EXAMPLES of working practice in York are to be used to help increase UK productivity.

Nestlé UK, which employs just over 1,750 staff at its largest confectionery site in Haxby Road, has today launched "Productivity in Practice" - a series of insights showing links between productivity gains, new technology and sustained improvements.

The report has been produced in light of a renewed focus by the Government on raising the UK's overall productivity, with the findings reflecting important perspectives and case studies from Nestlé on increasing productivity, which can be widely applied across industry.

Nestlé bosses believe the food and drink sector is a great unsung success story in the UK as the industry makes up the largest portion of the manufacturing sector, accounting for almost 16 per cent of total manufacturing turnover and employing around 400,000 people.

The company says the food and drink industry is one of the few sectors to increase its productivity since the financial crisis, which has been achieved by "people embracing new working practices and the high expectations for quality and the importance of continuous skills development".

Dame Fiona Kendrick, chairman and chief executive of Nestlé UK & Ireland said: "I am delighted to share these insights from our experiences on boosting productivity.

"As president of the UK’s largest manufacturing sector and member of the Productivity Leadership Group, I am particularly passionate about this agenda.

"I believe that this a policy challenge where our practical experience as the world’s biggest food company makes us uniquely qualified to contribute.

"Productivity is multi-faceted and affects every part of the business but when it comes to raising productivity, investment in new technology and the skills of our people go hand in hand.

"We recognise that in order for our business to consistently prosper, we succeed by empowering our people to identify improvements and drive efficiency. Nestlé’s people have seen expectations and demands rise, but they know they are in a global race and I am proud of how they have risen to the challenges.

"To keep up the momentum across the UK, the Government and wider food supply chain must work together to become more productive and to rival our competitors on a global stage. This will only happen if we invest more in new technology, in the capability of our managers and in the skills of our people."

Welcoming Nestlé’s Productivity in Practice, Elizabeth Truss MP, Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: "Food and drink is a powerhouse of our economy and the country’s biggest manufacturing sector, greater than cars and aerospace combined.

"We produce more new food products each year than France and Germany combined and it is only right we champion new technology, skills and improvements in the sector to make British food as productive as possible."