SQF Edition 10 & Food Safety Culture

Edition 10 of the Safe Quality Food (SQF) code is just weeks away from being published and already we are hearing about one major change and that is a stronger focus on food safety culture. In Edition 9, section 2.1.1.2 states that senior site management “shall lead and support a food safety culture within the site” that addresses establishing and communicating food safety objectives and performance measures, providing adequate resources to support those objectives, holding employees accountable but also encouraging them to report food safety issues and empowering them to resolve those issues. While the wording sounds good, implementation can be a bit vague.

Edition 10 takes it a step further and requires the development of a Food Safety Culture Assessment Plan and specified elements. The requirements of this plan include implementation of documented and implemented communication strategies, training programs, feedback loops, and evaluation systems. Auditors may also conduct interviews with employees to get their feelings about the company’s food safety culture.

So, will this make a difference?

While I look forward to seeing these SQF food safety culture elements implemented at food companies, I have reservations on whether or not things will really change. Maybe I am just a negative person, but I have seen too many instances of retribution or negative feedback for employees reporting issues or trying to fix them, a management focus on throughput before safety (food or human), and leadership forcing “shortcuts” to save time and/or money. Unless senior management’s toes are held to the fire for not supporting food safety (i.e., reduction in SQF score), I do not see anything changing. And when I say, “senior management,” I am really going back to the C-suite…that is where the buck stops.

I hope this new Edition 10 will help change the culture within food companies. Will companies find “workarounds” or figure out ways to hide the reality of their culture? Probably – especially in a tough economy where margins are shrinking and the pressure is on to produce more product. Will auditors be provided the time to dive into the company’s culture and consistently work to “peel back the layers,” calling out companies when there is evidence of gaps? I certainly hope so, though there are a lot of elements to review during an SQF audit and food safety culture evaluation may not get the time and attention it needs.

I will attempt to stay positive. I am at least happy we are talking about these issues in the open and acknowledging the impacts on food operations. Ultimately, a company with a strong food safety culture will be a company with a strong food safety record. Plain and simple. Food safety is driven from the top down AND the bottom up. Any break in that loop is what destroys a company’s ability to support food safety.