Copyright © Global Coalition for Sustained Excellence in Food & Health Protection, 2011 and ALL subsequent years: Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s authors and/or owners is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Global Coalition for Sustained Excellence in Food & Health Protection with appropriate and specific reference and/or link to the original content.

Saturday, 29 December 2012

Product Safety Auditing – The Robot and the Thinker

Marks of confidence or insecurity that can be shown by a food safety and quality auditor or inspector are demonstrated in these robot and thinker comparisons:

Robot – more likely to be on a  power trip with a "know-it-all" and "I have the final say" attitude.
Thinker – understands and respects the knowledge of audited parties and their input.

Robot - thinks that the audit checklist or "standard" dictates the standard of compliance.
Thinker - knows that the consumer dictates the standard of compliance.

Robot - only looks at getting all of the questions on the audit checklist or "standard" covered during the audit.
Thinker - considers the actual consumer protection outcome of the audit.

Robot - simply goes by the letter of the law according to the "standard" and leaves the risk assessment to the audited party.
Thinker - does actual risk assessment of all observations to arrive at the reported audit judgment.

Robot - sees any observation that the audit checklist does not cover as irrelevant and insignificant.
Thinker – explains the significance of, and/or risks associated with, observations that the audit checklist may not have covered (although these may not appear in the report produced with the checklist used).

Robot – accepts every documented proof (even if it is pseudo-evidence) as the objective evidence.
Thinker – challenges the documented evidence through reality checks to assess the validity of the evidence.

Robot – sees an audit “pass” as proof that the audited party’s product safety system is effective.
Thinker – understands that the effectiveness of the audited party’s product safety system depends on the audited party’s consistency in maintaining effective procedures and valid control measures prior to and after audits.

Robot – counts the number of completed audits as the measure of successful involvement and experience in auditing.
Thinker – looks at real improvements to the safety of products that are delivered to consumers as the measure of successful involvement and experience in auditing.

Robot – conducts temper tantrum audits: (A temper tantrum auditor points to the checklist requirement and says: "it says so right here" without understanding the rationale behind the stated requirement). 
Thinker – assesses findings on the bases of the rationale behind stated requirements on the audit checklist.

Which of these types of auditors or inspectors demonstrate confidence and which demonstrate insecurity? Although they can, if they recognize the insecurity, should audited company representatives take advantage of insecure auditors or inspectors? Many do.
Posted by Felix Amiri
___________________________________________________________
Felix Amiri is currently the chair of GCSE-Food & Health Protection, and a sworn SSQA advocate.

Wednesday, 26 December 2012

From the Chair to All Members and Prospective Members

If you have recently joined this group, I wish to extend a personal welcome to you. If you are yet to join, it only takes a small step with no pressing obligations afterwards and . . . membership is free.

For all of you veteran members, it is only getting better. Please continue to participate to the degree that you are able to contribute and  #inspirefoodsafety. This is a member driven and member led coalition that encourages the industry at large to maintain excellence in protecting the safety and satisfaction of food and health product consumers - we are the consumers. 

There may be doubters outside of the group who are predicting a huge failure for the coalition. The problem with such predictions is the underestimation of what determined individuals are capable of accomplishing.

GCSE-Food & Health Protection is a coalition of well-meaning individuals who are determined to act beyond merely recognizing the need to act. 

The great thing is that members are not pressured or burdened with any compulsion to do things. The actions expected of members are also not excessively demanding with respect to the members’ time, etc. Actions are self-driven and completely voluntary. At the same time, these actions collectively constitute a directed and potent force that will be felt throughout the industry worldwide in due course. Such actions as a member inviting friends and colleagues to join the coalition may appear insignificant to some people. They are by no means insignificant.


There are more opportunities for practical action provided by the coalition. A list of such opportunities is provided here: “Beyond the Rhetoric”.

Please invite others to join the coalition and we look forward to your continuing participation.



Sincerely,

Felix Amiri
Chair, GCSE-Food & Health Protection
http://www.afisservices.com/gcse-fhp/index.html

Wednesday, 5 December 2012

SSQA and the Pareto Principle

When will your new day begin?

If 80 % of managers were to adopt the SSQA (Safety, Security Quality Assurance) model right from the start, that would be a strange phenomenon. It would be great but unusual. The Pareto Principle is expected to play out as usual. It will be the 20% of managers who show most of the professional drive who will initially venture into SSQA, and never look back. The remaining 80% will continue to wonder how the 20% are able to do things better. They will only wonder and do nothing or continue the chase around the usual path of fire-fighting futility. 

The safety, security and quality assurance (SSQA) model holds much promise for forward-looking managers. It has cost reduction as well as efficiency and effectiveness maximizing components.

