The certification scheme to meet the due-diligence needs

The certification scheme to meet the due-diligence needs of national buyers sourcing food from local producers

Origins of SALSA • Began with informal discussions in 2004 instigated by the BRC • Need for a food safety standard for small businesses where BRC Global Standard was too ‘big’ or too ’expensive’ • Mustn’t be ‘BRC lite’ and perceived as less effective at delivering safe food to consumers • Words to avoid were ‘cheaper’, ‘easier’ • Invited ‘stakeholders’ to input ideas

Initial stakeholders consulted • • • Retailers Foodservice Food Manufacturers Farmers Food Standards Agency DEFRA Food From Britain Food Technology Centres Small Business Service • NHS • Chartered Institute of Environmental Health • Institute of Food science and Technology • IMPROVE ( Food & Drink Sector Skills Council) • Forum of Private Business • University of Salford

Fundamentals • • product safety product legality supplier and buyer due-diligence appropriate to small businesses

Stakeholder vision • should be a ‘scheme’ and not just another standard • must ‘add value’ to small businesses • minimal costs but within a controlled framework • managed by a professional, competent body • if possible, provide additional services to small businesses

Partners in Joint Venture

Scheme structure • Ownership - a Contractual Joint Venture between the four industry Partners • Governance - a Council chaired by Lady Sylvia Jay of Food from Britain • Run as a not for profit scheme by the owners • Scheme must become self-funding to be sustainable • Scheme operations contracted to credible food industry organisations • IFST (with SFQC as partner for Scotland)

Scheme objective • To provide the UK food industry with an appropriate food safety certification scheme for small and local producers that is reliable, affordable and effective.

Scheme objective • Reliable – a standard that is accepted buy the UK food buying community as ‘fit for purpose’ and meeting their due-diligence needs. • Affordable – reversing the current trend of making ‘large’ company supply unaffordable to ‘small’ producers • Effective – delivering tangible food safety improvements for Suppliers and building the confidence of Buyers

Operational requirements • Needs to be a robust scheme accepted by national buyers from the different purchasing sectors • Must include a professional audit performed by a credible body of independent auditors who can provide sound technical guidance • Must be a low-cost and affordable approval process for small and local suppliers • Scheme must become self-funding to be sustainable • Must ensure the continued technical support of scheme participants

SALSA 12 months ago • Funding received from Scottish Food & Drink, Highlands & Islands Enterprise in Scotland DEFRA in England • Scheme developed and tested • Initial protocols and documents developed • Partly functioning website developed • SALSA launched at IFE in March 2007 • 14 successful pilot scheme participants in Scotland were awarded certificates in March and April 2007

The first SALSA Certificate at IFE

Progress since launch • 70 auditors and mentors trained • Thirteen regional training events • Sponsored by FSA and stakeholders – – – SFQC ASDA Mitchells & Butlers Elior Sainsbury’s 3663 • Auditor’s website pages launched • Additional protocols and documents developed • Feedback from auditors and mentors collected

SALSA Auditor and Mentor Applicants October 2007 -2008 100 90 80 70 Mentor 60 Auditor 50 Approved 40 30 20 10 0 Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct

SALSA at end of October 2008 1210 online registrations via website • Suppliers 812 • Buyers 318 • Auditors/Mentors 87

SALSA Registrations October 2007 - 2008 1400 1200 1000 Total Registered 800 Registered Suppliers 600 Registered Buyers 400 200 0 Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct

Suppliers at end of October 2008 • 812 registered • 349 members • 193 first audits • 30 annual audits

SALSA Members and Audits October 2007 -2008 400 350 300 250 Total Membership 200 First Year Audits 150 Annual Audits 100 50 0 Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct

Auditor & mentor approval • IFST Register of Professional Food Auditors & Mentors • Pre-requisite • Demonstrates credible experience in given sectors • Demonstrates auditor qualification and experience • • • SALSA application form and declaration completed Professional indemnity insurance certificate required Attendance at a one-day training seminar Annual registration to IFST - PFAM Annual attendance of regional training seminar No training fees in 2008 due to FSA sponsorship

Pricing policy from April 2008 • Supplier membership remains at £ 50 • First year audit increased to £ 450 (from £ 400) • Membership includes access to web-based information and resources and entry into SALSA directory • Audit fee includes cost of one audit, report and publication of certificate in Suppliers directory • Audit fee inclusive of local travel expenses • Annual membership £ 500 (including audit fee)

Pricing policy from April 2008 • Buyers still have free access to website limited to • News bulletins • SALSA directory • Mentor directory • Buyers encouraged (or asked) to sponsor SALSA • auditor & mentor regional training seminars etc • participation in the Technical Committee

The SALSA website • designed to facilitate buyer access to local producers • designed to be simple and easy to use • SALSA directory of suppliers and approval status accessible to buyers • provides some free downloadable information • online membership of scheme for suppliers gives access to valuable information, guidelines, support and book an audit • directory of Mentors accessible to suppliers • ongoing development of additional services of benefit to suppliers and buyers (eg local services directory, local networking forums, access to local funding initiatives)

Some of the scheme supporters

Scheme membership • • • supplier joins scheme on-line and pays £ 50+vat SALSA directory entry activated access to additional support documents access to local mentors access to funding for mentors and support

Audit booking • supplier orders and pays for audit online (£ 450+vat) • SALSA match supplier with a local auditor with correct sector qualifications and experience • auditor contacts supplier to check readiness and offer advice • auditor will arrange the audit to suit supplier within 28 days

Audit performance • standard duration on-site audit is one half-day • auditor records findings on checklist and assesses level of performance prior to a washup meeting • auditor raises and discusses items for action or improvement and prepares an action plan with supplier • auditor and supplier sign action plan as an agreement

Supplier approval • SALSA operations make approval decision based on auditor’s recommendation and a review of supplier’s returned action plan • if approved, certificate of is placed in directory and report emailed to supplier • if not approved, no certificate in directory but report still issued – supplier re-applies for audit when ready • supplier given further advice by SALSA operations regarding further support and resources available

Benefits • The scheme is owned by the industry bodies who have a direct interest in supplier development and improvement • The scheme allows small product and ingredient manufacturers to provide assurance of food safety and increase their access to larger customers • The scheme provides a robust certification using a standard that is appropriate and proportionate to the size of the producer – effectively, an alternative to BRC Global Standard • The scheme addresses the increasing demand by consumers for local and regional foods

Benefits • The scheme fulfils the requirements of the Government’s sustainability strategy and its Public Sector Procurement Initiative • The scheme will discourage the proliferation of similar standards • The scheme provides a route to supportive funding and a means to measure the effectiveness of funded projects

www. salsafood. co. uk