceedings .
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I ’ m glad to have this opportunity for our industry to get together and discuss common challenges and solutions . I think this is a valuable way to network and learn from each other .
“ A little bit about myself : I ’ ve been in cold chain for many years , and I have a passion for it . I think the role we play in food safety , food security and infrastructure development is very important and rewarding .
“ The GCCA Africa Advisory Council has been working hard to support the cold chain sector in Africa . Some of the challenges that we face as an industry in Africa are : reliability of electricity and water supply , skilled workforce development , outsourcing awareness , food safety and compliance standards , health and safety practices , security issues and lack of infrastructure . To address these challenges , we have established some key committees that will help us navigate them ,” said Gibbons .
“ Another topic that I want to talk about is the impact of load shedding on food safety in the country . We have been engaging with the Department of Health and the Department of Agriculture on this issue , and I think these forums are a great way to interact with government and influence policy . They are working on a register with certification requirements for storing different food categories , and we are helping to raise the level of food safety compliance in the sector . As a committee , we also share best practices , challenges and solutions among ourselves .
He noted that one of the committees that had been created is the Risk Management Committee , which reviews articles related to risk management in cold storage facilities at all levels of operations . “ The goal is to improve performance and minimise risks for our members and the industry as a whole .
The GCCA Africa hosted a General Risk and Insurance seminar this year , with the objective of sharing information , addressing topical issues , highlighting current trends and outlooks for the future . The risk management committee , led by Andrew Perks , also finalised a process management manual , which was published earlier this year and is available through GCCA resources . The committee is now working on a register of best practices for trading in refrigerated warehouses . I want to thank the committee for their excellent work .
“ Some of the strategic priorities that we have as the GCCA Africa Advisory Council are industry promotion , ESG and advocacy . We want to raise awareness of what our industry does and what role it plays in food safety in South Africa and Africa . We want to be responsible and sustainable in our operations , especially when it comes to issues like load shedding and reducing
© Eamonn Ryan | Cold Link Africa our energy demand . We want to advocate for our industry ’ s interests and needs with relevant stakeholders and authorities ,” said Gibbons . CLA
Chairman of the GCCA African Advisory Council , Paul Gibbons .
10 www . coldlinkafrica . co . za COLD LINK AFRICA • October 2023