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.

Friday 31 May 2013

The Company Commitment Statement – Is Yours Enforced?


This blog post has been moved to the author's eBook.

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Felix Amiri is currently the chair of GCSE-Food & Health Protection

Wednesday 29 May 2013

The Drummers’ Competition – A Lesson for the Industry

The drummers’ competition is a mutually beneficial kind. The competitors genuinely spur one another to higher levels of prowess. In my younger days, we had such completions. Being practically impossible with enemies, it was a competition among friends.

The competition went like this: A drummer would strike a unique beat and the others would repeat the beat exactly. The challenge level was raised and a more complex beat was struck. The other drummers would strike it exactly. The competition soon reached a point where the more novice drummers were unable to repeat a beat exactly. Those who could not repeat the beat did not become despondent. Rather, as friends, the drummers would laugh with, and encourage the more novice drummers, even helping them to learn the beat. These novice drummers would memorize the sound of the beat. They would practice the beat until they gained prowess in preparation for the next time to showcase their proficiency. They even learned additional beats to show-off just to gain the respect of the other drummers the next time around.

The show-off was one thing but the real benefits of the friendly completion came together at the celebrations when the drumming prowess was enjoyed by all – drummers and spectators.

Only friends can compete and celebrate as part of their normal interactions. Can or do food and health product businesses embrace this kind of mutually beneficial competition with real celebrations?

An avenue for mutually beneficial competition is provided through the GCSE-Food & HealthProtection SSQA Concept. If you are a current or prospective business owner; if you are a product safety and quality manager or professional; you are invited to the "SSQA-D"celebrations.

 Posted By Felix Amiri
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Felix Amiri is the current Food Sector Chair of GCSE-Food & Health Protection

Thursday 23 May 2013

The Continuing Case for Effective Internal Food Safety Audits


 

This blog post has been moved to the author's eBook.

Posted by Felix Amiri
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Felix Amiri is currently the chair of GCSE-Food & Health Protection. He is also the Director of Technical Services at Amiri Food Industry Support Services (AFISS) and the Canada/U.S representative for the World Food Safety Organisation.

Tuesday 21 May 2013

Are More People in High Places Catching the Passion?



The article published on The Packer website shares some great news. People in high places are promoting collaboration within the industry, and between industry and other stakeholders. As you may have gathered, this kind of collaboration is the passion of GCSE-Food & Health Protection. These highly placed advocates of collaboration seem to be catching the same passion. Why not! Guarding our collective sanity and safety is crucial.

We need people in high places to care enough. I don’t just mean caring about the bottom line; I mean truly caring about the social legacy.

At some point, we have to face up to the insanity of simply throwing money at the problems by paying huge costs for recalls and outbreaks. 
We can only hope that the recognized need for collaboration as reported will go as far as the GCSE-FHP proposes – i.e. with the elimination of the universally punitive nature of past and proposed regulations, as well as the adoption of the terms of the GCSE-Food & Health Protection Motion . You may VOTE ON THE MOTION

Reference:  The Packer Article.

Please provide comments below if you wish.


Friday 17 May 2013

The “C-Trend”- Evolution of Inspections and Audits in the Food Industry


This blog post has been moved to the author's eBook.


Posted by Felix Amiri
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Felix Amiri is currently the chair of GCSE-Food & Health Protection. He is also the Director of Technical Services at Amiri Food Industry Support Services (AFISS) and the Canada/U.S representative for the World Food Safety Organisation.

Thursday 2 May 2013

Soaring Passion

Are you passionate about product safety and quality assurance, and are you on board?
Participation in GCSE-Food & Health Protection helps to expand your product safety and quality management acumen;  establish your credibility; demonstrate your commitment and effectiveness; guarantee your salary increase.

Sharing your thoughts with members of the Coalition helps you to articulate your passion and work aspirations. 

Potential employers, clients, organizations, etc. will notice.

Showcase you professional Profile Here.
At the Calgary airport, on my way back to Toronto, I observed something that demonstrated what a band of passionate individuals could do for the large plane called the food industry. As I watched a large Boeing 737 plane that was pushed from the gate by a small pushback tug, I saw a picture of what you and I could do for the industry if we are passionate enough. The size and speed capability of the pushback tug do not come close to those of the large plane that it pushed to set it off on flight 449 to Victoria, British Columbia.

One difference exists. Unlike the pushback tug, the job of passionate individuals is never done. They almost naturally become the engines that fire full throttle to propel the large industry plane on its flight to greater heights.

The kind of passion needed in the industry must be properly directed and sustained. The driving motivation goes beyond the simple notion of having a job and making money. It even goes beyond the drive for professional or company status. The kind of passion needed is that which reflects a keen sense of integrity, moral obligation and social responsibility. A person with this kind of passion remains determined to leave a positive and lasting legacy. With this kind of passion, the goal is intently focused on the outcomes that benefit the consumers in the key aspects of product performance expectations: Safety, Quality, Usefulness, Availability and Affordability.

The industry must be propelled to higher altitudes far beyond the clouds of product safety or quality disasters. Are you on board?

Instant Interviews for (Passionate) Prospective Employees and Employers

If you are a prospective product safety and quality employee, you could start your interview process with multiple employers who may be checking. Also, if you do not already know about the GCSE-Food & Health Protection Employment Benefit Program (EBP), you may take advantage of it.

GCSE-FHP is driving good employment for innovative and productive thinkers in the food and health industry. The GCSE-FHP forums provide you with the opportunity to share your passion as a prospective employee who is passionate about product safety and quality. Potential employers reading your posts will take note. I personally know that my posts have drawn some private inquiries about possible job openings. For instance, providing well thought out comments that demonstrate your passion for product safety and quality under this post is likely to give some insights to prospective employers who may be reading the comments. Consistently meaningful comments are likely to draw a wider readership and, therefore, an expanded prospect of being contacted for further interviews.

You've got the paint and the brush. Paint your indelible mark!

Share your thoughts! You will not regret it. If nothing else, sharing your thoughts may help you to better articulate your passion and work aspirations. In doing so, you will be better prepared for future interviews. Reading and responding to what others share is also quite helpful.

Join the band of passionate individuals. Join GCSE-Food & Health Protection Conversation and soar in the emerging era of productive collaboration. Together we must do everything we can to ensure our protection and satisfaction as consumers: This is the DAWN OF A NEW ERA.


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