even visit your suppliers regularly to
ensure that they are implementing
things correctly.”
Alexander agreed that this is a
challenge. “Many suppliers in other
countries are just starting to find out
how urgent and serious an issue this is
for companies in North America and
Europe,” he said. “A lot of suppliers in
South America or Asia are in good
shape by local standards, but often
woefully unprepared for full-blown
food safety/HACCP audits most
multinationals would require. We’ve
spent an enormous amount of time
with our key suppliers working with
them to improve quality controls and
documentation.”
(continued from page 13)
standing where problems may occur within the transportation process
is important (e.g., theft, contamination, temperature control),” Whipple suggests. “Firms can work with suppliers and customers to develop
solutions that provide greater control and/or reduce
vulnerabilities. This may include training employees on proper handling procedures, investing in technologies to track or test products or
inspecting products at different points in the supply chain.”
Tips to Start or Enhance Your
Supply Chain Security Program
Gather information. Understand
what happens to your inputs before
you get them and what happens to
your products after they leave.
“Companies can work with their suppliers and customers to understand
how products move from seed to
table,” says Whipple. “Mapping the
supply chain for a product can help
pinpoint critical control points or
vulnerabilities.”
No matter where in the supply
chain the problem occurred, manufacturers might find themselves facing
a loss of consumer confidence in their
brands—or worse—if products are
adulterated.
Identify the risks specific to your
product/operation. “Identifying
where you potentially have risks can
be a complex starting point,” says
Whipple. “Once risks are identified,
they can be prioritized based on their
potential impact and likelihood of
occurrence.”
“Systems such as HACCP can be
used to improve food safety through
risk identification and mitigation.
Also, once products leave a manufac-
turing or warehousing facility, under-
Consider what you would do if there is a breach in your supply
chain security. “Part of a good security plan is a recovery plan if there
is product contamination or a recall,” says Whipple. “You might need
contingency plans—what’s our alternative if we can’t get an ingredient
from a trusted source? What are some of the other alternatives?”
Set up an alert system. How would you notify customers, appropriate government officials and the media? Knowing who to contact for
various types of supply chain disruptions can help your business re-cover more quickly when something does go wrong. Practicing this
through a mock recall is a good way to ensure that you’re on top of
things. Some insurance companies that offer “recall insurance” are
even starting to require that companies perform mock recalls.
Build a business culture that values supply chain security. Visit suppliers and customers, verify product specifications by lot and confirm
results through independent testing. Consider assigning supply chain
security to a high-level staff member. o
“K“Knowing who to contact for various types of supply chain disruptions can help your business.”
Holly Givens is a freelance writer and communications consultant
with over 15 years experience in the organic community. Formerly
the communications director at the Organic Trade Association, she
now works with businesses and non-profits on projects such as
newsletters, public relations campaigns, grant proposals and more.
Contact her at HollyGivens29@gmail.com, or follow her on Twitter: @HollyGivens.
References
1. Closs, David J., Cheri Speier, Judith M. Whipple, and M. Douglas
Voss. “A Framework for Protecting Your Supply Chain,” Supply Chain
Management Review, March (2008): 38-45.
Additional resources
US Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT):
www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/trade/cargo_security/ctpat/what_ctpat/ctpat_overview.xml
HACCP:
www.fda.gov/food/foodsafety/hazardanalysiscriticalcontrolpointshaccp/default.htm
Examples of questions to use to identify potential security hazards
www.fda.gov/Food/FoodSafety/HazardAnalysisCriticalControlPointsHACCP/HACCP
PrinciplesApplicationGuidelines/ default.htm#app-c
