At the recent ceda Conference 2026, ceda Director General Adam Mason launched our new strategic development plan; ceda 4.5

The world around us is moving faster than at any point in our lifetimes. AI and Technology are changing how businesses operate. They are changing how projects are designed, delivered and maintained. The expectations of customers are changing. The expectations of employees are changing. Regulation and compliance requirements are changing. The skills we need are changing. And the pace of change is only accelerating.

So that is why we have created ceda 4.5; to prepare and plan for the future, and ensure our Members thrive in the years ahead,

Our evolution is built around four strategic pillars:

• People, Skills & Culture
• Information, Data & Knowledge
• Collaboration, Connection & Community
• Compliance, Competency & Credibility

These four pillars will shape everything that we do over the next four and a half years.

IN ACTION

We have already put some of the people in place, created some of the infrastructure and built some of the solutions…

The appointments of Maria, Ellen and Harry to the Academy Leadership Team continues our development of outstanding young people. The Leadership Team will shortly be engaged in a project, working with our training partners and employers, to build ‘Management-ready’ and ‘Leadership-ready’ training programmes.

The Board appointments of Rebecca, Alice and Ben to the Board puts topics like; sustainability, innovation and collaboration across the supply chain, our future workforce and technical compliance on every Board agenda.

The creation of our Sustainability Working Group, led by two of the sectors leading experts in Alice and Lauren Hunter, already has a number of very focused objectives in line with this development plan, to drive the Industry forward.

In the last couple of weeks we have become an LCL Awards Approved Training Centre so that we can deliver ceda-created technical training to our Members around the country.

Removing barriers and raising compliance standards with the development of The ceda Electrical Standard; a fully accredited electrical training programme for catering engineers.

At the end of last year, we undertook the largest wellbeing survey of our industry. It has given us the data and information to build the solutions and support that the industry has told us it needs.

And the development of an operational performance monitoring system that will; provide Members with a deeper understanding of commercial kitchens and equipment, create additional commercial opportunities and aspire to build the largest data centre in the Industry, is only weeks away.

IN CONCLUSION

When we bring these four pillars together, we believe that we will create something powerful. A united ecosystem with representation and voice from all areas of our industry that want better. Together they create commercial advantage. Together they strengthen the industry. And together they help us prepare for a future where technology and people work together to achieve more than either could achieve alone.

We are looking to find the balance between Artificial Intelligence and Emotional Intelligence. The balance between Commercial Value, Human Value and Social Value. The balance between Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0.

Our next evolution is not about maintaining what we have built.

It is about developing it.

It is about expanding it.

It is about strengthening it.

And it is about ensuring that our industry is ready for what comes next.

The last decade has proved what our community can achieve together. The next four and a half years will show what is possible when we raise our ambitions even higher.

Uniting the industry and building the service, support and solutions that will help our businesses and our people thrive.