Did your business meet its objectives in 2014?
It is important to set annual measurable food safety and quality objectives to ensure continuous improvement and compliance with all standards.
So what were your targets this year and how did you do?
What are your plans for next year?
So please vote and add your comments below.
Thank-you.
Won't know til mid Jan. You're more demanding than our accounting dept for end of year tasks :rofl2:
Also - I hate end of year tasks
I won't know until I get my bonus. Then we'll really know what they think.
My biggest KPI was to get both plants SQF certified. √
No LTA. √
Reduce customer complaints (However I'm sure last years data was falsified. Only states one complaint YTD for one of the plants :headhurts: )
Won't know til mid Jan. You're more demanding than our accounting dept for end of year tasks :rofl2:
Also - I hate end of year tasks
Hi Majenta, measurable food safety and quality objectives are extracted from your policy. You should be monitoring performance throughout the year and pulling, pushing and allocating resources as required to ensure targets are met. Objectives should be a monthly KPI. I'd be interested to know what your objectives were.
I won't know until I get my bonus. Then we'll really know what they think.
My biggest KPI was to get both plants SQF certified. √
No LTA. √
Reduce customer complaints (However I'm sure last years data was falsified. Only states one complaint YTD for one of the plants :headhurts: )
Hi RG3, I think your number one objective is good enough...what is LTA - lost time accidents? If so that's great going also...not even a day lost? Your customer complaints was an almost impossible target and maybe not a good one...zero complaints in the food industry. :lol:
I think your overall answer is "some" - it woud be nice if you could vote that in the poll.
Thanks for answering...and what about next year?
Hi Majenta, measurable food safety and quality objectives are extracted from your policy. You should be monitoring performance throughout the year and pulling, pushing and allocating resources as required to ensure targets are met. Objectives should be a monthly KPI. I'd be interested to know what your objectives were.
Yes, perhaps in a more mature organization. Our owners think project management, continuous improvement, and LEAN manufacturing are "luxuries giant companies can afford" (actual words) Ideally, it would be tracked by week, with a 52 week year, because month to month can take ages for feedback purposes and sometimes the months end on weird spots. I'm still working on getting them to track waste, as they see it as pointless! :eek_yello: :doh:
We set th goals at year start, and review them in Quarterly meetings (but our HACCP/Food Safety/Food Defense team is the same 5 people that meet every day; we save monthly meeting to review PRP programs). Even though we review them, no one actually cares about them, not even me. Ours were pretty easy - no QA before me, so they were basic.
- Reduce customer complaints - This one is very close. We got a complaint on the first that bumped us up. No more complaints in Dec? Golden. One more complaint and we're done. Complaints were not tracked by anything except credits given for replacement product, so I'm using those numbers, which tell me almost nothing (category, lot number, product, nothing!).
- Implement a vendor approval program - Purchasing thinks we did this, I think there are too many gaps for it to be functional. When we do our annual review, that's when I ask the HACCP team what they think.
- Complete scheduled training matrix - No training had happened / been recorded when I started, but I have 12 topics we go over and I got them alI, almost. Dec 8th is our last annual training. I have one in sales that refuses to train on GMP, so I would say no, but I'm sure our HACCP team will be happy with all of the floor employees trained. I still have the rest of December to get her. I need December, Simon. I can feel you judging me through the screen, and it burns.
In the past, my KPIs have been
- Reduced organoleptic customer complaints by 0.4 cpm (met)
- Reduce Cost of Non Quality by some specific amount (did not meet)
- Reduce chemical spending (met - reduced by 88%, which was double my salary, possibly my proudest accomplishment)
- Reduce cleaning and sanitation / Change over times - (did not meet, Caused all departments to contemplate murder. Worst. KPI. Ever. )
- Reduce minors - On FSSC 22000 - went from 40 minors to 0 in one year. 0! Best audit I ever had.
- Obtain DPR (pest control applicator) license - Obtained! And I did it before I got fired 8 months in, so it didn't even take me a year :lol2:
Good morning MM, your story sounds familiar and it’s a shame many organizations still have this outlook. Unfortunately we still have to do it [as required by standards] so we do what we can setting and managing food safety objectives from the middle, like a piece of salami sandwiched between a giant pair of bread crusts.
I’m not judging you Magenta I just couldn’t get a handle on where you were at...and now I empathize with you.
I’ve had difficulties in the past trying to explain to a senior manager how the food safety / quality policy sets the broad vision and values of the organization and if that is what we “truly” believe in and it “matters” to the business; then we make measurable targets based on those policy statements that we can monitor and use to drive continual improvement.
Then the answer is...we do have KPI’s such as sales targets, profit etc.