80% of managers are expected to continue the chase around the usual cycle of futile efforts. They will continue to only reactively put out fires without addressing the root-causes. Only the proactive 20% of managers who dare can expect to stay ahead of the game and maintain sustained progress in the assurance of product safety and quality.

SSQA has defined expectations and provides strategies for success. The same things are done today but mostly the wrong way with confused expectations. SSQA holds much promise but only to those who will dare. There is actually nothing to lose. 

Don't  know much about SSQA? Have no worries!
To receive updates about GCSE-FHP SSQA, you may Join the SSQA Development (SSQA-D) Community   – "the SQUAD"

Better still you are welcome to board the Live Events Bus:


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Saturday, 17 November 2012

Marks of a Value-Added Audit System:

What a value-added audit system is, has or does

  It is a deliberate, systematic and recurring assessment mandate and process  that is willingly executed and sufficiently funded by the party requiring it;

  It generates and sustains an atmosphere of trust, friendly collaboration among all parties that stand to gain from its outcomes;

  It is reality-based and therefore unique for every operation since each operation (even with products similar to other operations) has unique situations, circumstances, provisions, opportunities, resourcefulness, work-force, location, etcetera;

  It employs individuals with relevant knowledge, positions, expertise and experience;

  It is conducted by persons who (by employment or contract) are treated and function as part of the audited party’s team;

  It is inherently objective and auditors' biases cannot and do not affect its outcome;  

  It completely and realistically identifies potential risks and opportunities and drives continuous improvement;

  It is outcome-based with inherent flexibility to accept solutions that may fall outside of the scope (i.e. outside of the "prescribed rule)   but are effective in leading to (at least) the same desired outcome if not better;

  It realistically identifies strengths and weaknesses in the operation for the purpose of capitalizing on what is beneficial while improving areas of weaknesses;

  It is efficiently implemented with the benefits derived outpacing the resources invested;

  It is self-evaluating and helps with the expedient elimination of redundant elements in the assessment process itself.

  It  examines all related engagements of the operation such that unnecessary use of resources and unproductive activities are promptly discontinued;

  It provides unmistakable and measurable success pertaining to what it is both designed and intended to address;

  It streamlines documentation requirements and eliminates excessive paperwork burden;

What a value-added audit system is not, does not have or does not do

  It is not mandated or dictated by parties that do not fund its execution and are external (or viewed as outsiders) to the audited party;

  It does not generate or sustain an atmosphere of distrust, uneasiness or animosity between the auditors and the audited parties;

  It is not subject to requiring extrinsic controls against auditors' biases;

  It does not employ persons or agencies with financial interests that compete against or overshadow the intent to efficiently and effectively accomplish its primary purpose;

  It does not have punitive measures (e.g. penalties, fines, withdrawn business or career opportunities, or similar punitive consequences)  which are imposed by outside parties in ways  that encourage the audited parties to hide things from auditors;

  It is not constrained by cost considerations in ways that restrict sufficient time allowance for thorough investigation of risks and issues;

  It does not constrain auditors to pre-determined sets of requirements with meaningless protocols that force auditors to abandon conventional wisdom;

  It is not prescriptive and executed in a way that invariably enforces the examination of the same things from year to year, thereby focusing attention on things that are not of concern while preventing sufficient examination of things that could actually cause problems at the audited facilities;

  It is not a one-size-fits-all audit to the extent that every facility producing the same type of product anywhere is audited with the same pre-determined checklist/standard;

  It is not encumbered by administrative requirements that are mandated and managed at remote locations by persons who are not privy to the realities at the audited party’s location;

  It does not lead to conclusions that project a false sense of satisfaction in any form whether these are unsubstantiated claims, slogans, insignia or certificates;

You should take a close look at your current audit systems (internal or external) individually. How many of these elements apply to each? This shows its value-added rating.

Related workshop presentations are planned for the Toronto SSQA Conference :.


Saturday, 10 November 2012

SSQA Conference Notice



Future dates are under consideration for SSQA conferences. In order to encourage participants to register, attendance fees will not be charged. Donated Funds will be used instead to cover the venue and other costs. The planning committee is requesting voluntary contributions to support future conferences and other GCSE-Food & Health Protection initiatives.

We understand that this is a trusting community approach that allows members and supporters to contribute only as much as they are able to afford for the mutual benefit of all who support this cause - a good cause.

Anyone or any company may donate to support the conferences and any other GCSE-Food & Health Protection initiatives. 

You may make your donations at: Donations

Thank you for your interest and support.
Posted by The GCSE-Food & Health Protection Team

Saturday, 6 October 2012

Overcoming any Hesitation to Join the GCSE-Food & Health Protection Community

Even where only a simple step is required, 
great opportunities have been lost 
 to hesitation or reluctance. 
It is possible that you have not joined the GCSE- Food & Health Protection community because you have these questions:

What is it about and what is it offering?
You can find out more about what the GCSE-Food & Health Protection coalition is about and what it is offering by visiting the website – start here: http://www.afisservices.com/gcse-fhp/gcseindex1.html and visit the GCSE-FHP blog posts here: http://gcse-food-health-protection.blogspot.ca/



Is there a fee for joining? No, membership is free.

