Food industry regulations are strict to protect food products as well as the people who transport, make and prepare them. We have learned that regulations can only be effective if they are fully accepted by all employees. They must embed their commitment to food safety in the culture of their company.

Culture is based on fundamental values, which give us a gut feeling about right and wrong. A mature culture of food safety can have a positive impact on a company’s ability to manage food safety risks. It gives employees the confidence to voice concerns and encourages employees to avoid potential dangers in order to avoid negative feedback.

The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI), which last year introduced food safety culture elements into their benchmark guidance document, has determined the maturity of a company’s food safety culture using five dimensions.

  • Vision and mission are the company’s vision and purpose.
  • People – Consider key stakeholders in the company’s governance and communications.
  • Consistency is how well a company aligns its food safety priorities with people technology and resources.
  • Adaptability is a measure of a company’s ability to adapt quickly to change, embrace continuous improvement and implement effective mitigation strategies.
  • Hazards and risk awareness – Determine if employees are aware of food safety hazards as well as their active risk awareness role.

Many organizations can use GFSI’s Food Safety Culture Position Paper to benchmark their performance and find areas that are less mature. These organizations can then develop mitigation steps to address the gaps, and track their performance over time in order to measure their effectiveness in strengthening food safety culture.

Data from the recent Global Food Safety Training Survey (https://www.alchemysystems.com/resources/ebooks-and-research/) indicates 30% of food organizations have executed a food safety culture assessment. Research shows that most food companies are still in the beginning stages of their culture improvement plans, and they fall within the low- to medium maturity range.

Your company’s workplace culture might reflect your maturity in food safety culture. Is your workplace culture open to trust, accountability, and open communication? Chances are that your food safety culture will not be as positive.

Many companies reward employees who have no accidents. Are you able to recognize individuals and teams who achieve food safety goals such as first pass sanitation, reduced GMP non-compliance, and better cost of quality?

It is easy to be focused on operational efficiency and productivity at the expense of food safety. Your employees won’t value food safety compliance if your top leaders don’t communicate regularly about the importance of food security.

Is your company able to provide food safety performance goals and measures for all positions within the organization? If you asked your employees, would they be able to recall when and what topic they were taught?

How trust-worthy is your company? Are you able to trust your employees enough to allow them to stop production lines when they spot a risk to food safety? Are your employees able to trust their managers to react positively to any issue and reward them for being aware of food safety risks?

Do you collect data to identify trends? Many companies collect data to ensure compliance with audits and then file it away. They never use the data for continuous improvement. Are you implementing a change management strategy? We are constantly changing because of shifting customer needs, new regulations, and fluctuating vendor sourcing.

These are the questions you should ask to determine your maturity level. You’ll discover new opportunities to improve your company’s culture, as well as the way you interact with your customers, employees and investors. You’ll strengthen your brand’s defense against costly recalls of food and public lawsuits.

Contrary to regulations, which restrict actions and punish companies for their violations, a food safety culture encourages behavior that helps build and promote best practices in food safety, drives improvements across your organization, and lowers your risk of foodborne illness.