Yes but in order to maintain sales, growth and profit we have to have all of these other measures in place that establish how satisfied customers are and what we are doing or not doing to make them happy or sad.
I don’t think there is anything difficult about that, but there must be as head honchos are very clever.
I had a non-conformance in a (retailor) audit because I didn't have a complaint reduction plan.
Quite difficult when 2012 complaints for them were zero, 2013 complaints zero, and with 3 weeks to go, 2014 complaints zero
So ill probably get a on-conformance on their next audit because I haven't reduced them!! :giggle:
Ce La Vie!!
Caz x
Sarcastic cheer for meaningless goals! :sleazy:
I started this job in January, but was not given effective functionality until about March. Our 2013 AIB audit did not show improvement over 2012, it was a bit worse. We changed production managers in July. The Maintenance Director left just last month, and he had started in March. And it's a small company, less than 50 workers, where these changes have a huge impact.
So I voted "Some" in the poll. Goals below:
- Get a better score with AIB (audit next week.) Won't know until then. Will depend on the mood of the auditor.
- Set up an Environmental Monitoring Program. That is done.
- Improve the cleaning and sanitation of the production area. Not accomplished yet, but working on it.
- Bring all our written programs into regulatory compliance. That is done. I'm good at writing plans.
- Improve the overall training program for workers. Made all new training materials, but getting the production department to take the time to train is the problem. Working on it.
Goals for next year, all of the above, and add:
Decide on a GFSI scheme to use and go for that certification. Have narrowed it down, but want to see what BRC v.7 looks like. There will be a lot more work to be done to go for that certification, it is a goal for next year. If we go GFSI, we will most likely drop AIB.
Those are my food safety goals. I am also the occupational safety officer, and I had to re-write the entire safety program (they were using a generic program out of a book) and develop all the safety training materials. I've accomplished all those goals, but you can always improve safety. People do really crazy things at times, one of my favorite sayings is, "What were they thinking?"
Our plant is more like a flour mill than any other type, and the process is mostly contained in the equipment. We make food grade fibers. That is why selecting the right GFSI plan is important, because our process is not like most others. As I like to say, we don't package chicken here (joke because the Eastern Shore of MD is one of the largest chicken producing areas in the US.)
Martha
. As I like to say, we don't package chicken here (joke because the Eastern Shore of MD is one of the largest chicken producing areas in the US.)
Martha
First page of responses and I'm already posting something :off_topic: ... I was 100% expecting a crab joke there.
Further OT -
I’m not judging you Magenta I just couldn’t get a handle on where you were at...and now I empathize with you.
Ah, perhaps a poorly written joke...This site is the most awesome because I can post "OMG MY factory is Messsed up, help" and not be judged. We've all been there, or seen it, so I feel like the community is pretty forgiving / sympthaetic / empathetic. I've actually never seen a business run like this, but it was started by chocolate makers, not business men, so I kind of get why they don't know anything about business. Even in the companies where we had robust LEAN / 5S. /Etc programs, the annual FS Objetives were all kind of ignored until the quarterly meetings.
The smart thing to do is to make the annual objectives something you already track & review (like customer complaints) so you can keep the team focused. And set actual limits (reduce by X% or million pieces, not simply "reduce")
First page of responses and I'm already posting something :off_topic: ... I was 100% expecting a crab joke there.
Magenta, I had toyed with the idea of a crab joke, but I didn't want to succumb to the temptation of a holiday-related Sandy Claws reference.
Even further :off_topic:
I had a non-conformance in a (retailor) audit because I didn't have a complaint reduction plan.
Quite difficult when 2012 complaints for them were zero, 2013 complaints zero, and with 3 weeks to go, 2014 complaints zero
So ill probably get a on-conformance on their next audit because I haven't reduced them!! :giggle:
Ce La Vie!!
Caz x
I would suggest tracking compliments against complaints.....that way your complaints will wind up in negative answers. I'm with Setanta on this one.
Mood of the auditor. How true. During my SQF certification audit last month, I managed the auditor. Kept him happy with frequent smoke breaks. Ensured all questions were answered fully but volunteered nothing. Ensured the coffee was hot, fresh and plentiful. Walked away with 4 minors. All in all, a good year.
Happy holidays to all.
MH
Mood of the auditor. How true. During my SQF certification audit last month, I managed the auditor. Kept him happy with frequent smoke breaks. Ensured all questions were answered fully but volunteered nothing. Ensured the coffee was hot, fresh and plentiful. Walked away with 4 minors. All in all, a good year.
Happy holidays to all.
MH
Good Job Mark! Gratz.
Happy Holidays to you, too.