Is the coalition worthwhile?
The need for change in the protection of food and health product consumers is self-evident in the current experiences of consumers. The GCSE-FHP coalition proposes reasonable and profitable changes to existing systems and approaches. Given what is happening to consumers and the industry today, the coalition is definitely worthwhile and necessary.
Will joining the coalition jeopardize the status quo for me?
Wherever the maintenance of the status quo is beneficial, GCSE-FHP fully supports and advocates a commitment to what is done. However, current experiences show the need to break free from some existing situations that are detrimental. You may be interested in reading this Linked-In discussion: "The Cost of Doing Business" posted by Bruce Becker. It points to what Albert Einstein once said: "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results".

Please add your voice: Coalition Membership is free.

You may also join the Linked-In discussions at: GCSEFood-Health-Protection-Linked-In Group


Saturday, 29 September 2012

An Unbelievable Offer from AFISS to the Toronto Conference Participants:

Every participant at the Toronto conference SSQA Training/Workshop will receive a copy of the AFISS Document Management system to freely use for at least one full year. The system allows the user to easily find and retrieve documents, especially during audits. A brief overview of the system that outlines the features and capabilities is provided via this link: http://www.afisservices.com/AFISS-DMS-Overview.pdf

Friday, 14 September 2012

Dawning of a New Era in the Assurance of Consumer Protection and Satisfaction

First published on September 14, 2012, Updated July 11, 2018

Consumer Safety Assurance - Not a Matter of 
Hunger Games Entertainment


Today, many food and health product companies are running frantic with nagging problems. Food fraud, the E. coli enigma, Listeria hysteria, allergen contamination explosions, heinously hidden failures, et cetera. These are not the only problems and they are not a mere play on words. The consumer is at great risk.

BETTER IS POSSIBLE, THEREFORE YOU CAN DEMAND BETTER.


While the industry is obsessed with money-making exploits and distracted by superficial compliance, with battle lines drawn where they should not be, colonies of invisible microorganisms are winning too many battles. As many industry players continue to shoot at compliance shadows, mutating pathogens are expanding their assault through the ecological and food system - Salem News: Mutated pathogens are on the Rise.
The industry can no longer afford to play “compliance” cat and mouse games while being tormented by mere microorganisms and pharmaceutical failures. Businesses must stand against all forms of intimidation, avoid hasty knee-jerk reactions and show a true commitment to protecting the consumer.

We must win this war, but not in the comfort of boardrooms or through rummaging in filing cabinets full of paperwork, but on the front lines (the production floor, the scientific laboratories, and on the technological advancement work benches) where we must battle the real enemies.
The SSQA-D
The industry must avoid reactions that lead only to mindless activities. Continuing to waste valuable resources in pursuing superficial activities like the food safety certification of food operations is suicidal. Many in the industry know that the certificate-solution provides no more than a false sense of security and hope. Superficial solutions hinder more than help the cause of consumer protection.

If the food industry is to make significant headway in food safety and quality assurance, those charged with the task must work to liberate their thinking from any confinement to within the basement of collective intelligence. Real progress will remain elusive if the industry continues to engage its visionary minds only in putting out fires that are caused due to lack of real vision.

A new day is dawning for the food and health industry sectors. GCSE-Food & Health Protection is taking part in leading the way into a new era of food safety and quality assurance. The GCSE-FHP SSQA program is part of this initiative. The era of productive collaboration is here.


SSQA spells the end of intimidation and stress. In this dawning era, debilitating certification threats and stresses are replaced by invigorating fortification team effort. No longer are friends and collaborators forced to interact as if they were antagonists in an institutionalized cat and mouse game. The SSQA era brings all stakeholders together to jointly aim its collective arsenal not at each other or at shadows, but most efficiently at the true enemies – everything that undermines the safety and quality of food. 

No more games! You are invited to check out the difference and promise of the SSQA Concept.

Take a look at some frequently asked questions (FAQs) or ask any question that you may have: Questions about the program. To add your question to the list, you may post it in the space for comments below or send it to the SSQA Development Team via Email.


Tuesday, 11 September 2012

SSQA Program (FAQs)

Read the FAQs or ask a question - Never out of date!

Are you warming up to the SSQA program yet? If not, you are invited to check out some of the questions which have been asked about the program here: Questions and Answers.

