Food Safety as a Social Norm

Q: What’s the difference between our food system today and that of a hundred years ago?
A: While there are many, I think the main difference is that today’s modern food system provides consumers with a more diverse and convenient source of prepared, economical, and ready-to-eat foods. And while these changes have resulted in both benefits and additional risks, I believe that on balance, the benefits have been extremely beneficial for societies, consumers, and their families.

Just think about it, at the dawn of the 20th century, a majority of consumers worldwide were still living in a pre-industrialized era, living off the land, with most people still involved with food production in some way, shape, or form. In some countries, early food processing plants were just starting to emerge, but they had very limited supply chains and distribution networks. Food borne surveillance was in essence non-existent, so if foodborne illnesses did occur, they went largely undetected and unreported.

Fast forward a mere hundred years and the transformation that has occurred in food production is nothing short of amazing.

Q: Having a “culture of food safety” has been a hot topic recently, but what does that really mean? How do we begin to get ourselves on this path?
A: Food Safety Culture is a term that is getting used often in today’s profession, maybe even overused. What does it really mean? As a food safety professional, culture can be one of those terms that seems a little fuzzy or maybe even abstract.

Generally, food safety professionals feel much more comfortable talking about specific microbes, food safety standards, and process controls. In fact, we often consider these the hard science. Food safety professionals generally feel less comfortable talking about terms related to organizational culture and human behavior – often referred to as the “soft stuff.”

However, if you look at foodborne disease trends over the past few decades, it’s clear to me that the soft stuff is still the hard stuff. We won’t make dramatic improvements in reducing the global burden of foodborne disease, especially in certain parts of the food system and world, until we get much better at influencing and changing human behavior (the soft stuff).

I think progress in this area begins with the realization that to advance food safety, we have to go beyond traditional training, testing, and inspectional approaches to managing risks. It requires a better understanding of organizational culture and the human dimensions of food safety.

Bottom line, to improve the food safety performance of a retail or foodservice establishment, an organization with thousands of employees, or a local community, you must change the way people do things. You must change their behavior. In fact, simply put, food safety equals behavior.

Q: What’s the best way for food safety become a social norm?
A: This is a great question, because I believe the principle of “social norm” applies directly to a food safety culture.

According to BusinessDictionary.com, social norm is defined as a “pattern of behavior in a particular group, community, or culture, accepted as normal and to which an individual is accepted to conform.” Best-selling author and psychologist Robert Cialdini states, “People are more willing to take a recommended action if they see evidence that many others, especially similar others, are taking it.”

Believe it or not, most humans are social beings. We depend on others. We want to be liked by others. And we want to fit in with certain social groups. Although this isn’t true for everyone, it is generally true for most people and there is clear behavioral science evidence supporting this principle.

While there is no single best way to make food safety the social norm, we should take intentional efforts to try to do so. Strategies can range from linking food safety to an organization’s values and belief system – not just rules and regulations. We can tell more success stories, so that others can see food safety being done the right way – and not just the wrong way.

Remember, we are all social beings, so let’s try to positively influence others, whether it’s individuals, companies, or communities to be “responsible” for food safety – not just “accountable” for food safety. They’re different.

The social sciences teach us that food safety can be “caught” – not simply taught.

Q: Most everyone would agree that consumers expect the food they purchase to be safe. In today’s world, generally speaking, consumers are at least a step or two away from those who process or produce their food. What is the responsibility of food services and retail markets as the final link in the chain that puts products in the hands of consumers?
A: In today’s interconnected food system, food safety is a shared responsibility. The responsibility lies along the entire food continuum from farmer to manufacturer to distributor to retailer and eventually the consumer. For many products, no single point in the continuum can guarantee food safety alone.

In my view, food service organizations and retailers have an important role to play as the final link between many foods and the consumers – in terms of both the practices they practice in their establishments and the expectations they require of their suppliers.

Q: You’ve said that “collaboration is critical” to addressing today’s complex and interdependent food supply chain. What steps has Walmart taken to address food safety within an ever expanding supply chain?
A: In the 21st Century, food safety requires greater collaboration between all stakeholder groups (industry, academia, regulatory, & consumers) than at any point in human history. With our size and scale, we believe we have an important responsibility to convene stakeholders on the important food safety issues of our day.

We do this in a variety of ways, whether it’s through educational sessions that we put on for suppliers, participation as a Board Member in the Global Food Safety Initiative, polling and listening to our customers on food issues, to convening stakeholder listening sessions prior to implementing new food safety initiatives.

Q: We love the Food Safety High Five! What are some other initiatives taken at Walmart that you feel have made a positive difference in food safety?
A: Serving millions of customers in the U.S. on a weekly basis, we realize we have an important responsibility and unique opportunity to engage suppliers, associates, customers, researchers, communities, and regulatory agencies to advance food safety. One notable initiative worthy of mention is the Walmart was the first U.S. retailer to require its suppliers to achieve certification on one of the Global Safety Initiative internationally recognized food safety standards. This initiative alone has been documented through studies to have resulted in companies having to modernize food safety management systems, conduct more training for their employees, reduced food recalls, and strengthened many suppliers’ compliance with regulations.

Q: How did you first learn about STOP Foodborne Illness?
A: I first learned about STOP by meeting Nancy Donley at a conference many years ago. Immediately, I became a big fan of hers, the STOP organization in general, and the ideals that STOP embodies of advancing the safety of the food supply, so people can live better lives.

Q: Is there one area in your work that you think STOP is especially poised to help industry with?
A: I think STOP’s connection with consumers, especially those that have experienced the tragic consequences of a foodborne illness, serves as an important stakeholder group to remind everyone involved with food that there are real risks and real consequences and to offer unique perspective on how to further improve the safety of the nation’s food supply.

Q: Many of our readers have suffered from, or lost a loved one to, foodborne illness. What’s your personal message to these folks?
A: I am so sorry for your loss or that you had to go through such an experience. While I know nothing I can say will replace your loss or ease the suffering you experienced, please know that there are many public health professionals in industry and regulatory that are working relentlessly to win the battle against foodborne disease. It is a winnable battle and your unfortunate experience only strengthens our resolve.

Thank you for sharing your story, your courage, and helping us create a safer food supply and improve the quality of life for Americans nationwide.

Q: We follow you on Twitter and really appreciate, not only the questions and subjects with which you challenge the Twittersphere, but also the fact that you’re a dog lover.
A: Thanks! Yes, I LOVE my dogs. That’s why pet food safety is important to me too! And I’m pleased to say that Walmart is making a big difference in this area by being the first US retailer to require pet food suppliers to achieve certification on one of the Global Food Safety Initiative standards too.