Why Every CEO Should Be Sanitation Savvy

With the myriad of business concerns at a food processing company, sanitation may not be top of mind for the chief executive officer (CEO). But the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is changing the way top executives view sanitation. Here are five critical reasons why CEOs need to understand sanitation and how it impacts their company’s operations and profitability.

1. FSMA demands it. Under FSMA, food industry executives are responsible for regulatory compliance. The buck stops at the executive suite when it comes to food safety. With new regulations affecting processes and documentation, oversight can be overwhelming for even the best managed organizations. Packer Sanitation Services, Inc. (PSSI) helps companies comply with FSMA by establishing sanitation processes and taking responsibility for the required documentation.
2. Customers expect it. Third-party audits are becoming more and more prevalent in the food industry. PSSI understands the complexities of third-party and regulatory auditing models and can help companies comply. We provide verification that the proper sanitation processes are in place and being followed to the letter. PSSI works closely with our chemical supply partner, Packers Chemical, to ensure that sanitation products are mixed, managed and stored properly—and provide audit-ready documentation as well.
3. Your company’s reputation is at stake. A foodborne illness, recall or other food safety issue can damage the brand reputation that your company has worked hard to establish. It’s important to work toward continuous improvement in food safety and sanitation. PSSI has deep technical expertise in microbiology, chemistry and food safety, along with an understanding of how sanitation fits with production processes. The CEO is ultimately responsible for the quality of the company’s end product, but PSSI experts can identify hygienic design improvements and other insights to help avoid a food safety crisis.
4. Labor is a big-ticket item. In today’s tight labor market the costs of hiring, training and retaining workers can be a big number on a company’s balance sheet. Outsourcing sanitation can take away the management challenges associated with staffing for sanitation shifts. PSSI takes full responsibility for sanitation teams—not only worker training and management, but also the costs of health insurance, workmen’s compensation and other employee benefits. With contract sanitation these become fixed costs for the company rather than unpredictable variable expenses, making it easier to manage budgets.
5. Production is Number One. At most food companies, maximizing productivity is a key concern of top management. Outsourcing sanitation can create efficiencies by using a specialized team to manage cleaning and sanitation. Internal production managers can then focus their time and energy on productivity improvements. Contract teams often are able to tighten the sanitation window and provide additional production time without compromising employee safety. PSSI will pay for idled labor cost if production is delayed due to sanitation.

Now’s the time to speak to your management team about how contract sanitation can contribute to your company’s bottom line.

Editor’s Note: This post was sponsored by PSSI. To learn how PSSI can help you manage your company’s sanitation program for audit-readiness, visit www.redefinecleanpssi.com.