Panelists Christian Blyth (Pathogen Specialist at 3M Canada), Marie Tanner (Senior Vice President of Quality at Dairy Farmers of America), and Lone Jespersen, Ph.D. (Cultivate SA) discussed three prominent features in North America's food safety culture: diversity of thought; a proactive, risk-based approach; and high adaptability.
North America has a heterogeneous population across vast geographical variation, and is culturally diverse. In Canada, for instance, approximately 41 percent of the population is first- or second-generation immigrants. This introduces both diversity of thought and challenges to organizational management and culture. Given the high turnover in the industry, engaging these heterogeneities into a company culture—including seasonal workers and non-English speakers—becomes a business priority.