SafetyChain Blog

SafetyChain is proud to have recently been added to two 2023 Capterra Shortlists for Quality Management and Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) Management. This recognition is based on an independent assessment that evaluates user reviews and online search activity to generate a list of market leaders in the Quality and EHS Management categories.

If you think completing an audit is just another box to check off for compliance: think again. Conducting an internal quality audit is a business investment that shouldn’t go to waste. If you’re not maximizing all of your business investments, you’re leaving money on the table.

Due to today's rapid evolution of food trends and a social media spotlight on all manufacturing brands, quality management is critical to attracting and retaining customers. Not even well-known, longstanding businesses have the reputation insulation they may have had several years ago. But how much does it cost to ensure quality, and what can businesses do to minimize those costs?

Quality and safety standards for the food and beverage manufacturing industry have been shifting as the world experienced unprecedented supply chain disruptions through the pandemic. From this disruption, the FDA and other regulatory bodies have adapted some compliance requirements to ensure a steady supply of safe and quality food while developing new regulations. It is crucial that manufacturers understand, prepare for, and implement policies to comply with these changing standards.

Most organizations understand the value of performing internal audits. The objective of auditing is to gain insights into your processes, help you maintain conformance, mitigate risks, and improve your operational excellence.

However, there are best practices you can incorporate into your audits to make them more effective, insightful, and useful to increase the likelihood of continual improvement.

All food and beverage manufacturers have stringent food safety and quality requirements unique to their products, plants, and customer expectations. With the correct balance and prioritization of key performance indicators (KPIs), Plant Managers can reduce costs and increase capacity in their facilities. 

Many organizations understand the “improvement” part of Continuous Improvement but struggle with the “continuous” aspect. A company might improve a process once but then assume they have solved the problem and there is no further need for improvement. Other companies know that continuous improvement can help but are unsure which strategy is appropriate. Learning about key continuous improvement methods can ensure companies know which strategies will yield the results they seek. Many companies find themselves considering many different options, and lose sight of the most important thing which is to start somewhere.

Manufacturers must integrate policies and processes that meet or exceed industry standards and governmental regulations. At the same time, these policies and processes must also meet or exceed the expectations of customers. Many organizations develop a quality management system (QMS) to manage both aspects of quality and compliance. An organization’s QMS formalizes and directs quality and compliance activities and facilitates continuous improvement. ISO9001:2015 details the requirements for quality management systems. QMS programs can be a valuable tool in building strong relationships with customers and helping organizations remain competitive.

Supplier compliance is critical to reducing risk, ensuring quality, and meeting customer expectations, but the activities involved can be tedious and time-consuming. Establishing the right relationship with clear expectations between all parties and open communication can significantly reduce supply challenges. Supplier management software is a beneficial tool that can efficiently organize all aspects of supplier management, creating opportunities for more productive relationships and allowing supply managers to invest their time in adding greater value to organizational processes.

In the food industry, what you measure tells a story about what you value. You can’t improve what you don’t measure. This sends a strong message from the top that food safety is a priority for the organization. Establishing and communicating objectives and KPIs related to food safety can influence a facility’s food safety culture. But how do you know if your KPIs are driving the right behaviors? And are there better KPIs you could be setting?