Employers in the food and drink industry will soon be able to boost business performance with the creation of a new qualification for staff.

The food and drink sector skills council, Improve, is currently developing the qualification, which will develop and assess skills linked to improving efficiency at work. It will assess best practice in areas including lean manufacturing, sustainability, team development, company strategy and leadership.

By the end of the month, employers will have the opportunity to have their say on the content of the course when it opens for consultation.

Amanda Clark, standards and qualifications leader at Improve, said: "We are already working with several food manufacturers to ensure we come up with a qualification that is tailored to meet the specific needs of the food industry.

"We want this qualification to reflect what employers know works best within the industry, so we are keen to hear as many views and opinions as possible."

The qualification will be accredited as part of the Qualification and Credits Framework (QCF) and will be part of a new range of food and drink proficiency qualifications designed to address skills and training needs of employers.