A Practical Guide to Food Safety Culture Implementation

The importance of developing a food safety culture:

• How can you meet audit requirements and regulatory expectations?
• How can you ensure every employee is committed to practicing the right behaviors all the time?

Earlier we looked at a wide range of suggestions specific to each dimension maturity. Here we provide a more focused list of 10 “must haves” to comply with food safety culture requirements. Each of the following components should be addressed.

Food Safety and Quality Policy Statement:

Ensure this written policy includes statements related to:

• Senior management commitment to produce safe and high-quality products
• Management commitment to provide the staffing and resources necessary to ensure the production of safe and quality products
• Staff is informed and held accountable for their food safety and regulatory responsibilities
• Staff is positively encouraged and required to notify management of actual or potential food safety issues
• Staff is empowered to act to resolve food safety issues within their scope of work

The Food Safety and Quality Policy Statement must be displayed in prominent areas for employees and visitors to see. It must also be communicated to all employees in documented training sessions and with new employees during orientation.

Food Safety Objectives and Performance Measures:

Food safety objectives must be formally defined and documented. Companies should define at least five to ten formal objectives. Once defined, performance measures must be established. Companies should monitor performance monthly or at least quarterly. Results should be shared and discussed in documented management reviews as inputs to the process.

Objectives can be defined around the topics of recall avoidance, external and internal audit results, customer complaints, Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) compliance, microbiological specification compliance, regulatory compliance, training completion, employee turnover, absenteeism rates, and other metrics.

Food Safety Culture Program:

Not all standards require a documented procedure. However, it is a best practice to document elements of your food safety culture. This written program can summarize elements such as Vision-Mission-Values, Food Safety and Quality Policy Statement, Food Safety Objectives and Performance Measures, Employee Training and Communications, Employee Engagement and Feedback Methods. It can also include specific statements or procedures related to each of the five disciplines of food safety culture, as well as procedures for culture surveys or assessments.

Sufficient Staffing:

A company’s organisational chart must demonstrate sufficient staffing to ensure food safety for QA, Sanitation, Maintenance and other departments as needed. Staffing must be adequate on each production shift as well. Designate individuals directly and indirectly responsible for food safety. Job descriptions for every position in the company should include statements to meet food safety and quality requirements, along with requirements at the facility.

Resource Summary:

Create a document that lists capital expenditures related to food safety and quality, staffing expense, training time allocation, and other resources to demonstrate sufficient resources have been provided to assure food safety and quality.

Expand Policy Statement Training Programs:

Communicate policy and food safety culture principles to new and existing employees on a regular basis. Consistently reinforce food safety culture messaging for ongoing awareness. Document all of this communication.

Reinforce Food Safety Principles Continuously:

Develop ongoing food safety communications that reach all employees. Annual refreshers are not enough. Communications should be on a routine basis to continuously reinforce food safety expectations and the importance of food safety to the company.

Provide Systems for Two-Way Communications:

Create methods for employees to notify management of food safety issues anonymously or by name via standard forms, suggestion boxes, apps, or other methods. Companies should keep a summary log of all information received and review it during monthly management meetings.

Promote Reporting of Potential Food Safety Risks:

Companies should establish an employee recognition program that encourages employees to identify food safety concerns. Adopt a similar approach to “near misses” reporting widely practiced in Environmental, Health, and Safety. This reporting process needs to include documented actions taken by supporting team/management on the concerns brought forth by employees. Supervisors should positively recognise employees who report food safety risks, and should never punish employees who report food safety risks, even if it causes lost product or time. Employees should help and encourage fellow employees to practice safe food handling practices, without waiting on management recognition. 

Regular Meetings:

Conduct regular meetings to communicate the company’s food safety objectives and the results of performance measures to all employees to keep everyone informed and engaged.

Completion of the activities identified above will promote food safety culture throughout an organization and provide ample evidence to meet auditor expectations.

Food Safety Culture Assessment:

Another method to build an even more robust food safety culture is to use formal assessments or surveys to measure food safety culture within a facility. While these are not required for audit standards or regulations, they are certainly considered a best practice to evaluate a food safety culture system and identify areas needing attention.

There are several food safety culture assessment tools on the market to facilitate this process. Some companies may opt to create their own survey with quantified responses. Alternatively, a company can engage an external food safety consultant to develop and conduct the survey. Whatever method you choose, it is wise to administer these assessments at all levels of the organization. Results for each group should be measured separately to assess consistency throughout the organisation.

These assessments provide a great way to quantify food safety culture. It is recommended to repeat this process at least annually or bi-annually to create a baseline and identify continuous improvement or opportunities. This process can help document the increasing maturity of your food safety culture over periods of time.

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