You may also have some questions. We like to know what they are and we will try to answer them. Please feel free to forward any questions that you have to: gcse@afisservices.com



Saturday, 8 September 2012

Taming the Food Safety and Quality Systems Management Monster



This blog post has been moved to the author's eBook.
Posted by Felix Amiri
___________________________________________________________

Felix Amiri is currently the chair of GCSE-Food & Health Protection, and a sworn SSQA advocate.



Saturday, 1 September 2012

Beyond the Rhetoric

The GCSE-Food & Health Protection #inspirefoodsafety campaign not only calls for deliberate actions to protect consumers, it is leading such actions. The coalition seeks well-meaning individuals who are determined to act beyond merely recognizing the need to act. Members fully understand that, even where they are not part of the problem, they are able to be part of the solution. This may involve no more than simply listening to stakeholders and providing helpful insights.

Many campaigns call for “positive action” but only in general terms. GCSE-FHP is different. It provides the specifics about what constructive actions are to be taken by whom, when and how.

Here are some opportunities for you to take real, constructive, positive and progressive action.These opportunities are offered worldwide:

(1) Enroll as a Trainer or Trainee in the GCSE-FHP Certificate in Food and Health Protection Excellence (CFHPE):
http://gcse-food-health-protection.blogspot.ca/2011/10/gcse-food-health-protection-training.html



(2) Contribute to the Collective Professional Wisdom via the GCSE-Food & Health Protection Compendium of Guiding Principles:
http://gcse-food-health-protection.blogspot.ca/2012/03/contribute-to-growing-compendium-and-be.html



(3) Implement the GCSE-FHP Safety, Security and Quality Assurance (SSQA) Project/Program in your operation:
http://gcse-food-health-protection.blogspot.ca/2011/12/gcse-fhp-systems-management-safety.html




(5) Enlist in the GCSE-FHP Employment Benefit Pact (EBP) as an employee or employer:
http://gcse-food-health-protection.blogspot.ca/2011/11/gcse-fhp-employment-benefit-pact.html



(6) Nominate and be Nominated in the GCSE-FHP Award of Merit Program
http://www.afisservices.com/gcse-fhp/gcseawards.html



(7) Motivate Employees and Customers through your commitment to the GCSE-FHP Members Pledge
http://www.afisservices.com/gcse-fhp/MembPages/MembPledge.html



Follow and/or contribute to the GCSE-Food & Health Protection blog - http://gcse-food-health-protection.blogspot.ca/  

Tuesday, 21 August 2012

Quiz - Product Safety and Quality Assurance Audit Program

This quiz consists of fifteen questions to assess the effectiveness and usefulness of your product safety and quality audit programs. It applies to all types of audit programs whether internal, external or both. All standards are also to be considered including the GFSI (Food Safety audit) standards, etc.

Managers and program coordinators may find this quiz particularly useful but anyone is welcome to try. The questions need to be addressed factually.

Where do your company’s audit programs stand? You may go to this link, take the quiz to find out: GCSE-FHP Product Safety and Quality Audits Quiz


A score of 80% or higher indicates that your audit program may be sufficiently useful and effective. A score of less than 60% indicates your audit program may need to be reviewed for its usefulness.

After you have completed this quiz, you may return here to provide comments:

Saturday, 28 July 2012

Poll Results on Failed GFSI Audit

Poll Question:
"Should any company that fails an audit to the BRC, SQF or any other GFSI standard stop producing and selling any food product until an audit pass is achieved?"
This poll has been posted to several discussion forums and groups. The charts below show the vote counts and comparative percentage to date:
This voting trend was expected. It  appears to indicate that failing a Global FOOD SAFETY Initiative audit (or failing to achieve certification) does not necessarily have a significant bearing on the safety of products. In other words there are aspects of the audits that may lead to an operation failing a GFSI audit without significant consequences to food safety.

Some other questions have been raised in the discussions of this poll question in various groups. They include the following:

1. Should an operation fail a GFSI audit if there is no significant food safety concern found?

2. Can snapshot audits that may or may not detect significant food safety concerns be relied upon for the assurance of food safety?

3. Are the audit reports giving the right impressions about the food safety performance of operations, and are they leading to the right courses of action in the assurance of food safety on the parts of the users?

4. Are the GFSI audits merely trade negotiation and agreement audits with some food safety considerations? 

From the poll results to date, it appears that the Global FOOD SAFETY Initiative audits do not consequentially pertain to, or address, FOOD SAFETY in significant respects.
Perhaps a name change is warranted or it has become necessary to re-assess the idea of these being Global FOOD SAFETY Initiative audits. What do you think?

While you are here, and if you have not already done so, you may take this quiz to find out how your product safety and quality audit programs rate: http://gcse-food-health-protection.blogspot.ca/2012/08/product-safety-and-quality-assurance.html

A score of 80% or higher indicates that your audit program may be sufficiently useful and effective. A score of less than 60% indicates your audit program may need to be reviewed for its usefulness.