This column is part of our Last Word series, which invites noted professionals to provide closing thoughts at the end of each issue of Commercial Baking. See the full issue here.
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NASHVILLE, TN — A culture centered on food safety can set companies apart. At Crown Bakeries, we have a zero-tolerance foreign material expectation and a focus on food safety and quality that spans our company.
Fostering a positive company culture often starts with the will to do the right thing. Treat your employees right, create the right product and offer the right benefits to customers. When it comes to food safety, there is no question that committing to providing safe, high-quality products for customers and consumers is the right thing to do. However, following through with that commitment requires more than just strict oversight from the Food Safety and Quality Assurance (FSQA) teams. It relies on buy-in and collaboration from the entire organization.
Buy-in across all departments is key to creating a culture that consistently upholds food safety standards. Finance must embrace FSQA as a profit center rather than a cost center. For sales teams, the ability to tout exceptional FSQA records and “above and beyond” safety protocols can be the tipping point needed to close deals. Operations teams also benefit when sound FSQA risk mitigation eliminates waste and keeps production lines running smoothly.
Doing the right thing also requires an ongoing effort. Maintaining a culture of food safety is just as important as building it. Training and teamwork are the core of execution. As in team sports, success relies on team-wide alignment on the strategy and the understanding that everyone must play by the same rules and expectations.
Similarly, companies that cultivate each department’s contribution to food safety will improve and perform better. Food safety culture may start with good manufacturing practices, sanitation, supply chain and preventative controls, but it must reach far beyond traditional FSQA disciplines in order to rise above industry standards.
Achieving excellence in food safety and customer service requires sustained effort. At Crown Bakeries, we are proud to put in that work every day — a practice we refer to as giving our customers “the royal treatment.” Because for us, it’s more than just the right thing to do.
