James Gibb

OK James has kindly volunteered himself for this week.

Please post your questions for James.

How did you get into food safety James?

Simon,

I've worked in the food industry part time since I was 15, I worked in a Hospice kitchen as part of my D of E volunteer work (where food safety was pretty important).

during my Degree (Biochemstry and Microbiology) I worked in a variety of food companies.

Since I joined Global in 2002 food saftety had taken a back seat as I mainly did quality and enviornmental work.

When 22K came out I was tasked to write our systems for accreditation and since then I've been pretty heavily involved in training our offices and developing the systems.

I guess it was dealing with all the specialist dietry requirements that first caught my interest (hence the degree choice)

James

Come on it's not every day a representative from a Cert. Body puts himself into the firing line; please aska question or two.


I'll go again:
Wherabouts do you live James and what do you like to do for relaxation? Also what are your greatest achievments personal/professional - pre being SDF MOTW of course?

Regards,

Simon

Simon,

I live in Leeds (West Yorkshire)

For relaxation I like to play golf (badly) and watch sport on TV, I used to play Rubgy and cricket but I have an injured sholder so I had to quit - it doesn't look good turning up to a clients' with a black eye and stud marks anyway!

My greatest professional achievements so far are:

1 - Writing and developing a scheme for BS8555 (Acorn) Inspection that was accredited by UKAS in November
2 - Carrying out an ISO14001:2004 assessemnt of the main telecommunications firm in Palestine after they chose Global on the strenght of my CV.
3 - Masterminding the best ever result for my House at our school sports day (Joint first because it was rained off)
4 - watching the UKAS auditor rip up all of his NCN's (5) one by one after my first witness as i sucessfully pointed out each one was not factually correct.
5 - helping to set up and attending the GCL International conference in Malaysia in November 2005

Of course my greatest aim now is to become an advanced member of the SDF.

I'll happily answer any questions RE the certification body perspective so feel free to ask


James

I live in Leeds (West Yorkshire)

Oh no not another one. Whereabouts? Don't worry I'm not a stalker - - well not unless you look like Pamela Anderson, or Vera Duckworth…

1 - Writing and developing a scheme for BS8555 (Acorn) Inspection that was accredited by UKAS in November

Excuse my ignorance but what is BS8555 (Acorn) - in a nutshell?

Judging by your list of achievements so far you've begun your career in fine and varied style. What next then for James Gibb where do you see yourself in ten years?

Of course my greatest aim now is to become an advanced member of the SDF.

A worthy goal, I hope you achieve it.

I'll happily answer any questions RE the certification body perspective so feel free to ask

Ok, how do you square the circle of not providing consultancy during third party audits, whist at the same time being a pragmatic and valuable audit partner?

Where's everyone gone?

Regards,
Simon

Oh no not another one. Whereabouts? Don't worry I'm not a stalker - - well not unless you look like Pamela Anderson, or Vera Duckworth…

I live in Headingley within 500m of the cricket ground (and about 10 pubs )

BS8555:2003 is ISO14001:2004 split into easy to implement sections, the Acorn scheme has been developed by IEMA www.iema.net/acorn and is inspection of each implementation section. the scheme is about 2 years old and we are the only body approved in Italy the UAE and Palestine as well as only 1 of 3 in the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Regarding the "added value" aspect there is a guide produced by the Auditing Practices Group related to ISO9000 http://isotc.iso.org...&nodeid=3553372

The key to adding value is to actually understand the customers processes and market position, I try to be fully prepared before visiting a client and therefore be able to carry out an effective audit.

The big issue with adding value is understanding the level of commitment within the organisation, some of our clients in the UK are dissapointed if we don't raise Non-conformances because they want to improve but others don't want small issues to cause a great deal of work, if you refer to the APG document it talks about the different customer expectations depending upon the company objectives and commitment.

Normally I will try to suggest process control improvements (you would be amazed how many companies don't see invoicing being a process step in a quality system)

We tend not to adopt the BRC approach of "you're failing in this area and here's a brochure of our training courses for this area and a booking form"

For me the issue can be very complicated as often "consultancy" is seen as providing a documented system and internal audits whereas I see consultancy more being a case of "I can consolidate your labelling requirments and provide you with a solution to this specific problem", afterall anyone can write a few generic procedures but being able to improve efficiency and streamline management processes is a far more effective level of consultancy.

Often the best way to help a company is how to word an NCN, if you word it: "the purchasing system is not fuctioning as the procedures specifiy" and give examples it doesn't help the client whereas if you say: " the purchase orders are not being signed by the approved person" you are guiding the client in how to correct this. an alternative may be: " validation of control measures has not been carried out" and the better version "it is not possible to confirm that the 12 degree temperature CCL for the food processing area has been validated as this does not satisfy the guidance set in CAC/RCP13"

Normally that is the best way to help the client without carrying out consultancy. It is a very difficult thing to do and requires the auditor to have a very in depth understanding of the industry and the requirements of the customers, as long as you have that then you will add value throughout the audit.

Regarding the "added value" aspect there is a guide produced by the Auditing Practices Group related to ISO9000 http://isotc.iso.org...&nodeid=3553372

The paper is actually a very good read. I would encourage and stimulate members to read it but I couldn't recommend or advise you do.

It takes a very skilled auditor to balance the line between conducting a useful audit and not advising. In my opinion (and I know I'm wrong) an auditor will have seen dozens if not hundreds of examples of best practice on their travels so it seems a waste not to be allowed to share them.