Martha
The smart thing to do is to make the annual objectives something you already track & review (like customer complaints) so you can keep the team focused. And set actual limits (reduce by X% or million pieces, not simply "reduce")
This is actually very accurate. It may be who of you to actually place this in your Senior Management Quality & Food Safety Commitment Policy. It's always good to have something quantifiable like percentages.
:off_topic: It's Saturday and I'm a bit bored so I apologize for a couple of off topic replies in this post:
I won't know until I get my bonus.
I remember I used to get a bonus based on a personal review. One of the criteria during this review was 'communication'. During the review the boss said I didn't communicate very well with 'central technical'. I said that this was a 'personal policy of mine', he said Oh and why is that? I pointed out that I was protecting 'the team' any information given to central technical regarding complaints or product non-conformance was used in the business to 'rubbish' the management team and the site. Didn't go down so well with the MD but they did laugh and I did receive an appropriate bonus ;)
I need December, Simon. I can feel you judging me through the screen, and it burns.
I get that too sometimes! :giggle:
Then the answer is...we do have KPI’s such as sales targets, profit etc.
Surprised no one has mentioned product recalls and product compliance, maybe in a sub level
I had a non-conformance in a (retailor) audit because I didn't have a complaint reduction plan.
Maybe they want you to reduce their competitor's complaints? :yeahrite:
This site is the most awesome because I can post "OMG MY factory is Messsed up, help" and not be judged. We've all been there, or seen it, so I feel like the community is pretty forgiving / sympthaetic / empathetic.
Yep I like that I can use a scatter gun for glory rather than need a sniper's rifle :k9:
Mood of the auditor. How true. During my SQF certification audit last month, I managed the auditor. Kept him happy with frequent smoke breaks. Ensured all questions were answered fully but volunteered nothing. Ensured the coffee was hot, fresh and plentiful. Walked away with 4 minors. All in all, a good year.
Must have been my clone, that would keep me happy.
Have a good weekend everyone,
Tony
Have a good weekend everyone,
Tony
You, too, Tony. Off topic is therapeutic. All the auditor wit is going to keep me from going insane, AIB will be here on Thursday. And, I think you edited your post, but the original persisted in my email. It was a gem, something I would probably hear at this place.
Martha
Martha
Morning everyone
We got a minor in our BRC audit last week on quality objectives. Our two were:
1. Reduce customer complaints per thousands of formings.
2. Reduce number of incidents.
The auditor didn't think these were measurable and wanted %s as a measure. I am at a loss as SM don't seem to grasp the idea of measurable objectives with targets.
Hi Rosemary, if you cannot get Senior Management to even think about developing objectives for food safety and quality then I suggest you make it up yourself and then try to get their buy in. Sometimes you have to show them.
Deconstruct your policy and draw out the measurable objectives...it may well be you need to amend the policy itself if it lacks direction.
Objectives could include:
• Number of customer complaints
• Cost of credits
• Number of internal rejects
• Cost of internal rejects
• On time-in full deliveries
• Customer satisfaction
• Food safety incidents
• Recalls
• Number of audits conducted (internal, supplier)
• Number of audit non-conformances
• Training hours
They can be % or actual numbers or whatever as long as you can measure it and can compare year on year results.
Put them all in a matrix of some sort like the below, then try and get Senior Management to sit down with you and understand, perhaps at Management Review. Once agreed then you can communicate them throughout the business.
ob.png 415.52KB 2 downloads
Morning everyone
We got a minor in our BRC audit last week on quality objectives. Our two were:
1. Reduce customer complaints per thousands of formings.
2. Reduce number of incidents.
The auditor didn't think these were measurable and wanted %s as a measure. I am at a loss as SM don't seem to grasp the idea of measurable objectives with targets.
Try
1. Reduce customer complaints by 200 per thousand of formings (or 50, or whatever a reasonable, achievable goal is) .
2. No more than 2 incidents - incident is a pretty big word, you might want to consider narrowing it down - "0 chemical incidents" "2 labeling incidents"
Hi Rosemary, if you cannot get Senior Management to even think about developing objectives for food safety and quality then I suggest you make it up yourself and then try to get their buy in. Sometimes you have to show them.
People will take the easy route. If they need to write objectives, they will put it off. If you write objectives for them, it is much easier for them to say, "That's exactly what I was thinking!" and adopt them.
Martha
Hands up who answered "what are objectives"?
My main objective is to have at least one hot cup of tea in the working day!
2nd objective is not to over dunk (immersion of) my biscuit into tea and hence half a biscuit!
Not sure if BRC would like that!
Caz x
My main objective is to have at least one hot cup of tea in the working day!
Caz x
That's a great objective!
Martha
My main objective is to have at least one hot cup of tea in the working day!
Caz x
In some jobs my main objective has been to survive until the next paycheck :bye: