With waves of COVID-19 outbreaks driving the daily cadence of business around the world, maintaining and building on customer relationships are key for success moving forward into the post-COVID-19 business environment. Throughout the pandemic, audit specifiers have moved through the phases of “wait and see” to an “all or nothing” mentality that on-site audits were the only way to assess a supplier; they have finally moved on to remote or “virtual” audits. With the limitations of travel and auditor resources predicted to last into early 2021, drivers for a line of sight into food safety practices of manufacturers through a second- or third-party audit remain strong.
With consumers staying close to home and more aware of the foods they eat and where they come from, the spotlight is on food manufacturers and food safety now more than ever. If a product fails to meet safety expectations, consumers are ready to voice their opinions and share facts on social media at sites such as iwaspoisioned.com. They are blunt with their comments and complaints, and their perception of the issue becomes the reality of the brand. A third- or second-party audit provides visibility into a supplier’s food safety management system and allows audit specifiers to continue to measure, track, and trend key performance indicators in their supply chain.