In the past I've been the auditee at many 2nd and 3rd party audits and been the auditor on many 2nd party audits. The most useful and useless have been the 2nd party audits where a copious amount of sharing takes place.

Anyway if you were cast adrift on a dessert Island what ten things would you take and why?

Regards,
Simon

• My PDA (so I can still access SDF)
• a magnifying glass (fires etc)
• a swiss army knife
• a tent
• brewing equipment
• fishing line
• a rubgy ball (and pump)
• an umbrella (no englishman is complete without one)
• some chinese worry balls (shameless Red dwarf reference)
• the missus (ahh)

James

Hi James,

Sorry I missed the beginning of this.

Are you from Yorkshire, or an adopted Yorkshireman?

Union or League?

Is there future of football in Yorkshire?

What are the best / worst things about Leeds?

What music do you like?

Top 3 artists / composers / songs?

Oh no not another one.

What do you mean Simon?

The war of the roses ended a long time ago.

Its not your fault that you're on the wrong side of the border!

Yorky,

I'm afraid I'm only an honoury Yorkshire Man,

I've lived in Bradford for 10 years and Leeds for 8 but I was born in Leicester....

... which nicley feeds into: Rugby Union being the one true Rugby

Football in Yorkshire?? I thought they all gave that up a few years ago?

Mind you Huddersfield are looking good this year

The best things about Leeds are - proximity to the cricket, good transport links, lots of decent bars and pubs (mainly in the suburbs such as Headingley or Chapel Allerton) and the good weather (compared with Wilsden my previous home)

The worst things about leeds is the city centre - there are just too many women aimlessly shopping for my liking! and the roads, the only place I have been that has worse pot holes is Ramalla, and they've got the tanks, shells and general explosive bits to blame.

Top 3 music (in no particular order) probably:

The Streets, Placebo & Norah Jones - I like variation

Top 3 composers:

Vivaldi, Orf & Elgar

Top 3 songs:

come away with me, Hurt (Johnny Cash version) and 3 lions '96

Are you sure Simon is from Lancashire I thought he was a Man U fan - doesn't that mean he's from Surrey?

James "Trouble at Mill" Gibb

And last but not least...

the missus (ahh)

Are you sure Simon is from Lancashire I thought he was a Man U fan - doesn't that mean he's from Surrey?

What do you mean Simon?

The war of the roses ended a long time ago.

Its not your fault that you're on the wrong side of the border!

Aye am realarzin Yokshire folk aint t'bad.

I think I'd better go to bed.

Oh - James tell us a bit about Palestine; we only see what we see on the news.

Simon

Oh - James tell us a bit about Palestine; we only see what we see on the news.

Simon

Simon,

It is an interesting place, the people are all very friendly and remarkably upbeat.

life is not easy for the Palestinians, most of the infrastructure has been damaged/destroyed.

The sad thing is most of the Palestinians have no desire to raise arms against the Isralis but the small minority has tainted every aspect of the country.

I visited the West Bank in September and I was asked many times "were you worried about comming here?"

my stock response was that I was just as likley to be killed in a bombing in London, a shooting in Nottingham or Manchester, and more likley to be killed on the roads in Italy.

The CEO of the company I was visiting was very happy for a refreshing view and said "I hope that you will tell people that not all palestinians wear head cloths and throw petrol bombs"

Well now I am doing.

The country is pretty well developed and the younger generation is all well eductated, once the politicians stop screwing around and the businessmen work out an effective compromise I think the place will do pretty well

Afterall the only reason the Israli football team is any good is beacuse of the palestinian players

James

I've lived in Bradford for 10 years and Leeds for 8 but I was born in Leicester....

Leicester is a pretty good place. I spent my sandwich year there at a crisp factory and enjoyed myself very much (too much!). The problem was that they didn't really have an identity, i.e. they weren't happy if I called them southern jessies but would happily call me a northern git!

Where do you see yourself in 10 years time? DO you fancy working in manufacturing again?

yorky,

I have a feeling we may well have worked in the same crisp factory (i'm guessing for a quite famous brand)

perhaps it is my honoury yorkshireness coming through but I personally feel that leicester the start of the north (compared with those southern jessies in Coventry). The climate in Leeds is pretty much the same as Leicester and I always thought of myself as a northener.

In ten years time I see myself doing pretty much the same as I am now, (afterall I only turned middle aged last year being half way to 50 and all that)

Either that or retired having won the lottery

James

The CEO of the company I was visiting was very happy for a refreshing view and said "I hope that you will tell people that not all palestinians wear head cloths and throw petrol bombs"

It's hard sometimes, but I think most intelligent people decipher the hype, spin and backspin the media and politicians bombard us with. Normality does not make interesting news.

In ten years time I see myself doing pretty much the same as I am now, (afterall I only turned middle aged last year being half way to 50 and all that)

Ahh, if only I were twenty five again knowing what I know now.

What are you up to this weekend James?
Are you going on holiday this year?
What's your favourite tipple?

Simon

Simon,

sorry for the late response,

last weekend I went walking in the Dales, in preparation for a 25 mile walk next weekend (hence no internet access)

I will be going on holiday but I have no idea when or where yet, we're going through a re-structuring at work at the moment so it's all a bit up in the air.

My favourite drink is JD and Cola.

James

Simon,
I will be going on holiday but I have no idea when or where yet, we're going through a re-structuring at work at the moment so it's all a bit up in the air.

Hope everything is OK.

Thanks for being MOTW mate - well done!

Simon