7 replies to this topic

[greencheese]

I am the QA manager at a mid size Cheese Factory in the United States. Today I had a bit of fall out with the President of my corporation. He disregarded several of our GMP standards and placed our product at an unnecessary risk. When I brought this to his attention I was abruptly brushed off. How can I communicate to him that the standards apply to everyone including him. Thank you for any incite.

[nwilson]

Greencheese -  

 

I would sit down with this individual and explain your side of the bigger picture.  This directly correlates to your Food Safety Culture and if the president is allowed to disregard the GMP Policy, what is stopping the staff in your processing areas handling product.  Quote out code from your food safety standard or regulatory requirements, review the policy with this person, research recalls and costs associated (as profit loss is a big motivator) basically drill this in to them (being firm and courteous) and hope that this paints the picture.  You have to enforce the rules no matter who the individual is, and this is not always and easy task.  

 

I had a CEO at a previous plant that would go outside in full hair restraints and lab coat, to chain smoke.  I was originally brushed off until I presented costs associated with potentially adulterated product, then reiterated our GMP non-conformance as staff were following suit.  Once the CEO stopped this practice these GMP violations diminished almost to non-existence.  

 

Be firm stand your ground and present the facts, as well as good luck!  

Edited by nwilson, 27 September 2019 - 04:49 PM.

[arahman]

I feel your pain. Quality Culture needs to be embedded in the core of any company. If you certified against any Quality standard you could bring up its requirements. Make Operation or upper management understand the value in $$ if need be. Show them or perhaps have a training for everyone to show how it could cost the company without proper Quality culture. it's a slow and painful process:( without the right management

[SQFconsultant]

I have a client where the biggest concern of QA in getting certified was the concern that senior management/ownership would be present for he audit and mess it up because of their seemingly inability to follow the the GMP's - their thinking was that it did not apply to them as VPs, President, Owner.

 

All the owners, president, etc were on board when we had our initial get together and then when we worked together to put all the GMPs in place it was indicated they apply to everybody in the building - to which the group  of 3 (that's what the QA Manager called them) chuckled a bit.

 

Then the group of 3 were also designated on their "job descriptions" and the organizational chart as being involved in having a responsibility for food safety.

 

One of the items in the requirements by HR was the adherence to GMP's for everybody and HR communicated this to the employed VP's and President of the company. The owner of the company never entered the building - there was an owners representative on-site and he was employed, thus the GMP's applied to him as well.

 

It was expressed to everyone including the group of 3 by HR/QA and our company in a meeting with everyone concerning SQF that the GMP's applied to everyone and that infractions against the GMP's warrented write ups and continued infractions warrented the possibilty of firing the person.

 

The general employees had no problems at all following their new GMPs and we finally got the owners rep on board as well.

 

It was the VP and President that routinely violated the GMPs.

 

So, the QA Manager went to HR and they wrote them up for their infractions --- yes, both the VP and President threatened QA and HR with being fired and replaced, etc, etc.

 

But then ownership via the rep got involved and informed the VP and President that if they did not get with the program and did not lead by example based on their positions that once they were written up 3 times the owner would fire them.

 

That did the trick.

Edited by SQFconsultant, 27 September 2019 - 04:55 PM.

[FSQA]

Sadly, one of the reason why a company losses a good/efficient QA personnel (besides other potential big issues including recalls, product integrity issues, etc.) over negligence from the "UPPER MANAGEMENT".

 

Do your risk assessment on this particular incident and as mentioned above, share the cost and risk associated with this move.

[greencheese]

I feel the biggest thing I am worried about is reprisal. The president is the owner in my case and we do not have a HR department so if he really feels like pushing back on this then I am getting pushed out the door.

[Ryan M.]

In your situation if you feel you cannot have a discussion with the President about the issue then you need to start seeking employment elsewhere.  This will not be the last issue you will have with the President putting Quality and FS at risk.  Sometimes, you just have to leave.  I have done that before, left more money on the table, better hours, less stress overall because the President make questionable food safety practices and he would not listen to me or to reason so I left the company.

[Hoosiersmoker]

First of all does he see the need to be certified? If so, he is personally responsible for everything that goes with that including a substantial monetary involvement. If you have good rapport with this person explain to him that lack of cooperation / support for the program is a major failure of the system and could result in lack, or removal of, that certification. Not the least of which is that showing all employees he is invested makes the whole system more efficient and effective. Most owners aren't willing to spend on unsuccessful ventures which may well be the result of his defiance of his own program.

 

Maybe show him this site and these posts!